AREA OF WAR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 July 1941, Page 5

AREA OF WAR

ENTERED BY UNITED STATES BERLIN SPOKESMAN'S COMMENT. OCCUPATION OF ICELAND. ißj’ Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, July 9. A Berlin spokesman, in a statement on the United States’ occupation of Iceland, said that President Roosevelt lias entered the area of war operations, and therefore must bear the consequences. The London "Daily Telegraph" says that though Iceland is garrisoned by United States forces it remains available as a base for the British Navy. In Washington President Roosevelt told the Press that the United States' defence of the Western Hemisphere •would not be .measured by geographical considerations, and it eliminated all nations of fixed hemispheric boundaries.

The President explained that there were points in one ocean or another which were not important to defence, but there were others just outside the hemispheric boundaries which might be terribly important. “Il is impossible to draw an imaginary line and place our duty on it,” he said. “Whether Iceland is in the Western Hemisphere or outside depends on what geographer was last consulted." Mr Roosevelt’s message to Congress with reference to the occupation of Iceland explained that Mr Churchill had intimated that the British forces in Iceland were required elsewhere. After conversations had taken place, the Prime Minister of Iceland. Mr Hermann Jonasson, invited President Roosevelt to send United States troops under several conditions. The conditions, which related to the adequate protection of the integrity and maintenance of the sovereignty of Iceland and the withdrawal of United States’ troops after the war. were fully acceptable to the United States and would be observed. United States newspapers today welcome the sending of United States troops to Iceland as a vital step in the defence of the United States as well as a valuable step to assist Britain. The "Washington Post" says:— “President Roosevelt has stolen a march on the Nazis, besides relieving the British of a burden. The "New York Post" calls the move “a superb insurance policy against sudden attack."