The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-05-27

(Continued from Preceding Page) the United States not get too heavily involved In the South At- lantic between Dakar and South America, because 1t would divert U. tD. effort away from conveys and the North Atlantic.
 American airplancs, ships, tanks and other material might have to be sent to the South America West Africa trouble zone, 1t was suggested to the President. This would take away from tho supplies expected by Great Brtaln under the leASe- lend bill and would weaken Rritain's resistance at home and in the Mediterranean.
 NOTE -- Meanwhile even such rabid isola ionists as The Chicago Tribune, plus Senators Bennett Clark of Missouri and Reynolds of North Carolina agreed that the United States should take over Martinique. Some went further and urged that Q careful eye be kept on French West Africa, Jumping of place to Brazil.
 FRENCH FOLLOWED BRITISH
 Rooseyelt's decisions today are the toughest In the world to make, Obviously there Is e lot to be said for concentrating on aid to Bri- tain, not getting involved In too many areas at one time.
 However, some of R0osevelts advisers emphatically believe that the United states must shape It's own course, that 1t cannot be the tall wagged by
 the British bulldog. In other words, the United states can" not afford to be another France.
 For years, Britain dictated French foreign policy. Paris went where London led. For instance, the French General Staff, short- ly after civil war in Spain, urged that France send 50,000 troops and 800 airplanes into Spain.
 The Spanish war, they advised is merely . rehearsal for what is to come. If Hitler can win In Spain, French generals told Pre- mler Blum. ho will go ahead In the rest of Europe. But if we can make an example of him by defeat in Spain, that will be the end of Hitler.
 French military strategists were esnecially worried at having @ new Gernanized Spain on their south- ern border, making 1t necessary to protect two borders ct once. So Premier Blum, acting on military advice, went to London, offered to send men and planes to the aid of the Spanish Government.
 MOTH.EATEN BRITISH POLICY
 But the British said No. They were thinking of the Rio Tinto mines in Spain, owned by British Interests, together with other heavy British holdings which General Franco had promised to protect. In fact, 1t leaked out later that certain British big business appeasers had even en- couraged Franco to start the re- volution.
 So the French, following British advice as usual, sent no adequate help to Spain. Later when Hitler had won in Spain and attacked France, France had two borders to defend, had to keep one army on the Spanish border.
 South America is to the United
 states as Spain is to France
 onJy more SO. Once an enemy
 crosses the South Atlantic to
 south America, the defense of
 the United States becomes in-
 finitely more difficult.
 That is why some Administra- ton advisers are convinced that he United States must not fol- low too carefully a British policy which in the past decade has been wrong eght out of ten times. For if the British had followed rrance's lead in Spain, Gibraltar would not now be in danger, and Inc United States would not even Enc worrying about Dakar and the the South Atlantic.
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