AMERICAN HELP

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21374, 19 March 1941, Page 5

AMERICAN HELP

MR ROOSEVELT’S SPEECH j BRITAIN’S APPRECIATION GREAT SIGNIFICANCE iUnited Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, March 17 ! Mr Roosevelt’s historic address in! Washington, in which he declared j that Americans recognised the dan-j ger which confronted them and had j gone into action as a united nation,! has been received in Britain with appreciation and thankfulness, says a British official wireless message. The Times says: “This great speech was more than a speech—it was, rather, a political event of the first order.”’ Recalling that it was broadcast in 14 languages, including' those of all the countries now occu- i pied and enslaved by Germany, the! Times adds: “No matter what may! be done by the Gestapo to prevent its contents from becoming known., it is bound to have an enormous j effect in bringing new hope and con- j fidence to all who love freedom. The! year 1941 may be the grimmest in history, but the issue is now certain. In that certainty we are now | fortified by the President’s cate- J gorical undertakings. We can face' and overcome whatever assault may be made upon us.” Victory Assured The immense significance of the speech is recognised throughout the entire press. In typical comment, the Daily Telegraph says: “This outspoken statement of policy will prove the main determinant of the course of the war. The world knows that the will and power to fulfil every word are ample, and must assure the victory of freedom. be the conflict short or long.” The News Chronicle says: “America is all out to win. In a technical sense she is still not in the war, but in every real sense she is in it up to the hilt.” A Chungking newspaper says: “Mr Roosevelt’s promise to China will make the entire world realise that the United States is backing the antiaggressionists in Europe and Asia. We hope American arms and munitions will come very soon so that we shall be able to unfold a counteroffensive against the Japanese.” The Asahi Shim’oun asserted that there was nothing surprising in Mr Roosevelt’s speech. However, Japan must not fail to watch to what extent American aid to Chungking would be extended. Taking advantage of the technical point that Japan was not at war with China, the United States might dare to carry arms to the Chungking Government in its own ships. In that event there would be no alternative for Japan than to frustrate such an attempt with the same resolve that Hitler recently professed. The Mexican Confederation of Labour, in a strong pro-American declaration, issued a lengthy manifesto stingingly denouncing the Axis. It warned Mexicans to beware of “false patriots” who were working with Fifth Columnists, and called upon all popular organisations in Mexico to sever whatever relations they might have with European institutions, in order to reinforce the bonds of friendship in the American continent.