The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-02-25
Allies Will Take Offensive Soon, Roosevelt Assert


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area. including Australia and New
Zealand. would fall under japanese
domination. Japan could then re-
tease great numbers Of ships and
men TO launch attacks on a large
scale against the coasts Of the
western hemisphere. including
Alaska Al the same time. she
could Immediately extend her con-
quests TO India and. through the
Indian ocean. to Africa and the
Near East.
;. II we were 10 stop sending
munitions to the British and the
Russians in the Mediterranean and
Persian gulf areas. we would help
the Nazis to overrun Turkey. Syria.
Iraq. Persia, Egypt and the suez
canal. the whole coast Of North
Africa and the whole coast OF West
Anticipating Germany within
easy striking distance Of South
America
EAGLE No OSTRICH
I. IL. by such a fatuous policy.
we ceased to protect the North
Atlantic supply line to Britain and
To Russia, we would help TO cripple
the splendid counter-offensive by
Russia against the Nazis. and we
would help to deprive Britain of
essential food supplies and NUM-
tons.
Those Americans who believed
that we could live under the illu-
sion of isolationism wanted the
American eagle to initiate the tao
tics of the ostrich. Now. many of
those same people, afraid that We
may be sticking our necks out.
want our national bird to be turned
into a turtle. But we prefer to
retain the eagle as 1t is--flying
high and striking hard.
know that speak for the mass
of the American people when say
that we reject the turtle policy and
viii continue increasingly the pol
icy of carrying the war to the
enemy in distant lands and distant
waters-as far as possible from
our own home grounds.
There are four main lines of
communication now being Travelled
by our ships: The North Atlantic,
the South Atlantic. the Indian
ocean and the South Pacific. These
routes are not one-way streets
for the ships which carry our
troops and munitions outbound
bring back essential raw materials
which we require for our own use.
The maintenance OF these vital
lines is a very tough job. 1t is a
job which requires tremendous dar-
ing. tremendous resourcefulness.
and, above all. tremendous produc-
ton of planes and tanks and guns
and of the ships TO carry them.
And I speak again for the Ameri-
can people when say that we can
and will do that job.
BASES CONTROL REQUIRED
The defense Of the worldwide
lines of communication demands
relatively safe use by us of the sea
and of the air along the various
routes; and this. In turn, depends
upon control by the United Nations
of the strategic bases along those
routes.
Control of the air involves the
simultaneous use Of two types of
planes the long-range heavy
bomber; and second. light bomb
ers. dive bombers. torpedo planes
and short range pursuit planes
which are essential to the protec-
ton of the bases and the bombers
themselves.
Heavy bombers can fly under
their own power from here TO the
Southwest Pacific: but the smaller
planes cannot. Therefore, these
lighter planes have to be packed
In crates and sent on board cargo
ships. Look at your map again:
and you will see that the route is
long and at many times perilous
either across the South Atlantic
around South Africa. or from Cali
fornia TO the East Indies direct. A
vessel can make a round trip by
either route in about four months,
or only three round trips in q
whole year.
In spite OF the length and diff
culties of this transportation. ! can
tell you that we already have a
large number OF bombers and pur-
suit planes, manned by American
pilots. which are now in daily con-
tact with the enemy in the South
west Pacific. And thousands OF
American troops are today in that
area engaged in operations not
only in the air but on the ground
as well
JAPAN HAS ADVANTAGE
In this haffla araa Ian.. has