Evening star., 1941-01-12
Discusses Americas
Relationship to War
BIZ O1Uen L. Scott.

The most important question in the
world today is this: Exactly what is the
relationship of the United States to
| the wars in Europe and Asia? Is it
relationship of neutrality or non-bellig-
erency or of actual belligerency?
More and more common among high
officials in Washington is the view that
the United States today is belllgerent,
without yet knowing it. Certainly this
country is not formally at war with any
nation. If President Roosevelt has any,
thing to do with it, there is great i'm
| probability that the United States will
be at war in the sense that war Is for
mally declared by Congress.
But the President has told the Amer
| lean people that never in its history has
their Nation been in such peril as today.
| He has told them Great Britain alone is
| standing between them and that peril.
He has given them the conclusion of
this country's military and naval Off
! cials that if Britain falls the Western
Hemisphere, which the United States has
contracted to defend, will be open to
attack from two sides.
Under these circumstances, if Mr..
RooSevelt's reasoning and that of rank
ing American admirals and generals is
accepted, the United States is anything
but intelligent and heroic to sit on the
sidelines while Britain stands alone
against the might of Germany and the
attack Of Italy. The Germans and
o1r Iv ho
United States is prepared Ito fight to
the last Englishman."
Actually, the United States is prepar-
ing to do all it can do, in the light Of
its own unpreparedness, to come to the
aid of Britain. The British will receive
at least four-flfths of the combat air
planes that come from American fac
tories. They will receive most of the
new merchant ships, or the equivalent of
those ships, that are being and will be
built They will receive military equip
ment of almost every sort as it becomes
available.
More than that, merely to turn over
to the British, on this side of the At
lantic, the equipment that American
factories can produce will not solve any
problems if that equipment is sent to
the bottom of the ocean by German sub
marines and German bombers. Aid for
Britain is only aid when it reaches the
shores of Britain. There is very little to
be gained by this country in straining
to produce goods that end up at the
bottom of the ocean. Consequently,
ways must be found to make sure that
American war goods reach their destina-
ton. This calls for use Of WarshlpS and
warplanes to make sure the ocean high
ways are kept open.
President Roosevelt has declared, and
the Nation has accepted that declaration
By voting for the President at the polls,
that the seas in this hemisphere must be
kept free from marauders. The conclu-
sion seems inescapable that naval ac-
ton will be taken to assure that free
dom, so that American goods can reach
their destination.
All this, however, depends upon Brit
aims ability to stand against attack dur
ing the next three to six months while
the United States organizes its effort. If
Britain stands, the belligerency of this
Nation will become more and more ap-
parent. Whether that belligerency in
wolves war is for the Germans and Ital-
ians and Japanese to determine. All
steps planned here are short of an actual
declaration of war.
If Britain should fall, American bel
ligerency will be put even more to the
test. In that event the security of the
Western Hemisphere would-in the opin-
ion of this Nations military and naval
adyisers-be in jeopardy. This conclu-
sion is at the bottom Of every move
President Roosevelt has made and is to
make as it affects the American rela-
tionship to what is going on in the world.
Mr.. Roosevelt last May 16 stated the
principle that underlies his actions in
foreign policy At that time he said to
Congress:
"A defense which allows an enemy to
consolidate his approach without hin
drance will lose. A defense which makes
no effective effort to destroy the lines of
supply and communications of the
enemy will lose. An effective defense
by its very nature requires the equipment
to attack an aggressor on his route be-
fore he can establish strong bases within
the territory of American vital interests" ="
Germany, Italy and Japan have band
ed together as the formal and declared
enemies of the United States. Adolf
Hitler has told the world his system of
government and the American system
cannot exist together-one or the other
must be broken.
There exists no doubt concerning the
declared enemies of this Nation. The
approach of those enemies from the east
is blocked by the British Isles and by
British-held Gibraltar. The approach
to the Philippines In the Pacifc-a vital
American interest until 1946-is guarded
by British-held Singapore. If anything
happens to any of these outposts the
declared enemies of the United States
will be ION the route" to this hemisphere
President Roosevelt has let the country
know that, unless this Nation is to face
defeat, it must attack the enemy on
that route before he can consolidate his
approach.