Evening star., 1941-09-12
We Move Forward


Calmly and after mature delibera-
ton, the President has committed
this Nation to a policy which soon
may bring the Navy's guns into
action. There was no other reason
able or honorable course for him to
take.
Undoubtedly, as a result of the
orders which the President said have
been given to the Army and Navy,
we have moved closer to war. But
any complaints which may be evoked
by recognition of that fact must be
appraised in the light of the conse-
ouenceS of the alternative, which
was to retreat.
As matters stand, our armed forces
will open fire on any German or
Italian warShip encountered In
waters, the protection of which is
necessary for American defense"
This is to be done on the theory that
the very presence of Axis raiders in
these waters amounts to an attack
on US. For that reason we have
gone beyond our former policy of
merely trying to prevent commission
of warlike acts and now propose to
keep hostile ships from entering
waters which we believe must be kept
open to insure the defense of this
country.
There is nothing equivocal about
that warning to Hitler and Mussolini
and they will not misconstrue it. For
them the Keep Out" sign has been
posted, and they will ignore 1t at
their peril. But the President went
further.
We propose, he said, to maintain
intact two bulwarks of defense: First,
our line Of supply of materiel to the
enemies of Hitler, and second the
freedom of our shipping on the high
seas.
Under this first proposition, the
President said, we will protect not
only American ships, but all ships,
engaged in commerce in our de-
fensive waters. And under the Sec
ond we reassert, so far as it lies
within the power of the President to
do so, the traditional American doc
trine Of the freedom of the seas.
"Our policy" he said, "has applied
from the earliest days of the Republic
and still applies-not merely to the
Atlantic but to the Pacific and all
other oceans as we'll" In those
words, 1t would seem, Japan is
warned that she, too must respect
the American flag on the high seas.
There may be some room for doubt
ss to what Mr.. Roosevelt means by
the term defensive waters" Ger
tainly 1t applies to the waters Of the
Western Hemisphere and to the
ocean routes by which we propose
TO supply the foes Of the Axis. But
1t may mean more.
In final analysis, no doubt, its
precise application will be deter
mined by Adolf Hitler He could take
the warning to heart and thus post
pone, II not avoid. a shooting war
with the United States. But the
greater probability is that henceforth
the guns will roar wherever the ships
of our Navy encounter those Of the
German and italian fleets.
In a broader sense, however, this
Is not matter to be determined
by the whim OF any man, be
he President or dictator. 1t is
an issue which has been forced
by an inevitable clash of national
interests. When Hitler set out to
destroy the democratic world, we, in
self-defense, pledged our resources to
his opponents. Soon or late the
time had to come when Hitler would
be forced to choose between bowling
TO a defeat growing out Of the in
creasing volume of American war
equipment, or endeavoring to cut of
that source Of supply to his active
enemies at the risk of war with US.
1t seems clear now that he has
made his choice, and we must accept
the challenge or retreat. The Presi-
dent chose the former rather than
accept the disastrous consequences
implicit in the latter, and in doing
50 he should have, and undoubtedly
viii have, the support and approval
Of the great majority Of the people
Of this country.
For Americans, decisive hour is
at hand. The time for dissension
and pickering has passed.