Evening star., 1940-05-13
Facing the Facts

VuCtU9 the TOCCS
There is no doubt that the vast
majority of the American people has
ceased to be neutral in thought with
respect to the European war. Last
September President Roosevelt fore
saw the impossibility of rendering
the American conscience insensible
to events abroad. He undertook then
to pledge that the United States as
a nation would maintain strict neu-
trality, but he declined to ask that
citizens, as individuals, bury their
heads in the sands of indifference
and isolationiSm. Americans would
be inhuman, indeed, were they to
feel no sense of indignation and of
sorrow over the outrageous tide of
barbarism which has swept over most
Of Europe in the past nine months.
The President puts 1t mildly when
he assures King Leopold of the Bel
gians that the people of America
"hope that policies which seek to
dominate peaceful and independent
peoples through force and military
aggression. may be arrested"
It does not detract one whit from
the sincerity Of the Presidents ex-
preston of sympathy to add that
there is more than sentiment behind
that hope. 1t would be refusing to
face the facts squarely were this
Nation and its people to profess an
utter lack of selfish interest-of
selfish anxiety-as to the outcome
OF the total war now being waged
between Europe's last democracies
and the ruthless forces of totalitar-
ian aggression. We are becoming
increasingly interested and anxious
because we are finding the shadow
OF this greatest of all wars edging
closer and closer to our supposedly
isolated and secure shores. With the
cruel violation of Belgium, Holland
and Luxembourg by Germany's
mighty air armada and mechanical
divisions, new problems have been
created that affect the neutrality
policies in this hemisphere. Just
as the Nazi conquest of Denmark
caused America to turn her eyes
apprehensively toward Greenland
and Iceland, so the invasion of
the Netherlands has given rise to
concern over the fate of Dutch pos
sessions in the Caribbean and in the
Far East. One fact that must be
faced Is that the Netherlands West
and East Indies now constitute
enemy territory" on the maps of
Germany's war lords. They are fair
game for aggressors-which means
that they must be protected against
any threat to their sovereignty.
What if Germany should win the
War-to-the-deat now raging in Eu-
rope? Implications Of Nazi victory
are staggering. Would the Monroe
Doctrine be more than a "scrap of
paper" to an aggressor on the march?
Who can seriously believe that, with
the British fleet destroyed or con-
quered, Adolf Hitler would eschew
the spoils of war which would beckon
to him on this side of the Atlantic
Ocean-including the British, French
and Dutch colonies off the American
coast and on the South American
mainland? All are within easy
striking distance of the Panama
Canal.
The threat is not so far-fetched
as it might have seemed few
months ago. The worst must be an
ticipated and guarded against by
adequate preparedness measures.
Most important of these measures,
Of course, is the rapid building up of
national defenses with which to i'm
plement our keep off" doctrine. Our
Army is lamentably weak. Our Navy
should be expanded by at least
twenty-five per cent of its present
strength. Our air forces need boil
stering. Congress should reconsider
the economy" cuts already made
In the Army and Navy bills.
1t is time, also, to think seriously
about other measures for our pro-
tection-such as the extension of
even more substantial cooperation
to Britain and France, in whose bat
tie against the spread of interna-
tional gangsterism we have q very
real and withal, selfish interest.
The Star believes that every step
which may be required to protect
our own interests by direct and sub
stantial aid to the allies should and
must be, taken now. For such aid
Is. in The Stars opinion, one Of the
important measures for protection
that remain to us short Of war"
Subtle Differences