The Nome nugget., 1941-08-01
Current Comments From Washington

cupy Iceland, he did not have to close his note with a polite R.SVP., or with the more busi ,esslike request 10 answer by night letter, charges collect. The policy of the President applic- able to the situation had been worked out carefully over per iod of considerable length, and may be said to have reached de- fiait;on in his address of May 27. The public at large of course was startled by the prompt occu- patton of Iceland, but the Presi dent, as such, may be said to have had reply ready before the request of Prime Minister Jonasson was on the wire. AS Commander in Chief of the Navy his plan of procedure was no less complete, and action was cores pondingly prompt and swift.
 The occupation of Iceland ob viously was intended to block at the very beginning, an attempt on the part of Germany to es- tablish a line of hoppingoff plac es from Europe westward. In his statement to Congress, Mir. Roose welt dealt with the matter in greater detail. In that document it was made clear that a Ger man hold on Iceland would en- danger "the steady flow of mum tions to Britain, which is a mat ter of broad policy clearly ap- proved by Congress-" it would be "a threat against all shipping in the North Atlantic;;" and it would be a dangerous gesture to ward "all shipping in the North Atlantic"
 Mr. Roosevelt made it evident that the guardianship assumed over Iceland did not differ mater ia 1y from that undertaken in con nection with Greeland. The fiber ties of the people will be in no wise abridged, nor will the es- tablished allegiance be altered. The step simply was made nec- essary by the pressure of the hour, and when that pressure ceases, the old order will come again into it's own.
 So far as Germany is concern ed, the landing of naval forces in Iceland is a warning that the United States proposes to do something other than file protests and exchange notes. IL is a no- tice that defense" according to the American construction put upon the word, amounts to more than the establishment of a mere coast guard. The ocean avenues of approach are to be made un- safe for those who would use them wrongfully. The Watch on the Rhine" theory was out grown long ago by Germany. In the present crisis, the United States likewise takes no stock in its efficacy.
 As the Nazi forces started a northward movement, the crepe hangers looked sadly at Russia, an began to ply their dismal trade. The experts led the world to believe that the problem of taking over Russia involved no more than the question of trans portation, with possibly a halt now and then for a skirmish, or to let the engines cool off. Rough ly speaking, the 7th week of the Russo-German war is here. The Russians have felt the force of the first onslaught, but have built up strong counter attack and begun to fight with courage and skill. The results of seven weeks indicate that pehaps the Russian power has been under estimated.
 It would be taking entirely too much credit to ourselves to presume that the Russians were enheartened into a stubborn re- sistance by the promise of SUD- port from the United States, al though that promise undoubted- ly had its effect. That there is no hand and glove relationship be- tween the United States and Rus sia, is made manifest by the re- f,,eoJ of fLa T z4