Evening star., 1941-09-12
Presidents Talk
Called 'Hurshest'
Since War Began
(Tert OF Presidents address on
Page A-5.)
BY JOHN c. HENRY.

~ ~oAAAN W
The American Navy, proudest
and f1tteSt arm of the Nations
fighting forces, cleared its decks
for action today to free vast
reaches of the worlds seas from
"rattleSnake" raiders of the
Rome-Berlin Axis.
The gigantic task. limited only by
the generalized qualification that
the protected waters should be those
necessary for American defense, a"
was assigned to the combined fleets
last night by their commander in
chief, President Roosevelt.
There was nothing secret nor con-
ditional about the orders as the
Chief Executive made known to all
the world in 25-minute radio
broadcast from the White House
that this Government is following a
policy of active defense" and that
henceforth German or italian YES
selts entering the prescribed waters
do so at their own peril
Depends on Axis Action.
Secretary of State Hull indicated
at a press conference today that
the extent of the waters in which
the United States will take active
defense measures will depend to
some degree at least on actions Of
the Axis powers.
Mr.. Hull was asked if this Gov
ernment had notified Germany and
Italy of the specific zones in which
our active defense steps were
ordered.
He replied that understanding of
the fact that the menace being
faced is a world movement for con-
quest by force of continents and
seas everywhere would bring realiza-
ton that the attacking forces will
have something to say about the
areas of the sea that the United
States may or may not find it neces-
sary to patrol in its own defense.
Asked if the text of the Presi-
dents speech had been transmitted
officially to the German govern
ment, Mr.. Hull said he believed il
would be found that Germany al
ready had informed itself of the
contents of the message.
He made clear that there hac
been no official communications
from Germany informing this Gov.
ernment CT the sea areas in which
Germany claimed a blockade OF
from this country to Germany o.
the areas which Axis warships woulc
enter at their own peril.
Cites Five Incidents"
justified by the President in ;
recital of five incidents" of Axi'
naval aggression - including thu
! sinkings of the Robin Moor, tht
Steel Seafarer and the Sessa, ane
the attack on the U. S. S. Greer-tht
"active defense" order to the Nav
are an answer to an evident Axi
decision to intensity the martini
war effort.
For the President and the Unitet
States Government they were a re
iteration OF our historic adherenc
to a freedom of the seas" doctrine
adjusted to a contemporary join
determination by Washington an
London that the two great worl
naval powers, Britain and the Unite
! States. shall never surrender thei
dominance of the oceans.
Early Declines Comment.
Efforts to obtain clarifcation o
amplification of different portions @
the speech from White House Secre
tary Stephen T. Early were turne
aside by Mr. Early today.
LAS I told you yesterday" Nj
Early said, the message was write
in clear English. No interpretatio
Is needed and I am not giving an!
I am not in a position to answe
any questions"
The secretary referred one ques
toner, however, to the State De
partment when the reporter sough
to learn if any definition of defen
sive waters had been formally sub
mitted to the German government
1t was announced yesterday tha
President Roosevelt was cancelin
his customary Friday press confer
ence. presumably for the same desir
not to answer questions about tn
speech.
Immediate reaction to the Chic
Executives address, harshest in
series of steadily stronger anti-Axi
declarations, followed the more O
less expected pattern with foreign
policy critics charging it to be "a
unauthorized declaration of war,
| Continued on Page AS, Column 2.