GRIM LESSON

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20636, 11 December 1941, Page 9

GRIM LESSON

AMERICAN NATION ISOLATION ERROR PERIL OF AGGRESSION SURVEY BY PRESIDENT (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Dec. 10, 3 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Dec. 9. No attempt was made by President Roosevelt, in his broadcast speech to-day, to detail the losses sustained by the United States in the recent Japanese attacks, and he said that he did not know himself, because it was not yet estimated. The President referred to the Japanese claims to have gained supremacy in the Pacific. The President said this was an old trick used by the Nazis in order to goad their enemy into revealing information of military value, but the United States was not to be caught in that manner. “So far the news is bad,” said the President. “We have suffered a severe setback in Hawaii and the Philippines have taken punishment. He also said that news about Guam, Wake and Midway islands was confused, but they must be prepared to accept the position that all of these three outposts had been seized. At the outset casualties could be nothing but large, but the facts would be given to the nation as soon as it was confirmed and so long as it would not give information to the enemy, either directly or indirectly. He had not sufficient information himself to state the exact damage to naval and military units. The damage was serious, but he could not say just how serious until he found out how much could be repaired and how long it would take to repair. The United States could accept no result hut complete victory so that such vile treachery would not endanger them again. Events had destroyed the illusion once and for all that the United States could isolate herself from the rest of the world. In the last three days they had learnt that.