Evening star., 1940-04-11
PotentiuIities

ment of the United States by the
Neutrality Act President Roosevelt
studiously refrains from comment on
the latest phase of the European
war. Any formal utterances by him
will be confined to such proclama-
tions as may be required to define
new or additional areas barred to
our shipping and nationals through
extension of hostilities to Scandina-
Wan waters and territory.
But Mr.. Roosevelt has contrived
to give expression to one phase of
the latest crisis cooked up in that
witches cauldron called Hitlerism.
When asked by newsmen whether in
his opinion the Nazis' wanton inva-
sion of Denmark and Norway had
drought the war any closer to the
United States" the President replied
that it would undoubtedly impel a
great many more Americans to think
about "potentialities" of the war.
He was at pains to adiure his repor-
torial audience to read nothing into
that assertion beyond the obvious"
for it contains mo significant impli-
cations" Thereupon Mr.. Roosevelt
voiced the view that sit would prob
ably be good thing for the Amer
lean public to speculate on possible
consequences of the invasion of the
Scandinavian countries" He haz-
arded the guess it would cause more
popular thought on the subject of
the war than had taken place in the
last six months.
One wonders whether the Presi-
dents 'hunch" is we'll founded It is
not supported by anything that has
happened in Congress. There, with
the exception of cheese-paring sup
port of naval, military and air appro-
priations-and including the rejec-
ton of departmental recommended
tions for such projects as Guam
harbor improvements and air bases
In Alaska-the Capitol during the
waning period of the Seventy sixth
Congress has evinced invincible in
difference to the "potentialities"
inherent in the international situa-
ton. The account it gave of itself in
connection with aid for Finland fills
anything but bright page in the
history of the worlds greatest
democracy.
Running through all congressional
thought and speech especially
speech-anent Europe's travail there
has been single leitmotif, an in
sistent demand that Americans con-
tinue to look upon the war as ex-
clusively an Old World nightmare
President Roosevelt clearly hopes
that the blitzkrieg in Scandinavia
will induce the American people to
lift their heads out of the sand and
to assess at their full and terrible
import the "potentialities" connoted
by the overnight attack upon the
independence of two inoffensive little
countries which a week ago were
among the leading exponents of
democratic civilization, humanitarian
progress and economic and social
enlightenment. If the Presidents
words mean anything, he harbors at
least vestige of hope that the
American people will begin to think
about these things, even if they are
determined to do nothing about
them. Out of pondering may come
wisdom, perhaps the abandonment
Of the illusion that "it can't happen
here"
The issue on the Scandinavian
peninsula is far from decided. The
tides of battle are still fluctuating
between British and German naval
forces, locked again after twenty
four years in grim struggle for
supremacy off that same coast of
Jutland where the armada of Will
helm II essayed a gallant but futile
throw for mastery of the sea. On
the ability of the British to dislodge
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soil may we'll depend the final success
or failure of Hitler's latest and most
brutal assault on the existence of
small, free nations. Oslo is reported
to be under the domination of British
guns, but the Germans deny the loss
Of Bergen and Trondheim. British
ministerial statements in Parliament
today should clarity a situation now
beclouded by Allied claims and Ger
man counter claims.
If the Nazis retain control of Den
mark and Norway, they will deal a
heavy though not a deadly blow at
the allied blockade. Not only will the
two Scandinavian countries cease to
supply Britain with such vital sta
pies as bacon, eggs, butter and other
dairy products, besides a variety of
industrial rawstuff, but those prod
ucts will automatically be at the dis
posal Of the Germans. In addition.
harbors like Bergen, Stovanger and
Christiansand will be converted into
bases from which Nazi submarines
and bombing planes can sally forth