Evening star., 1940-09-08

The history making trade of over
age American destroyers to the Brit
ish government in return for 99-year
leases on naval and air bases in
British possessions in the Western
Hemisphere has brought a flood of
editorial comment and the most fav-
orable press the President has had
on any project in some time. The
Star has obtained cross-section
of opinion in a survey covering all
sections of the country and a variety
of political thought.
Among opinions expressed are the
following:
Providence (R. H. Journal tInde-
pendent) Tt is an epochal event.
BY this agreement the United States
becomes forearmed in manner and
degree that could be achieved in no
other way with such rapidity and
permanence. Our relationship to
Canada assumes appreciably greater
significance. 1t is wholly conceiv-
able that any belligerent status the
Dominion may assume in the future
should be conditioned py the 1e-
quired consent of the United States" 4"
Philadelphia Evening Bulletin In
dependent Republican)-"The Bull
letin holds to the position that the
deal is highly advantageous to the
United States in Strengthening the
total defense program. 1t views the
method in arranging the deal as le-
gal as set forth by the President S
chief legal adviser on points of law
and justiflable in view of the urgent
need for haste in preparedness. Un-
necessary congressional debate would
have entailed dangerous delay"
Pittsburgh Post Gazette Unde-
pendent-'Web believe the United
States is getting all the best of the
exchange. We have for some time
believed that we should give to
England every possible assistance
without sending our boys overseas.
For if England wins, our fear of war
in the immediate future will be over.
1t has taken courage on the part of
the President to act as he has. and
We respect him and commend him
for it,"
Atlanta Journal Dem.)-'If that
is not good trade for our country,
who can imagine better? No right
minded government would let such
an opportunity 60 by if it could be
obtained on reasonable terms. And
when the terms were so generous
as those offered by Britain, accept
ance became a matter of course In
this country there will be little OF
no censure for what the President
has done save by incurable isolation
lists and by those who have opposed
every step in the preparedness pro-
gram. The air and naval bases
constitute one of the greatest gains
for American security in our ma
tional history"
Cincinnati Enquirer 1nd.) -
There need be no doubt of the
validity of the transaction. The
President had ample authority to
dispose of the over-age warships
without special action by Congress.
He also has, by long precedent. au-
thorlty to acquire territory by lease
for use as military bases Under in
ternational law. as distinct from
our domestic law. the case is not so
clear. But our own national Sc
cuTity is far more important than
compliance with an outmoded in
ternational law which our potential
enemies do not observe
Cleveland Plain Dealer lind. DEM
THE act of turning over-age de-
stroyers over to Britain is a recog-
milton of the truth that she is now
fighting for safety of American
democracy as we'll AS her own as she
turns back wave after wave of Nazi
bombers darkening the English sky.
Frankly, we would like it better if
some degree of cooperation on the
part of Congress had been sought,
in spite of what the Attorney Cen
eral says. The program is too i'm
portant for a single department of
government to arrogate itself all
credit for the performance.
Kansas City Star independently
''The transfer to England of so over
age destroyers in payment for the
lease of essential naval and air bases
in British possessions near the
United States should prove of very
great value to both nations. Britain
needs the destroyers for the convoy
ing of shipping and for possible pro-
lection of their island against in
vasion. The United States needs
the naval and air bases for the pro-