The Daily Alaska empire., 1941-10-31
Time for Positive Policy
Cleveland Plain Dealer)

Cleveland Plain Dealer) The trade marks American foreign policy read Made in Japan" and Made in Germany. Washington has no adequate product of its own to offer it deals in the of others as they come aiong
 This fault-a dangerous for great power with world responsibilities-is made painfully clear as the Axis powers move to enforce the military treaty signed by Germany, Italy and Japan just over year ago. It is the only foreign war alliance in history aimed at the United States Its purpose was to embroil this country in the Pacific to such an extent that either through state Of alarm or actual warfare it would be compelled to cut down or the shipment of war goods to Britain and the ether Allies U
 Now two events have served warning that the Axis alliance is being enforced the torpedoing or the United States destroyer Kearny, near Iceland, and the appointment of Gen Hideki ToJo, admirer of Naziism and advocate of closer Axis cooperation as premier of Japan on the crest of wave of ln- spired anti-American propaganda.
 The torpedo which damaged the Kearny was fired by submarine, presumably German, say the dispatches This is horse laugh It wasn't discharged by U-boat of Afghanistan's navy The Germans gloated their attempt to sink the Greer in the same vicinity last month and they at tempted to sink the Kearny. Their purpose Of course is to frighten America into pulling back on it's program of delivering to the Allies the war goods that promised.
 Instead of soaring this nation it should demon strate to Congress the futity of debating the neu- traity act clause by clause. It should warn Of the immediate need of positive foreign policy. And that can be obtained only when the hands Of the nation are freed from the shackes of neutrality all of them.
 Berlin has done service to this nation by the attempt on the Kearny. It was not merchant ship carrying supplies to an enemy. It was not within any danger zone around bellgerent pre- scribed by the neutrality act. It was not even on the open high seas It well within the de- fensive zones which America has legally set up and proclaimed between the coast of North America and Iceland.
 This being so it is foolish to believe that the Germans will sink more American ships if they are armed or permitted in danger zones near the coasts of Britain Europe Germany will sink them wherever they are found, be they merchant men or men of var There is only one answer to this challenge and that is the immediate, full inn plementaton-by the abolition of the neutrality act of the doctrine of freedom of the seas
 This warning that the Battle of the Atlantic will be resumed in full force when and ii the Russian campaign is concluded in Germany's favor, IS under written by Japanese developments They too, de- mend on the war in Russia By the appointment of Gen Tojo Japan makes it clear that she Will act against Russia in Siberia at the first favorable ouportunity-a jackal campaign la Itaienne.
 This will be direct thrust at the United states committed to aid Russia It will be but the be- ginning of an attempt to establish the whole pro- gram of a New Order in Asia with all its threaten ing restrictions on the economy Of this country, dependent as it is on the raw materials or the Orient.
 America can answer this threat only by in forming Tokyo that 1t has had enough of Japan's aegressions in Asia, aggressions aimed not only at valiant China, but at the western nations and ther whole philosophy of life well.
 Only if neutrality is thrown over, only Ii the State Department talks straight to Japan, backed by the Navy this country be said to nave d foreign policy that can be labeled "Maoe III America" Otherwise what action we take will con- time to be determined in Tokyo and Berlin. Amer ica will just tag along being compelled to act only when it suits the convenience of those nations which would destroy it..