Evening star., 1941-01-19
War Crisis Held
Close at Hand
BIZ OUen L. Scott.

| SOllSItSS dIttd QlilIhly IoQl ytdlS dSO
the emergency that could make neces-
Sary change in the Supreme Court
was not evident and Congress baked
| Mr.. Roosevelt. Now at the start of
| the Presidents third term, an emer-
gency is to become more and more
obvious
The reason for the developing emer-
gency is not hard to find. 1t is dis
/ covered in the problem confronting
| Adolf Hitler. and in the problem con-
! fronting Japan. Time will run against
the German-1talian-J Japanese combina-
ton unless it can gain its decision dur
ing the months just ahead. After that
time, the production of American fac
| tories will begin to tilt the balance the
| other way. After that time, too Japan
| will more and more feel the pinch of
| restrictions now gradually being placed
| upon export of American war materials.
Consequently every expectation Of
military and naval officials here is that
another critical stage of the war is fast
| approaching They expect: % That
Hitler will strike either with fanking
movement directed at Ireland or with
an all-out air and sea invasion of Eng
! land and f2) that Japan will strike
| southwark in a move that probably
Will be timed with that of Hitler.
This leaves the isolationists in Con-
gress with the following alternatives:
First, they can assume responsibility
for delaying action on President Roose-
veltS proposal to make available to
the British every material resource of
this Nation In the event that Britain
is attacked in the midst of the talk
in Congress the public reaction to this
course might be extremely sharp Or,
| second, they can state their case force
fully and briefly and then permit a
vote. In that event the record would
be made without gambling quite so
much with the outcome of the attack
ahead
Il hardly seems probable that the iso-
lationist group in the Senate will risk
the danger of delaying tactics. The
reason is found in an awareness of
what NAV come next in this war
But. it is being asked. how is Hitler
going to conquer England when his
best effort since last August has failed
to do much more than increase the
British anger and determination to make
anv effort needed to defeat the Ger
mans? The answer seems to be that
Hitler Is considering or has been con-
siderinc two courses:
/. Ireland is living next to England
relatively unarmed. In German hanos
ireland could serve as base OF opera
t,ors 70 close the major west coast
Pritish ports. thereby making more 1or-
,ridahIn the German effort to strangle
the British An invasion of Ireland
would he much simpler and less costly
il 'vos than an invasion OF Erlt9ln
ard. if given time. it might IN the
end nrove a wav to solve the German
nrob'em. But to invade Ireland would
not at once bring about defeat OF Eng
lard and it would be one sure way OF
erdinc very large proportion Of the
isolationist sentiment in the Congress
Of the United States and in this coun-
try If Ireland is to escape, there IS
a second course.
2 Only hv bringing England to her
knees can Hitler reap the rewards he
Is after A var of attrition, now that
the United States is arouSine itself
seems homeless of result. This leaves
direct invasion as the most likely at
tpmnt. To carry out invasion 1t Is eX-
pected that Fitler will throw into Eng
lard thousands of parachute troops at
rioht to prepare the way for great
numbers of air transports carrying
troopS. These picked men would have
the lob of disrupting British supply lines
and causing decentralization in the rear.
simultaneously with their arrival. the
Germans would attempt landings at sea
from many directions. They have been
busy for months preparing airports in
Northern France, Holland and Belgium
as we'll as in Norway. From these air
ports would come the most concentrated
attack yet directed at any country.
Hitler would either win or lose on a
g~"-+ gamble.
Then it is expected that when and
if the Germans strike. Japan will start
ont on her adventure in the South Pa
cifc. hoping to reap rewards While
Britain and the United States are pre-
occupied in the Atlantic.
If Congress still is debating whether
to help the British when these attacks
break loose the repercussions In this
country might be greater than some
members of Congress now believe. If,
on the other hand, Congress has acted
| one way or the other the record will
be made and the responsibility placed.
The fact of the matter seems to be
{ many high officials are to be be-
teved-that the United States to all
intents and purposes is in this war to-
dav. It is in the war as on-flehtlng
belligerent because vital American in
terests are jeopardized in two oceans.
1t is in also because Germany. Italy
and Japan have formed an alliance di-
| rected at the United States and are
warning that war will be the conse-
| uuence of moves to save the British. 1t
has never been In keeping with the
character of this country to back away
from challenges out of fear.
It is clear from the problems that are
arising and from the events ahead that
the tide is running strongly against
isolation for the United States.
The facts of the situation are coming
| as somewhat of a shock to many mem
| bers of Congress and to a large part