The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1944-12-07
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY
When Did America Go To War?

The first proposition 10 that on De-
ssnber Z, 1941, this country was at
1sace. Being at peace our guard was
down. Out Of clear sky japan, with
est warning, struck us at Pearl Harbor
--stabS.d us in the back.
Before Pearl Harbor there had been
auch debate about whether we were at
var and whether or not we should 60
- war. But surely no man, now looking
Aeuestly at the picture Of those days,
uill say we were at peace. We had OF
course declared war on no one and no
enc had declared war on US. But the
day Of declared war is somewhat in the
past But let US see what we we're actu-
ally doing in the two years preceding
Pearl Harbor.
When Germany invaded Poland, and
Britain and France declared war on
Germany, our sympathy went out with
equal fullness to Poland, France and
Britain. We began by selling arms to
Britain and France, which we had
right to do. We refused under our Neu-
fxality Law, however, to deliver these
arms to them. While we thus aided
shsm greatly no one could call that war.
Then came the fall Of France in May,
1eAO. At this point the President made
available to the British 100000 Enfield
rifles which were the property Of the
American Army, some planes and some
S6's, together with a great deal Of am
nunition. By this time the question OF
now far we should 60 to aid the allies
became q national issue. The country
approved aid and ever-increasing aid
bat opposed a shooting war. /
Late in 1910 the President proposed
% give the British. hard-pressed in the
Atlantic, fifty American destroyers.
This was getting close to an act of war,
though this construction on our act was
denied.
In February, 1941, the President an
aounced that Britain could no longer |
pay for all the arms she needed. He
proposed that our government purchase
guns and tanks and planes and NUM- |
lions from American manufacturers,
nay for them and lend them to Britain,
China and other countries to use against |
the Germans. This was not declara-
ton of war But to say it was not max
lng war on Germany is to juggle words.
1t is possible to say that the country |
vas doing the right thing in this action,
but it is not possible to say it was not
war.
The President next decided on step
which put US finally into actual war
against Germany. Britain had occupied
Iceland-a few hundred miles off the
shores Of England-in the summer OF
1910. In July, l94l, the President de-
cided to join Britain in the occupation
of Iceland. Before this the President
had established a naval patrol, that is,
American destroyers and planes were
sent out into the Atlantic into combat
zones to hunt submarines and report
the presence of these submarines to
the British, who would then send de-
stroyers or planes to drop depth bombs
on them. To say we were not at war
with Germany when our NAVY was act
ing as q scout for the British Navy 10
20 close our eyes to the truth. But
when we reinforced the British army in
Iceland and proceeded TO use lceiaho
as base for this naval patrol in the
very heart Of the European combat
waters we were in the war beyond all
dispute. Mr.. Churchill hailed the occu-
patton of Iceland as "a new cooperation
-between the British and American arm
I'd forces" Cooperation in what! In
the war against Germany. Charles Hurd,
in the New York Times, wrote Nov.
l94l: 1.-The establishment OF navai
base in Iceland marked change by
which American international policy
stopped from one of passive aid to
Great Britain and her allies into active
participation in tho Battle Of the At
lantic." Against whom was the battle
Of the Atlantic being foughtf Against
-