The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-12-05

Happenings That Affect the Dinner
Pals, Dividend Checks and Tax
Bills of Every Individual. National
and International Problems Insep.
arabic from Local Welfare.

Bills OF Every Individual. National
and International Problems Insep-
arabic from Local Welfare.
The refusal of Congress to adjourn,
despite the prodding of some Admin
istration officials, was not surprise.
The world is changing fast these days.
And the nations lawmakers feel that
they should be on hand to deal with
problems as they appear.
Big problem now is how to give
more aid to Britain and at the same
time keep a semblance of neutrality.
This country has been shooting the
works on behalf of the British for
long time. She has our SO obsolete
destroyers, and production Of Ameri-
can factories is practically at her COM
mand. The U. S. Army and Navy have
ANNOUNCED that they will give her
precedence in aircraft. But there is
one catch-Britain must pay cash for
whatever she buys. The Johnson Act
does not permit this government or
it's citizens to give credit to any nation
which is behind on war debt payments.
The way the wind blows now was
recently indicated by the statement
Lord Lothian, the British Ambassador
to this country, made on his return
from his homeland. England, he said.
does not want men. She wants only
material. But, he added, England's
cash is running out. He foresaw
difficult year ahead for England, in
which she will need all kinds of war
supplies and perhaps finance"
When queried as to whether he be-
lieved the U. S. Congress should re-
peal the Johnson Act, Lord Lothian
offered no comment. But it is obvious
that was what he had in mind. The
various American groups which are in
favor of doing everything and any
thing to help defeat the Axis-such
as William Allen Whites committee
for aiding England-are beginning to
train their sights on the Johnson Act.
1t seems certainty that resolution
to repeal the act will be introduced in
Congress.
That resolution will be bitterly con-
tested, especially in the Senate where
the isolationist group, headed by Sen
ators johnson, Nye and Clark, are
strong. But the probability is that
the Johnson Act will be thrown over
board. The Roosevelt policy has been
to steadily increase our help to
Britain, and the Republican minority,
which largely follows the foreign
policy laid down by Wendell Willkie
in the campaign, generally agrees.
If the Johnson Act is repealed, will
we become emhr0iled in the war? No
one can accurately answer that ques
tion. The controlled German, Italian
and japanese press continues to
criticize this country, but their gov
ernments still formally regard us as
a friendly power. Germany does not
want US to enter the confiict-the
American Navy would be a potent
force on Britain's side, and might be
the decisive factor. So the best guess
is that, even if we do go to new limits
to aid Britain, the Axis powers will
not take any retalitory action.
Another thing Britain is going to
want from us is merchant ships. Her
losses due to German submarine and
raider attack are alarmingly high.
The present German policy is to sink
enough British owned and controlled
shipping to starve the Isles. American
shipyards may soon be busy with
orders for Britain. British shipyards
are working "a hours day now, but
reports say that production of finished
vessels is low.
Hitler has formally inducted some
more little countries into his Axis.
But that doesn't mean great deal.
Rumania, Bulgaria and the other
minor Balkan countries are in peril
of their lives. They must do what
Hitler demands, or submit to military
conquest. 1t is one thing to force
foreign ministers to sign pacts-it is
another thing to get the people Of
those countries to avow the Hitlerian
philosophy. And, according to all the
experts, the Balkan people hate Hitler
even as they fear him.
Worst blow to the Axis has been
Italys fiasco in Greece. This has re-
duced Italian prestige to the vanishing
point. And, say some, it has brought
with it the possibility of internal dis
sension in Italy. The Italians didn't
want war. They are suffering ser
iously from the British blockade. And
a considerable proportion of the
Italians heartily dislike Germany. 1t
is noteworthy that the German press
has lately begun to denounce Greece
Hitler may be coming to the con-
clusion that he will have to pull his
friend Mussolini's irons out of the
Athenian fire. And, in the past, press
attacks in the German press against
other European countries have been
the prelude to military action.
In the long run, the Greek situation
may prove great boon to England.
Reports say that the English are doing
far more to help the Greeks than they
~ Il