Evening star., 1941-07-27

annoyed Wnen ABOUT lndt same llfIe the
American Government ordered Coast
Guardsmen aboard some 100 foreign
owned merchant ships lying idle in our
ports. German and Italian crews sabo-
tagged their own vessels, and without
ceremony were dumped into Jail. subse-
quently tried, convicted and sentenced
to Imprisonment.
In the spring came a veritable barrage
of belligerent anti-AXis speeches by
Roosevelt cabinet members. urging more
drastic action and implying that such
was imminent. The President himself
told a press conference in April that the
Red Sea and the Gulf of Alden were
being opened to American shipping, thus
permitting transport of supplies to Brit
ain in the Middle East. and two weeks
later he pointedly discussed our tradition
of fighting undeclared naval wars if
necessary to protect our rights at sea.
I'VE Will Decide"
On May q he carried words closer to
their ultimate in a fireside reiteration
Of American determination TO keep the
seas free and to fulfill pledges Of all aid
to Britain Again he served notice that
this Government will not relish the ini-
tiative by informing the world that we
will decide for ourselves whether, and
when or where our American interests
are attacked or our security threatened"
On that same occasion ne proclaimed
an unlimited national emergency. en-
couraging thereby the impression that
this Government was poised for quick
and extreme action in any direction.
In early June there was a weekend
blitz of slapping down the Axis gentry
in the United States. On Saturday. June
H. the American assets of all continental
European governments or nationals were
ordered frozen and the Treasury an
nounced curtly that this action lin effect
brings all financial transactions in which
German and Italian interests are in
volved under the control of the Gov
ernment'
On the following Monday Nazi con-
sulates and three German agencies were
brusquely ordered out of business by the
State Department, with the further in
structions that the persons affected
should get out of the country by mid
July. When fuming Berlin Foreign
Office retaliated and was supported by
similar action on the part of Rome au-
thorities. the State Department promptly
slammed shut the Italian consulates
and eight Fascist agencies and ordered
them also to remove their persons.
At the same time Axis nationals not
connected directly with these offices were
forbidden to leave this country except
under express permission.
Washington was showing the way on
these provocative tactics, not waiting for
Rome and Berlin.
Robin Moor Message.
News of the sinking by German sub
marine of the Robin Moor broke about
this time. On June 20. Mr.. Roosevelt
sent a scorching message to Congress.
branding the action as one of AN in
ternational outlaw accusing the Ger
mans of piracy on the high seas, and
demanding full reparati tions. Then in a
manner unprecedented and studiously
insulting, the State Department, instead
of making a separate formal protest TO
the Berlin government. merely sent
them a copy of the presidential mes
sage
Nothing further is required" Under
secretary of State Sumner Welles told
press conference disdainfully.
A few days later there was roundup
of German spies and the quick sentenc-
ing of portion of the group to jail
teSms; the remainder may end up the
same way.
On the march again, the Government
startled and discounted the opposition
on July by announcing that American
naval forces already had landed in Ice
land, that eventually the island would
be garrisoned wholly by Americans. and
that the Navy had been instructed to
take all necessary steps to maintain
lines of communication
In the same announcement. it was dis
sent to Trinidad and British Guiana
Speculation and controversy rOared
Immediately around the meaning of
necessary steps in Navy orders, and
whether the next move in this campaign
of taking over the Atlantic and beating
Berlin to the punch might not be an
effort to occupy Dakar, the Azores, or
Cape Verde Islands The State Depart
ment denied such intentions but the
Portuguese government was informed
that the mid-Atlantic island outposts
must remain in friendly hands.
Blacklist of Axis Firms.
Berlin and Rome screamed again as
Washington issued an official blacklist
of firms and individuals believed 'front.'
ing" for the Axis in Latin America. cut
ting them off from trade connections
here.
And now comes this Governments
stern stand against Japanese aggression
in Indo- China
That all of these aggressive words and
deeds. supplemented by others not men
toned here, are having an effect on the
Axis strategists is evident. With increas-
ing frequency official spokesmen and the
controlled journals in Rome and Berlin
have been baited into replying, denying,
excoriating, or otherwise displaying their
anger and their concern.
Whether it will lead to a shooting war
need not be guessed at here. For those
who believe that Britain must win and
the Axis must be beaten, this Roosevelt
policy has been consistent and successful
at least in limited degree. 1t has not
defeated Hitler on any battlefield but it