Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1940-08-16
GREAT BRITAIN
IS ENFORCING new
BLOCKADE METHOD

Extension of the British blockade,
and adoption of new methods of en-
forcement of it, comes at a moment
when the United States also is taking
Steiner economic measures to imple-
ment it's foreign policy. The British
and American actions doubtless have
been taken quite independently. But
the circumstances in which both Ma
tions have acted only emphazise the
fundamental interests they share.
1t is not likely that these fundamen-
tails will be lost sight of even should
some minor inconvenience result to
American shipping because of the
scope of the British blockade. The
patent influence of Nazi propaganda
lists in Japan, and the efforts of Ger
man Government agents to sabotage
the Havana Conference, have helped
many Americans to understand what
the United States real position is in
the world struggle between the free
way and the totalitarian way.
A few days ago two shipments of
oil from the United States to Spain
were stopped by United States au-
thorities because the oil appeared des-
tined for Germany or Italy. This is
in keeping with the spirit of the Am
erican neutrality law. But many
Americans today approve such acts
because they prevent aid to totalitar-
ian aggressors. For this reason they
welcome the extension of licensing
requirements to shipments of oil or
scrap metal to Japan, expecting these
requirements to be so used as to pre-
vent the japanese Government from
obtaining any more materials in the
United States with which to conquer
China and extend Japanese hegem-
ony at the expense of Americans as
well as others.
Today news that Britain has still
more weapons in it's economic arsenal
is good news in the United States.
Most European ports are already
closed to American shipping through
extension of combat zones under
American neutrality Legislation. 1t is
already costing America so much to
keep out of the war that a little ad-
ditional expense to make the defeat
of totalitarianism more certain is
cheerfully to be borne.
British spokesman say that interes-
Tod nua ,.farc Il, tha TIn;tad Ctatac boJ
already been informed of British in
tentions. This recalls that soon after
the outbreak Of the war the British
Government was able to work out
with private American shippers GER
tain plans which prevented the oper-
ations of the blockade from producing
any public issues between the two
Governments.
Britain no longer can hope to win
the war by blockade alone. The re-
sources of virtually all Europe are
now at the command of the Axis Pow
ers. The obtaining of oil and ores
does not constitute an Immediately
serious problem for the Third Reich.
Britons evidently do not hope that
the new blockade cap prevent the
threatened attack on the British Isles.
But they evidently do hope-indeed,
seem determined - to stand against
that attack, and, by every means at
their disposal, to crack the totalitar-
ian wise that now holds Europe.
Military experts are increasingly
optimistic about Britain's capacity for
holding the Nazis off for some time.
And even over the possibility of Brit
aims finally defeating them. AS
Britain's "staying power" continues,
the effectiveness of it's blockade will
increase. The Nazis have a Europe
out of which they can still get ma
terial, but from which food supplies
are swiftly vanishing. And butter
may yet play bigger part than can
non in winning this war.