Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-09-06
Mr.. ChurchiiI's Report

war SITUATION De1Ore the BrltlSh
Parliament yesterday was of special
interest to the United States because
of the references he made to the
just-concluded exchange Of fifty
average American destroyers for
naval and air base leases in the
Caribbean area. Even as he spoke,
several of the reconditioned Destroy
ers were en- route to Canada and a
committee of American naval and
military experts was inspecting sites
in Bermuda to be made available,
free of all consideration, as a token
of British good will and of co-opera-
ton in defense of the Western Henri
sphere. Sites in Newfoundland also
were outright gifts. There had been
reports that negotiations with Brit
ain were in progress, looking toward
additional bases, but Mr.. Churchill
disposed of this speculation by an
nouncing that the memorable
transactions" between the two ma
tions have now been completed
and to the general satisfaction" of
the British and American peoples.
The British Prime Minister was not
misinformed as to the reaction of the
public on this side of the Atlantic
If the consensus of editorial opinion
and of comments by men in public
life and on the streets may be taken
as a criterion, America overwhelm-
ingly approves of the deal-although
views are somewhat at variance as to
legal aspects and as to the propriety
of executive processes used in con-
summating the agreement. The i'm
pOrtant thing is that the new bases,
as Mr.. Churchill put it, will enable
America to take danger by the
throat before it reaches our coast
line.
1t is we'll that Mr. Churchill saw fit
to emphasize that during the nego-
tiations between the two Govern
mentS there was no suggestion of a
change in the status of the United
States with respect to the European
war; no hidden understanding that
the release of destroyers was a step
toward a more active participation
by this Government in the fight
against totalitarian aggression. Mr..
Churchill, always man of fortnight
words, did not pretend to regard the
United States as neutral in fact as
well as theory. He spoke, rather, of
the 'nonbelligerency" of America, a
term which aptly describes the posi-
ton at which we have arrived in our
anxious quest for security of our
own people. AS MIR. Churchill lacon-
ically remarked, Herr Hitler does
not like what we have done to aid the
British and Der Fuehrer undoubtedly
would glory in paying us OUT if ever
the chance presented itself But
there is nothing in Hitler's record Of
conquest to date to support a belief
that he would forego any plans for
attacking us out of consideration for
a more strictly neutral attitude on
our part toward the war, or that his
attack, if it ever comes, would be less
ferocious. Neutrals who leaned over
backwards not to offend the Reich
are now in Nazi bondage, and the
suffering they undergo is no less
acute than that which has befallen
those who declared war on Germany.
If we are listed for attack anyway
it is far better that we should give
what aid we can to those who are
fighting our potential enemies, for by
so doing we may eliminate altogether
the threat to ourselves, or stave it off
long enough to build up our own
defenses. According to Mr. Churchill,
the fifty destroyers will strengthen
the British Navy in a vital spot until
ships now building are ready to join
the fleet around the besieged British
Isles. We have Britain's repeated
assurances that the destroyers just
released to her will never fall into
German hands. Mr.. Churchill has
solemnly pledged President RooSe-
welt that no part of the Royal Navy
ever will be surrendered to Britain's
foes.
While the Prime Minister naturally
was enthusiastic over acquisition of
the American destroyers, he did not
permit his optimism to run away
with him in his address in the House
Of Commons. He had reason to be
proud Of the way in which the Royal
Air Force has traded blow for blow
with the Nazi bombers, but he
warned his people that the danger of
invasion is still very real and possibly
close at hand. In view of the mag
nificent showing up to now, no one
doubts that the stout-hearted Brit
ons will give good account Of them
selves when the supreme test comes.
HL~H~:~~ n:~S~S@.s