Evening star., 1938-02-17


debts against pulling England's chest
nuts out Of the fire." and against the
reciprocity treaties of Secretary Hull !
can hardly with justification complain
if Mr.. Roosevelt now insists on fol- |
lowing economic nationalism to its |
logical goal.
The President has been warned by |
. rather extensive public sentiment,
expressed unmistakably during the
last few years, that America wants
Ito 60 1t alone" that high tariffs are
necessary for the protection Of the
American standard Of living, and that
no loans must be made to foreigners |
and no help of any kind extended to |
them because we must save our own,"
as the saying goes.
May Involve Us In War.
So when there is unsettlement in the
world requiring military precautions,
the administration is estopped from
making a working arrangement with
the largest navy in the world, namely
the British navy. because this. it is
argued, may involve us in war
originating in British and not Amer
ican controversies.
Such view is wholly logical. too.
No offensive and defensive alliance of
any kind or understanding, if the
less explicit word is preferred. could
possibly exist without corresponding
responsibility. The moment America
says, in effect. to Great Britain, I'VE
wish to join hands with you to pool
our navies in the event Of certain con-
tlngencies, "the British would prompt
~ answer back, but what of contin-
gencies vital to us?"
So If the United States Government
does not wish to undertake any obli-
cations of a theoretical character any,
where on the face of the globe in
union with any other power. it be-
comes necessary for America to think
IN terms of adequate defense from a
strictly technical viewpoint of one
power against any other single power
or combination of possible enemies
Adequate Defense Needed.
Few people who know anything
about naval science will doubt that If
the attention of the British navy is
engaged IN the Mediterranean, or
even In Atlantic operations, the United
States might find itself at that very
moment involved in protecting the Pa
ciffc when, as a matter of fact, Ameri-
can warships would be more than ever
necessary for protection in the Allan
tic. During the last World War the
United States Fleet was concentrated
IN the Atlantic even before 1917 It
was the logical place for protection
because when war is going on among
nations bordering the Atlantic it is
essential that American warships be
on the alert lest the belligerent powers
take undue liberties with neutral ship |
ping.
Unless, therefore. the United States |,
Is ready to pay the price Of complete |
stoppage OF all commercial trade, in
cluding the exchange Of goods between
North and South America, thus aban-
doning the sea to whatever navy hap
pens to be operating therein, the
chances are the American people
would want our Navy to police the
Atlantic effectively. If for no other
reason than to prevent incidents that
might lead to our involvement in the
war. /
To be on the safe side-that is, to |
be able to hold our own irrespective
OF any temporary aid that Britain's |
navy might extend us-means build |
ing up the American Navy to the larg-
est strength Of any navy in the world. !
TO insure peace-and that means con-
structing potential fighting force to .
scare on any attack-the President is !
ready to see a sizable fleet in both the !
Atlantic and Pacific. He has not said |
he wants to double the present Navy, |
but that is the logical outcome of our !
policy of isolation and non-co-opera-
ton with other powers.
Heed Only Language Of Force.
The peace groups will insist that to |
build q navy is to provoke war. Maybe
they are right in many instances that |
this Is q possible result. But when
dealing with the japanese they NAV
be wrong. For the only language the
Japanese understand is the language
OF force and spirit of fatalism which
makes human life to them the cheapest
and most abundant form of sacrifice,
Such nation as the Japanese, ruled
BY the iron hand OF military des-
potism. would not hesitate to make an
overnight attack without a formal
declaration of war and would not
care what previous understandings
were reached to limit armament. This
b a sad and tragic state OF affairs,
but to ignore 1t is to be without realism
in 1898.
The alternative policy-making
working arrangements with the British
and French navy and forging broad
programs Of economic cooperation
among the democracies Of the world