The Gisborne Herald. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED “THE TIMES" GISBORNE, MONDAY, AUGUST 18. 1941. AMERICA AND THE WAR

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20637, 18 August 1941, Page 4

The Gisborne Herald. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED “THE TIMES" GISBORNE, MONDAY, AUGUST 18. 1941. AMERICA AND THE WAR

The joint declaration issued by the British Prime Minister and the United States President regarding war and peace aims has now been supplemented by a statement by Mr. Roosevelt to American journalists. It was not to be expected, of course, that the President would disclose full details of the discussions with Mr. Churchill, but he said enough to make it plain that they covered extremely wide ground. Most significant of his remarks, perhaps, was the bald statement that he and Mr. Churchill were in complete agreement on all aspects of the war situation. This, considered in conjunction with the eight-point declaration, can pnlj mean that Britain and the United States are in accord both in the conduct of the war and in the world reconstruction that is to follow it. It is a remarkable situation because, officially, the United States is still neutral, or at least non-belligerent, while Britain is the leader of the Allied group. Mr. Roosevelt, although non-belligerent, has pledged himself and, so far as he is able, his country, to the defeat of Hitlerism and has helped to plan the peace that will follow the attainment of this objective. To all intents and purposes, therefore, America is already in the war, a point which is emphasised by consideration of the assistance she is already giving to the Allies.

The full measure of this assistance has not been disclosed, but some aspects of it are readily apparent. It is known, for instance, that the United States has constituted itself the arsenal of democracy. It has turned over its industries and its factories to the manufacture of equipment and munitions, and diverted much of its production for the use of the democracies and those who stand with them in opposition to the Nazis. The direct aid that is thus being given is enormous and it is increasing with every passing day. More than that, it is assisting materially in the delivery of the goods. The United States navy is maintaining a constant patrol over a large part of the Atlantic and to-day it is reported that since the patrol was established between America and Iceland not a single tonnage of material has been lost and not an enemy vessel sighted. In the Pacific, the first of American tankers with aviation spirit for Russia has already sailed and others are to follow. In all seas American vessels have been made available to assist the Allies in the transport of essential supplies. All this has been done by a nation that is not at war. It is difficult to conceive what more could be done were the United States formally to declare war on Germany and her partners in the Axis.

In effect, the United States to-day is providing everything that the Allies require. She is turning out large numbers of planes and assisting to transport them to Britain. She is making tanks and guns in vast quantities and providing petrol for the former and ammunition for the latter. From one point of view the situation is ludicrous. America is not at war, yet she provides the planes and the bombs which they drop, the guns and the ammunition for them, and the tanks and everything else, other than man-power, which makes them such a vital factor in modern war. Judged by any ethical or legal standard, the United States shares the responsibility with the men who drop the bombs, fire the guns or drive the tanks—yet America is not at war! To view the matter from another angle, were it not for the material aid being given by the United States the Allies would not be at war, for it is clear ‘that they could not maintain their armies in the field were it not for the American equipment that has been, and is being, made available. It is a piquant situation and one which is full of satisfaction for the Allies and mortification for the Axis. The Allies, of course, need do nothing about it, and it must be a problem of the first magnitude to the Axis to know what to do.

In point of fact, it is clear that there has been some clever diplomacy on the part of the leaders of the United States. In America, under the constitution only Congress can declare war. Congress, however, cannot prevent another nation declaring war on the United States. Clearly, the President is taking the risk of this occurring and it does not seem as if he is in the least perturbed about it. He may not be anxious to take the initiative but if the issue is forced by the Axis he will have few regrets. The Axis, however, is in a difficult position. Under the tripartite pact, if the United States takes action, then Japan is. pledged to go to the assistance of Germany and Italy. If Germany should declare war on the United States,

however, Japan would be relieved of any obligation. Thus it is that Germany has to watch America giving all assistance short of war to the Allies, but cannot declare war on America for fear that Japan would avail herself of the loophole The plight of Japan is similar. If she takes the initiative, Germany is absolved from liability under the pact. It is this situation that is being skilfully exploited by the United States. Officially she is not at war, but in actual fact she is a buttress of those countries which are at war against the Axis, and a declaration of war would hardly increase the measure of assistance siie could give.