Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-05-28
Roosevelt Waging
UndecIared War,
British Believe
News Of U. S. Patrols
Tends to Counterfeit
Gloomy Crete News
BY HELEN KIRKPATRICK,
Foreign Correspondent OF The Star
and Chicago Daily News.

anu Ddlly NEWS.
LONDON, May 28.-War without
a declaration of war and non-inter-
vention on the largest scale the
world has ever known since the Axis
originated that doctrine in Spain,
is the situation created by President
Roosevelt's epoch making speech
last night, according to London in
depreciation.
Everyone in Great Britain who has
powerful enough radio tuned in
in the early hours of this morning
but the vast majority of the people
had to rely on brief resumes which
some newspapers printed in their
am. editions.
AS a result, the full implications
of the speech are by no means en-
tirely appreciated. There was con-
, siderable disappointment among the
general public who had not yet seen
the full text. Nor we're those who
read the speech in the afternoon
papers able to make up their minds
e. as to the next steps.
Gloomy News Is Offset.
News that our patrols are now
helping to ensure the delivery of
needed supplies to Britain coming
on top of the German battle
Bismarck's sinking, tended to Offset
the gloomier news from Crete.
Those Engishmen who know the
United States well feel that the
speech is the greatest event since
the outset of the war and far over
shadows the collapse of France Its
skillful wording was designed, they
feel, to keep Hitler guessing as to
the United States next move and
the manner in which the threat to
America will be met as and when
it arises in Dakar and the Atlantic
islands.
Roosevelt trailed his coat before
Hitler" is the general verdict.
The brilliant and original manner
In which the President has insured
that Nazi threats to the Americas
will be met before the Axis has
spread its network into the Western
Hemisphere, presents Japan with a
complete out should Germany now
attempt to force Toxic to take
action, in the British view. Here
the Berlin-Tokio alliance is believed
to call for Japanese intervention
only if the United States declares
e war against Germany. The japanese
have been extremely cautious lately
and are showing every sign of wish
ing to find means of avoiding con-
f1lct with the United States. They
. are now provided with that means
- and there is strong belief here that
they will seize upon it.
An American declaration Of war.
however, would have placed Japan
IN the position of having to 60 to
war.
u. S. Reaction Awaited.
1t will be at least another day
before the people here have read
and digested the speech. They are
eagerly awaiting the American re-
action to it which they hope will
clarity it for them.
The departure of Ambassador
John G. Winant for an unexpected
and hurried trip to the United
States is tied up with the Presi-
dents speech, the British think.
In some quarters it is felt that. now
that the United States is taking a
more active role in the war and
is concerned with maintaining the
freedom of the Atlantic, Washing
ton may wish to ascertain from Mr..
Winant whether there is any care
fully worked-out plan here for win
ming the war.
AS the United States is now COM
nitted to defeating Hitler, Wash
ington may feel that improvisation,
however brilliant, is insufficient.
(Copyright. 1941, by Chicago Daily News.)