Evening star., 1940-09-23
First, Defense Line

oOStlCoo uIlcCto dIlellLlOIl W lWO
matters which are being shaped by
the relentless pressure of world
events into fundamental objectives
of American foreign policy. The first
OF these is the continuing need for
sending material aid to Great Brit
ain in her war against the dictators,
and the second involves the frank
recognition that Britain not only is
our first line of defense, but is also
the only powerful friend that we can
claim in the family of nations.
The first necessity-that of giving
material assistance to the British
has been recognized and accepted by
the great majority of Americans.
The initial barriers to it's imple-
mentation-the prejudices. the shall
low fears and the opposition based
upon a failure to comprehend the
meaning for us of the war in Europe
have been largely broken down.
We have also made progress in over
coming physical obstacles to the pro-
duction of the instruments of war
which Britain must have to survive.
In this direction a great deal more
remains to be done, but, with the
majority Of the people supporting
the policy and the two major presi-
Dental candidates happily in agree
ment on this point, there is reason
to believe that the American indus
trial plant soon will swing into large
scale production of the guns, planes,
munitions and other materiel which
. can turn The tide of battle against
the tot:.t- arians. There is no room
for CO .placency in this undertaking,
but, given a proper determination,
the goal can and will be reached
Unfortunately, however, it does
not appear that the great body Of
Americans-those who accept the
proposition that we should give Brit
ain material asSistance-either fully
understand or fully accept the i'm
plications of Mr.. WILKES second
point. Indeed, it may be doubted
whether Mr. Willkie himself has
thought his second proposition
through to its logical and inescap-
able conclusion.
When the Republican candidate
says that Britain is our first line of
defense and our only remaining
friend" he enviSageS of necessity
something more than the immediate
military situation. Nor is he dealing
merely in sentimentality.
This war is not merely a clash be-
tween the armed forces Of Great
Britain on the one hand and those
of Germany and Italy on the other.
Were we confronted with nothing
more than battle between Great
Britain and two continental powers,
we should still desire British vic
tory-for purely selfish reasons.
But the objective of the battle for
Britain transcends European hori-
IONS. 1t becomes more evident each
day that the ultimate purpose Of
Hitler and his satellites is to force
acceptance of the totalitarian phi
losophy-not alone on the Continent
or in Britain, but throughout the
civilized world. The struggle to that
end may last for a year, for two
years, or, for practical purposes, it
may continue for decade or more.
1t is in this larger conflict that Brit
ain is truly our only friend, and it
cannot matter to us that it is be-
cause of the circumstance Of her
geographical position that she bears
the brunt of the battle now. Whether
we like to face the fact or not, we
are involved in this larger war, and
there is no possible way in which
we, any more than the British, can
escape the consequences of its out
come.
Why, then, should Mr.. Willkie or
any other American speak of aiding
Britain Ito the limit of prudence?
This approach to the matter suggests
that we have restricted interest in
this current struggle for world domi-
nation, that we should participate
only to an extent which involves no
risk to ourselves. That is a concep-
tion which overlooks the fact that
the greatest possible danger to us
would lie in the defeat of Britain,
and it's general acceptance by the
American people would be major
calamity. The element of risk is
present now and we cannot escape
it. Instead of planning to aid Brit
ain to the limit Of prudence" true
practical wisdom imperatively re-
quires that we prepare, now, to as
sist her to the very limit of our
capacity. Failing in this, we must
elect to incur the risk of defending
our democratic way. Of life in the
future without the help Of the one
strong friend we now have.
Britoin's Offensive