Evening star., 1941-11-01

bearing Cargoes of war materials
destined for enemies of Germany.
The question now is whether Con-
ereSS shall recognize that a state of
war exists and cause formal procla
nation of that action to be made
throughout the world The PreSi-
dent has not asked for ratificatio
by Congress of the existence of a
state of war. He may be waiting
for more incidents which reveal that
German naval forces are attacking
American warships or he may decide
that what has been known in past
naval operations shall be conducted
without any offensive steps that go
beyond the waters of the Western
Hemisphere.
The orders to American destroyers
and warships are to shoot at sight
any NaI submarines or surface
raiders operating, in the waters de-
scribed as defensive by the United
States Government. The Nazi gov
eminent has been anxious to avoid
any action which would force decla-
ration of a state of war. But the
Nazi submarine commanders can
hardly distinguish at night between
American and British Warships pro-
Ceedlng together in a convoy. And
since the policy of the American
Government today is to protect our
cargoes, whether carried in British
or American ships. further attacks
may be taken for granted
People May Demand War.
AS soon as Congress, however,
passes the legislation permitting
American merchant ships to be
armed, it is possible that the United
States WarShips may be concen-
srated on purely American conveys,
but to do this is to expose the British
merchantmen to dangers and that
means the possible loss of millions
of dollars of lease-lend goods.
As things are drifting along now
1t is going to be increasingly diff
cult for the NaZis to avoid becoming
engaged in more and moro shooting
and if this happens the time may
not be far distant when public opin-
ion will insist that the issue be met
squarely. When hostilities Increase
to the extent of a general shooting
war, it is likely that the American
people will not wish to deliver glanc-
Ing blows at their adversaries, but
will insist on extensive operations
in reprisal for the attacks.
It is a matter of regret that the
administration has found itself
compelled to deal in piecemeal fash
ion with the evolution of its defense
policy. Thus the transfer OF over
age destroyers in the summer OF
1940-e step taken without submis-
sion of the issue to the Congress.
All subsequent steps except actual
conveying or issuance of shooting
orders have been taken by Congress,
as, for instance, the passage of the
Lend bills. To this should be
added the present measures for re-
vision Of the neutrality law, which
will pass both houses shortly.
Attack Peaceful Ships.
The administrators position, Of
course, has been that American
opinion was not prepared a year
ago for shooting operations in de-
fense of this hemisphere and that
1t was necessary to make a record
which would show that the Nazi
submarine warfare was being con-
Quoted against American merchant
ships engaged on peaceful voyages
in the Atlantic. Thus the other
day the steamship Lehigh, which
had discharged its cargo in Spain
and was returning empty, was tor
pedoed without warning and sunk
off the African coast. Here is
clear case of violation of the rights
of the United States to peaceful
passage of its ships on the high
seas.
1t may be that many citizens in
America do not wish American
rights on the seas protected and
believe sincerely that the United
States will not be imperiled if it
yields to foreign attacks. But the
vast majority of the citizenry, as
revealed in polls and in the over
whelming votes behind the lease
lend legislation, evidently believes
that aid to England is defensive
measure.
Retreat Is Alternative.
There is, on the other hand, little
doubt that many citizens favored
these measures in the firm belief
that if taken, a shooting war would
really be avoided. The days of
shooting war are here and the only
question now is whether the area
of hostilities will be narrowed or
widened and whether activity will
be diminished or intensified. The
debate on whether it was wise for
the President to lead up to the
present set of circumstances with
out asking for authority from Con-
gress to shoot hostile naval craft
is interesting from an academic
viewpoint. Realism, however, makes
the debate somewhat meaningless.
The concrete question now, pleasant
or not, is whether the United States
can now afford to withdraw from
the Atlantic and avoid any more
shooting war, or whether military
and naval power should be used to
the utmost to rid the Atlantic OF
the perils of unrestricted submarine
attacks on cur commerce. In the
Aernacular Of the day, it is a ques-