Evening star., 1941-11-14
American Ships Face
Attack, Axis Replies
To Neutrality Change
British Press and Public
Acclaim House Vote as
Further Step to War
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Bitter reaction exploded in the
Axis capitals today over revision of
the United States Neutrality Act,
with the Germans declaring bluntly
that the next few days would show
what a dangerous path Congress had
taken.
In Rome Fascist quarters voiced a
similar theme, asserting that Con-
gress' action in permitting United
States ships to enter the blockade
zones soon would result in attacks on
those vessels.
In Toxic Japan's attitude was ex-
pressed by the news agency Domei
which quoted well-informed circles
as declaring that the revision "ag-
gravates the situation not only in
the Atlantic but in the Pacific" and
that "the stage is set for commence
ment Of shooting war"
Authorized Berlin quarters charged
President Roosevelt and Secretary
of State Hull with duping Congress
by a false presentation of facts, and
said that in any case Germany would
shoot at American ships carrying
munitions.
British Acclaim Action.
British public and press acclaimed
the action as a step toward fuller
American collaboration in the war.
Authoritative quarters said that 1t
would refresh and reinvigorate the
will of the British people to fight the
war to victory" and that it had re-
moved an obstacle which impeded
fulfllment Of Americas determina-
ton to play a leading role in the
overthrow of Hitlerism."
Repeal of vital sections OF the
Neutrality Act was hailed by an
authoritative British source in Lon
don with much qualification" while
the press and public greeted the
congressional action with jubilation.
which the Daily Express put into
this banner headline, in letters big
enough for ma jor war victory:
They're coming over!"
This referred specifically to re-
opening of British seaports to Amer
lean merchant ships. How soon
and how fast American vessels
loaded with lease-lend materials
would reach Britain Immediately be-
came a subject of speculation.
Ships Expected From Iceland.
The Express suggested that the
first ships would arrive from Ice
land. which formerly was the last
stop for United States vessels carry
ing supplies for England, while other
sources thought that among the
first arrivals might be the same
American-oWned ships which have
been coming TO England regularly
under Panamanian registry.
These ships already are loaded
and routed for England, it was said.
and need only to change their
registry in order for them to hoist
the Stars and Stripes again.
All sources confidently expected
that American men-of-war would
escort the newly armed supply ships
directly into British harbors and
thus the neutrality repeal was re-
garded as important not only in sup
plementlng Britain's shipping and
protective patrols, but also in re-
leasing British merchantmen and
war ships for other urgent tasks.
No Official British Comment.
There still was no official British
comment. Most morning neWspa-
pers. however, devoted their main
editorials to the vote. Among their
views were these:
The News Chronlcle-the revision
takes America one more long step
toward bearing full share of the
hazards and burdens of war which
matters quite as much to her as it
does to other free people of the
world
The Telegraph-It gives effect
without delay to a legislative change
that restores to the United States
the fullness of its historic national
objective-freedom of the seas"
The Express-"Limited shipping
was brake on our strategy and on
our power to aid Russia and supply
our own armies abroad. Roosevelt
has lifted the brake. He has struck
Hitler the hardest, shrewdest blow
he has delivered. We cannot vet
assess the full possibilities of this
aid or where it will lead America.
Mackenzie King Halls Step.
Canadian Prime Minister w. L.
Mackenzie King said last night in
Ottawa that revision of the Neu-
tralitv Act will be seen by Hitler
as the handwriting on the wall
spelling the doom of the Axis pow
ers."
Chinese quarters said it was felt
that failure of the Roosevelt ad-
ministrat alton to revise the act would
have strengthened the position of
Ssburo Kurusu. special Japanese
envoy en- route to Washington, and
would have hardened the attitude
of Japanese militariStS.