Evening star., 1941-05-16
u. 5. Ready 10 Meet
Amy Franco-German
Alliance Threat
President Said to Have
Full Power to Protect
Hemisphere's Interests
BY LLOYD LEHRBAS,
Associated Press stan Writer.

Associated Press stan writer.
The threat of Franco-German
collaboration" alliance which
President Roosevelt believes can
jeopardize Western Hemisphere
peace and security" found the
United States prepared today for
any action needed to safeguard
American interests.
Mr.. Roosevelt, it was said in in
formed quarters, possessed sufficient
authority without going to Congress
to take whatever steps are necessary
to counter any joint Nazi-Vichy &C
ton endangering the interests of
the United States and the other 20
American republics.
The gravest threat to the Ameri-
can nations, it was said, is the pos
slbility that, in collaborating"
France may be forced to turn over
to Germany her feet and the stra-
tegic naval bases at Dakar, Oran
and Bizerte.
Direct Threat Seen.
President Roosevelt. Secretary of
State Hull and other American Off
Gals have made it unmistakably
plain in several addresses that Ger
many's acquisition of the French
Fleet-believed now to comprise 80
warships of all categories, including
so submarineS-Would be considered
a direct threat to the American ma
tions.
German control of Dakar on the
hump of the African coast COM
manding South Atlantic sea-lanes,
naval authorities pointed out, would
provide the Nazis with a base from
which U-boats and bombers could
play havoc with American shipping
and with Britain's lifeline" around
the Cape of Good Hope. Dakar has
been spoken of often as logical
jumping off" point for a thrust
against South America.
In the Western Hemisphere,
Vichy-Berlin axis of collaboration"
brings into question the status of
the French colonial possessions
Martinique, Guadalupe, French
Guiana, st. Pierre and Miquelon.
Much Interest in Martinique.
The United States has shown
particular interest in Martinique
because of its strategic position in
the center of the shield of Ameri-
can naval and air bases guarding
the entrance to the Panama Canal.
Martinique also shelters 100 Amer
tcan-made warplanes which were
en- route to France when the armis-
tice was signed; the aircraft car
rier Bearn, at least one other
French naval vessel and several
merchant ships, and from S50,000,-
900 to S250,000,000 of French gold.
Martinique is now almost COM
pletely dependent on the United
States since it is cut off from trade
with France. To avert a serious
food shortage there, the United
States has permitted Martinique to
purchase American supplies with
frozen" French funds, but, in view
OF the changed situation, may revise
this policy unless the islanders-in
protest against German domination
seek American protection or join
Gen. Charles De Gaulles Free
French" government.
In the event Vichy-Berlin "collab-
oration" warrants, the United States
has several courses of immediate ac-
tion open, informed sources said.
1t may:
l. Place French colonies under it's
own protection or the joint protec-
ton of hemisphere nations.
2. Stop all food shipments to un-
occupied France and terminate ne
gotiations under which Vichy hoped
to secure $4,000 tons of wheat
monthly.
3. Halt the petroleum shipments
which have enabled French North
African colonies to proceed with
their spring planting, and cancel
plans for sending othe vitally needed
supplies.
4. Refuse any more Withdrawals
from frozen" French assets here eS-
timated at s1,5OO,OOO,OOO, depriving
the Vichy government of funds for
Its Embassy and consulates here and
throughout Latin America.
Frances Moves Discussed.
In well-informed Quarters here
there was no expectation that an
agreement for closer collaboration"
between Vichy and Berlin would
transform France overnight into
full-dedged Nazi ally. Instead, it
was said, the process probably would
be gradual, with France moving step
by step toward an eventual status
tantamount to that of belligerent.
Because of this, these officials pre-
dicted, there probably would be no
formal diplomatic break between the
United States and France-at least
for the present-although the rift,
in effect, already exists.
A somewhat similar situation, they
declared, can be found in United
States relations with some Nazi-
dominated countries today. Lega-
tions and consulates are maintained
and the channels are open for diplo-
matte exchanges, but otherwise a
great gulf exists.