Evening star., 1939-09-03
Allies See American Supplies Vital for Long Conflict
Permission to Buy i. S. Arms
Needed to Hold Nazis at Bay
Kennedy and Bullitt Advise Washington That
European War Will Be Extended
and Bitterly Contested
Bv Constantine Br0vn.

A few hours before Reichsfuehrer Hit
Ter pressed the button in Berlin turning
loose on Poland an avalanche of soldiers,
tanks and airplanes, Washington high
officials still hoped that there might be
an eleventh-hou solution to the Ger
man-Polish problem.
There was no actual optimism; merely
hope that Hitler's ally, Mussolini,
would turn away from his dangerous
associate and come to terms with his
former foes-the European democracies.
This hope was based on the fact that
belatedly the French were reported to
have agreed to certain concessions which
might have satisfied II Duce and in
duced him to abandon the axis ship.
These concessions are said to have been
the cession of Jibuti-or at least free
port participation in the control
of the Suez Canal and a rectification
of the frontier in Tunis.
The conversations between the French
Ambassador in Rome, Francois Poncet,
and Count Ciano were said at that
time to be progressing satisfactorily.
Italy was on the brink of turning a
new page in her history. But these
negotiations are believed to have has
tened the Fuehrer's action against Po-
land. Knowing that there were dis
cussions between the French the British
and the Italians, Herr Hitler invaded
Poland without giving either mis- op-
ponent or his ally the time to clinch
a deal which would have had tre-
mendous moral effect upon the German
People.
The hopes of Washington for peace
full outcome were dashed.
Ambassador William Bullitt. who was
kept we'll posted about everything that
was going on between the European
capitals, telephoned Washington in the
early morning of Friday that every
thing was off and that the situation was
irremediably lost.
In their summing up of the situation,
Americas key Ambassadors to the vari-
Gus European capitals ventured to fore
cast that the war would be long and
bitter. Ambassador Kennedy, who is
probably closer to the English govern
ment than any other foreign repre-
sentative in London, informed the
administration that all rumors about an
"undercover" deal between London and
Berlin now must be definitely discarded
The British, he said, are settling down
to business in a thorough way and even
If the war lasts another 10 years, they
will see it through.
The French are in the same frame of
mind, said Mr.. Bullitt, and considerably
encouraged by the firm attitude of their
insular allies.
Neither Are Optimistic.
Neither London nor Paris are in any
way optimistic about the initial stages of
the war. They consider Poland as
victim which will have to bear the brunt
of Germany's lightning" war They
realize that they cannot crash through
the Siegfried line in time to help her;
that an invasion of Germany through
Belgium and the Netherlands is blocked
by the pledges given to those countries
that their neutrality would not be vio-
lated, and that even a diversion through
Italy. which is feasible, would not be as
easy as some military prophets forecast.
But, despite these difficulties Britain
and France believe that the war will end
In their favor If they are not handicapped
at the outset by the lack of certain i'm
plements of war which neither of the
two democracies have had time to build
for themselves in sufficient quantities.
They are looking to the United States
for no other assistance, they say, except
permission to buy for cash, airplanes-
especially bombers-tanks, anti-aircraft
guns and other war paraphernalia. The
French and the British, who started re-
armlng seriously only after the Munich
adventure proved the futility of appeas-
ing Germany, have made great strides in
the production of war implements. But
they still are far behind the Reich as
far as manufactured war stocks are con-
cerned. The losses in this war will be
50 tremendous that the French and Brit
tsh industries, inevitably harassed by
German and possibly by italian bombers,
will not be able to produce the necessary
requirements fast enough.
"A nlBnly pldCeQ bTlUlSn QlplOmaC
stated that if the two democracies could
only have free access to Americas am
munition markets, there could be no
question whatsoever as to the outcome
Of the war
Situation in Congress Hands.
These reports are, of course, brought
to the attention of President Roosevelt.
To the anxious questions of what the
United States will do in the future, the
answer is invariably: The whole thing
Is in the hands of the Congress. If the
two Houses maintain the attitude they
had before adjournment toward the neu-
trality law, Mr.. Roosevelt will be COM
PEELED by law to proclaim an embargo
on all exports of war material. There
will be, of course a good deal of boot
logging through Canada, Mexico and
some of the Central American republics,
but the allies cannot be satisfied with
driblets they need an open and free
market and they have amassed in this
country enough money either in gold
or in American securities to suffice for
their needs for at least one year.
The administration realizes this dire
need of the allies and makes no secret