The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1940-09-10


that, anyway
the president had no right to con-
clude the bargain without con-
gress' approval-though Attorney
General Robert H Jackson argues
contrariwise.
However, there's a general trend
Of opinion 10 the effect that, indie
pendently Of the "act Of war" con-
sideration and of the presidential
conclusion Of the deal without con-
sulting the national legislators, it
was a pretty good decker, on the
ground that we don't particularly
need the old destroyers, and that
we do need the bases we're &C
quiring.
Enthusiasts even compare the
swap with President Jefferson's
Louisiana Purchase, which GER
tainly turned out remarkably well
from Uncle Sans standpoint
Adverse Comment
To be sure, adverse commenta-
tors deny that this is fair COM
parison. In the first place, they
remark that the Louisiana terri
tory was lot better worth hay-
ing than Britain's island and Gut
ana bases are. Furthermore, they
remind US that Jefferson got the
whole Louisiana territory and got
1t for keeps, whereas we get only
little dabs on the shores Of Brit
aims western hemispherical insu-
lar and mainland soil, and we get
even these dabs merely on a 90
year rental basis.
Be all that as it may, Britain, In
exchange for our destroyers, Is
more than willing to lease to us
the bases referred to.
Now, though. it's suggested that
there are other islands it would be
a bright idea for us to take pos
session of-islands on which we
probably shan't be able to estab-
lsh ourselves without considerable
opposition.
French Possessions
France has one or two In the
Caribbean, and. incidentally,
South American mainland foot
hold, Just inshore from its DEVILS
island convict settlement Then
there are the Dutch West and East
Indies. There's Greenland. The
Falkland group Of islets, in the
South Atlantic off Argentina, is
mentioned. The Azores, in mid
Atlantic, but strategically impor-
tant, If the South American east
coast needs to be defended, are
spoken Of.
We couldn't establish bases on
these spots on the map without a
deal of objection.
General DeGaulle, whoY under
the Petain regimes sentence Of
death. is trying to run an anti
German French government from
his place Of exile in London, might
be willing to talk business with
President Roosevelt as to his coun-
try's new world possessions, but
the Petain crowd at Vichy assured
ly wouldn't be. and it's safe bet
that Hitler would balk also.
Queen Wilhelmina, also a Lon
don refugee, but still calling her
self Hollands sovereign, possibly
would be glad to grant Yankee
bases In the West and East Dutch
Indies. Germany would kick like
fury. though. Doubtless the Nazis
couldn't do much about it, but, as
to the Dutch East Indies. Japan
could raise an effective holler.
As to Greenland
Greentanf-s Danish. The Danes,
overrun by the Germans, can't say
anything. whatever Uncle Sam
does, but the Nazis can yowl vio-
lently IL we take hand in the sit
uation in the region the late Doc
Cook advertised so extensively.
Oh, they can't stop US, but it would
be an incident"
The Falklands are British. John
Bull wouldn't oppose us there. But
that's an insular group that the
Argentine Republic claims, under
the name Of the "Malvinas Is
lands" II we do anything arbi-
trary relative to the Falklands,
we Immediately will antagonize
this important nation in. the Pan
American lineup.
The Azores are Portuguese
They're Of the utmost strategic
importance to the Americas. but it