Evening star., 1941-01-05


against submarine attack would be
one of the primary issues to be met.
We have some destroyers in the
Atlantic which could be used tenn
porarily for convoy purposes under
our own control; also. the President
has power to call into naval service
the Sea-going cutters of the Coast
Guard, many of which are admir-
ably adapted for escort duty.
Replacement of merchant ship
ping losses by new construction Is
another possibility, but is a long
range eXpedient. So is any re-
arrangement of shipping lanes to
take over British routes in the
Pacific and Indian Oceans. Imme-
diately to hand, however, lie in our
ports 104 German, italian, Danish
and French merchant ships. which
we can reouisition under interna-
tional laW-the well-recognlzed
right of angary-and which could
thereupon be leased or sold to
Britain. That we should be deferred
from taking this step by axis threats
is intolerable. Having taken it, we
would then be in a good position
to negotiate with our Latin Ameri-
can neighbors regarding similar
disposition of the many such ships
which are tied up in their ports.
In sum total. this accretion of ship
ping would be a very considerable
relief TO Britain, would tide her
over probably until new conStruc-
ton began to come into service.
These are two examples of what
we could do. and do fairly quickly,
once we make up our minds that
our policy is to see to it that the
control of the North Atlantic does
not fall into hands hostile to us and
to our way of life. This is the cru
cial issue 1t is not a matter of
Britain winning or losing; it is a
matter of protecting the sea ap-
proaches to the United States from
our avoWed enemies. A clear and
authoritative statement to this ef-
feet from official quarters would be
very helpful; but it is probable that
even more than this is needful in
order to produce that quick upsurge
of public sentiment which the sit
uation requires.
Azores Base for U. S. Urged.
This can probably be best brought
about now by a severance of dip
lomatic relations with Germany,
marking that country out as one
with which the United States can
no longer tolerate friendly inter-
course. This could be followed by a
presidential proclamation removing
the ports of Fire from the war zone,
thus permitting them to be used by
American ships, and arrangements
for convoy might follow by nego-
tiation with the Fire government,
with the military consequences
above set forth.
At the same time, by way of
guarding the southern flank of our
approaches to Europe, it would be
most useful if negotiations could be
set on foot with Portugal for an
American base in the Azores Islands.
A German irruption into the Iberian
peninsula may be considered i'm
mInent, but such move cannot, in
our own interests, be permitted to
extend to a German seizure of
islands which are closer to New
York than Hawaii is to Seattle and
are only 1900 miles from our new
base in Newfoundland.
Finally, We ought as soon as pos
sible to take steps to close the gaps
in the British blockade which are
occasioned by shipments of Amer
lean goods through neutral coun-
tries to German destinations, and
take such further financial measures
as may be necessary to close off
avenues of axis credits in this
country. The proclamation of an
emergency might enable some
things to be done in these matters
which would have little color of law
if undertaken without such a proc
lamation.
The important thing for us all to
realize is that we are now commit
ted to policy whose success is vital
to us; that we cannot continue to
allow ourselves to be blinded by
phrases and tied fast by the red tape
of an international law which other
people pay no attention to; that we
must assume full freedom of &C
ton to do those things which are
necessary to be done, without fur
ther anxiety as to the names by
which our acts might once have
been called and certainly without
heed to the threats Of our enemies.
(Copyright, 1941. New York Tribute, 1nc)