Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-01-29
Stinson's Statement
leose-lend Bills Purpose Is to Purchase
Time, Secretary Tells Senators

obtain in the wisest and the most
economical way possible the security
which is imperatively needed at this
moment. The pressing character of
this need is abundantly evidenced
by the size of the recent appropria-
tons which the Congress has made
for national defense.
Under such circumstances, to try
to turn the transaction into an ordi-
nary loan is one Of the most short
sighted views that a great nation
could take. 1t Is in our own interest
not to try to drive a hard bargain
for cash. BY that act we would not
only jeopardize the chance of Sc
curing the protection which we now
need. but we should lay the seeds
OF a future economic dislocation
which would return to plague us
years after this war Is over. In our
own interest 1t is good national
policy to preserve today a hard
1ghting Britain-a Britain which
has not been ground down by hard
bargains sapping its resources We
have to think also of the conse-
quences and conditions which will
follow this war. When that time
comes, We shall be directly affected
by whether or not those nations,
whose ways Of life and methods of
trade are most like ours, are able
to recover from the strain of war.
Britain Seen In Posttion Ia Prevail.
Let me answer here the sugees-
tons which are being made that the
situation Of Great Britain is so
hopeless that there is no use to try
to help her. The world situation
today is certainly serious not only
from Britain's standpoint but from
our own. For the first time in mod
ern history the United States is
confronted by a nation with an
overwhelming army and with pos
sibility of getting control of the
Atlantic.
As opposed to this threat, the
United States has a one-ocean fleet
and that fleet in the Pacific: and a
vulnerable Panama Canal Such a
situation can easily become critical
II British sea power in the Atlantic
is lost. Such a disaster would in
volve not only the security of the
North Atlantic but the security of
the South Atlantic and South Amer
lea as well. II these things should
happen, our own safety would not
easily or quickly be retrieved. With
the British Isles in German control
the great preponderance Of the Ship
building capacity Of the world will
be indefinitely in the hands Of the
axis powers.
The control Of the great trade
routes of the seas would be in the
hands Of nations whose ways of life
and methods of trade are contrary
to our own. and there would be little
hope Of soon regaining that control
The defense Of this hemisphere.
under such circumstances. would
present most difficult problems. The
interests Of South America would
follow the direction of the control
of those trade routes and would Ger
tainly be heavily influenced If Spain
were in the hands of a hostile
power.
II. however. the control OF the seas
and Of the air remain in our hands
and in the hands of those friendly to
our Nation and to our methods of
life, the threat Of the axis powers is
gone. Germany has a great and
strong army. but it is spread out
very thin and already in Italy and
m Rumania and in Norway We be-
gin to hear the creaks of the strain
under which the German power is
laboring. Japan has a large and
strong army. but that is spread out
even thinner than the Army OF Ger
many, and for a long time the eco
nomic situation OF Japan has been
strained. Italy is already in serious
straits. On the other hand. Eng
lands morale remains unimpaired.
From all our reports it is as strong
as ever and her successes in North
Africa have been inspiring. Granted
that Britain survives the crisis of
this coming spring and summer
land the passage of this bill will GO
far to stiffen the morale necessary
for her to survive that crisis, the
probability Of an ultimate solution
in favor Of the democracies would
be overwhelming. Without sea pow
er and with the control of the Air
against them, the armies of the axis
powers cannot indefinitely hold even
the European world In subsection
Sooner or later the inevitable reac-
ton against such slavery will come
and in my opinion when it once
starts it will come with a speed
which the defeatists have far under
estimated.
1t Is said by critics Of the bill that
it confers powers upon the President
to act contrary to the canons Of in
ternational law. The Secretary OF
State answered that argument in his
hearing before the House He
pointed out that in the world today
aggressor nations had, by their
threats and actions in violation OF
international law, produced situa
ton where a lAw-abiding nation
could not defend itself against their
lawless action If it permitted itself
to be shackled by rules which they
disregarded. He pointed out with
great clarity and reason that In such
a situation the law of self-defense
justified freedom Of action on the
part Of the victims.
Paris Pact Cited.
I should now like to call to your
attention also the fact that such
acts of self-defense as Bill SITS au-
thorizes on the part Of our Govern
ment are justified by international
law itself, as that international Law
has been interpreted in the light OF
q great treaty which the country
initiated. Long before the axis was
ever heard OF, this Nation took the
lead in the enactment of the pact OF
Paris commonly called the KEEL
logg-Briand pacD, which was ad-
hered to by practically the entire
family Of nations. Under that
treaty some So nations entered into