Evening star., 1940-06-01
Know of Inadequacies.

LIE Amy ana navy IOlKS mere nave
been heSitant heretofore to make ex-
treme recommendations They have
not known whether they should pre-
pare for any or all contingencies, or
stick to the theory of defensive war
fare which prevailed before airplanes
became so effective. Today the Con-
gresS is receiving letters from all
parts OF the country demanding
adequate defense. Hence the drive
is on to meet the insistence of public
opinion, especially since it has be-
come known that Americas weapons
are pitifully inadequate for possible
emergencies.
The effect of this gigantic drive
for defense armament will be to
gear up Americas whole industrial
structure to momentum which
Will comcldentally furnish the Allies
with planes and tanks as fast as
they wish to transport them. No.
body is talking about technical neu-
trallty any more. The idea now is
to build defenSes on the theory that
no promise made by the Nazis ever
again will be valid.
Entry of Italy into the war is
confidently expected within the next
few days-possibiy over the week
end. This means new complications
for America. There are millions of
Italians in the United States, but
most of them are not Mussolini SYM
pathizers. But the presence of an
other minority on the side Of the
Nazis will add more to the fifth
column hySterla which is sweep
ing the land.
Decisive Stroke Envisicned.
The prospect that Italy's decisive
stroke may force the Allies to defeat
before the end of the summer is
envisioned here. If this happens,
American defense preparations will
not be curtailed one bit, but efforts
to get the air. naval and military
forces to the desired strength will
be redoubled.
The President went further in his
message to Congress this week than
at any time heretofore in painting
the picture of possible involvement
IN the World War. His most signifi-
can paragraph was this:
mo individual, no group, can
clearly foretell the future. AS long,
however, as possibility exists that
not one continent or two continents,
but all continents may become in
volved in worldwide war, reason
able precaution demands that Amer
lean defense be made more certain"
The African Continent will be-
come involved as soon as Italy enters
the war. With Europe and Africa
added to the area of combat, the
conflict may ultimately be fought
over a bigger part of the earths
surface than the last war. The air
plane distance from the. coast of
Africa to South America is very
short. Already fears of Nazi activ-
ity in the South American republics
bordering on the Panama Canal
have been expressed here, and close
collaboration by the United States
with governments in South America
Is now under way.
Main Threat in Possession.
But the main threat to the United
States will not be in the Canal Zone
at this time. Involvement for this
country may come out of the fact
that a sizable portion of the Brit
ish Empire is located to the north
of our international boundary.
Canada is already belligerent, and
should the Allies be defeated, the
government of the British Empire
may be based in Toronto. Would
the British fleet be surrendered?
Would it be kept afloat? If the lat
ter happens, where will the British
fleet be based? There are not
enough dockyards in Canada for the
purpose. Would the United States
open her harbors and dockyards to
the British for repairs and supply
purposes? Would the Nazis object,
and what would they do about it?
Nazis Know U. S. Weaknesses.
The United States has hitherto
kept to the letter of neutrality, but
SAAASC lilC lAlN dolOll VI 4NO1 way DCll.
mark, Holland and Belgium by the
Nazis, nobody here thinks the main
tenance or violation of neutrality
principles makes any difference to
Hitler when it suits his purpose to
strike. America is not too well pre-
pared. The Nazis know our weak
nesses even better than we do.
Under the circumstances, Germany
may endeavor to prevent the Brit
ish fleet from being harbored by us
SO as to keep it overseas subject to
more submarine attacks.
There are a dozen ways in which
complications may arise. The real
istic attitude of the Government
here is to avoid involvement if
humanity possible, but not to be
blind to the fact that strict neu-
trality may in itself be a dangerous
course for the United States if the
Allies are on the verge of defeat
and the British fleet is the German