Evening star., 1944-08-14
Mr.. Roosevelt Reports


ciflc trip does not belong in the cate
CORY of headline news. For the most
part, 1t was a matter r-of-fact &C
count Of his journey to Hawaii, the
Aleutians and Alaska, plus a recital
OF war developments and trends that
have become matters of recorded
history. 1t is interesting, however,
to note that section of mis- talk which
dealt with the question Of our future
security in the Pacific.
Mr.. Roosevelt began this phase of
his report with what was, in effect,
a defense of this Governments orig
inal holding" policy against Japan,
while making our major effort in
Europe. The japanese occupation OF
the Aleutian Islands of Attu and
Kiska caused considerable alarm on
the West Coast. The President, re-
calling this, went on to say that the
chiefs OF staff In Washington, while
realizing that the threat could be-
come serious If unopposed, knew
that Japan lacked the naval and air
power to carry the threat into effect
without greater resources and a
longer time to plan" In other words,
the japanese threat was not really a
serious one under prevailing condi-
tions. And eventually they were
thrown out, although at a cost far
greater than would have been the
case had we been prepared to con-
test their intrusion into the Aleu-
tians in the first instance.
This leaves an open question,
however, as to what the future might
bring. Japan lacked the means to
cash in" on her initial success in
invading American territory. But
what assurance have we that some
future invader will not renew the
effort, supported by the planes and
the ships and the men which Japan
could not assemble in the dark year
of 1912?
The President was very explicit in
stating how this assurance NAV be
had. The Alaska a-Aleutians route
for sea and air travel to Siberia and
China will be of first-rate impor-
tance in the years to come. And
the President, while emphatically
disclaiming any design OF aggression
on the part Of this country, never
the-less made it clear that from the
point Of view of national defense it
Is essential that our control OF this
route shall be undisputed. We
as people are insistent that other
nations must not, under any circum-
stances, through the foreseeahle flu
ture, commit such (sneak) attacks
against the United States. There
fore, it is essential that we be fully
prepared to prevent them for all
time to come"
This, the President said, entails
the development of maintenance of
strong bases in the Aleutians and
Alaska. South of the Alaska-Aleu-
tlans route, it is important that we
have other bases-forward bases
nearer; Ito Japan than they (the Ha-
Waiian Islands, lie" And finally we
Will need to join in defensive under
takings with other nations, princi-
pally France and Britain, which con-
troll the hundreds OF islands lying
still farther south and which are es-
sential to the security of the Amer
lcas down to Cape Horn.
From this, the inference is clear
THAI we are not going to bank all
OF our hope of future security on
treaties and the good intentions of
other nations. In large part, per-
haps in major part, we will rely on
the deterrent to aggression that
arises from the possession of ample
outlying bases, strongly fortified and
strongly supported by land, sea and
air power. There is every reason to
believe that the American people
Will see the wisdom OF such a policy.
The time may come when we can
put our faith in treaties, but, mean
while, we must look to our own de-
fense.