The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-05-06

t1JlGQ 3Au t r
TRYING TO ESCAPE WAR
BATTLE LOOMS OVER AXIS
.i
,s
The time is approaching, if it
is it not already at hand, when
the United States will assert its
rights on the high seas more
vigorously. The withdrawal of
our commerce from belligerent
areas, undertaken when the war
began, in an effort to escape in
volvement in the conflict, has
failed to prevent hostilities from
approaching closer and closer to
the United States.
The policy of the United States,
before the European War began,
was to do everything to avoid
incidents which might provoke
armed clashes. Consequently,
we abandoned certain very def
mite rights under international
law Now, since the national
policy, under the Lease-Lend
Act, is to extend unlimited aid
to Great Britain and other coun-
tries fighting aggressors, it may
become advisable for this coun-
try to reassert its trading rights
under accepted international law.
Already the American neutral
ity patrol, which was set up at the
beginning of hostilities, has been
moved substantially eastward and
Admiral Harold r. Stark admits
that it is operating as far as two
thousand miles off-shore. Presi-
dent Roosevelt carefully distin-
cuisines this patrol from convoy
service. Evidently, it is designed
to locate warships which seek to
commit hostile acts in the Western
Hemisphere and the presumption
is that the ships of friendly ma
tons will be advised of the pres
ence of their foes.
The fact that this nation has
committed itself to provide un-
limited quantities of war supplies
to the democracies creates prob
lem involving the delivery of
these supplies to belligerent ma
tons. Obviously the national
policy will be Intellectual and a
complete waste of money if the
supplies are sent to the bottom if
the supplies are sent to the bot
tom of the ocean by the action of
German submarines and air.
planes. To make the policy a
success, it is necessary, in the
opinion of many officials, for the
United States to take whatever
action that may become necessary
to insure delivery to the British
people.
The debate over the use of
American warships for convoy
service will be postponed. The
belief exists that a patrol of the
waters of the Western Hemisphere
will render important assistance
to the British and, perhaps. en-
able them to protect supply ships
on the latter part of the journey
across the Atlantic.
Admiral Starke, in discussing
the neutrality patrol, pointed out
that the Navy is charged with the
responsibility of protecting Am
erican ships ION their legitimate
affairs to the end of the earth, and
back" with mo man making them
afraid" This is an Interpretation
of American trading rights that is
more nearly in accord with inter
national law than with our So
called neutrality legislation which
requires our traders to abandon
their commerce whenever any
other nation sees fit to create a
belligerent area.
The resignation of Colonel
Charles A. Lindbergh as reserve
officer in the Army Air Corps has
been accepted. II should satisfac-
torily end the incident.
The flier rendered his resigna-
ton because he considered the
Presidents comment on his
course left him no honorable
alternative. Undoubtedly, the
fiief's we'll known views that
Great Britain is certain to be de-
feated and that the United States
eotiia net hope 10 Withstand the
naight Of Hitler's Germany, raised
a question as 10 his fitness TO hold
a commission in the Army.
We do not think that Col Lind
hergh should be unduly criticized
for the courage Of his convictions.
bat no Army will be strengthen
cd by an officer who denounces
the apparent course of his coun-
try and who is convinced before