"THIS IS OUR FIGHT."

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 126, 29 April 1941, Page 4

"THIS IS OUR FIGHT."

Having resolved to give the British Empire all the help within the nation's power, snort of declaring war, the United States cannot afford to see even a small quantity of the vast stores now being sent to Britain consigned to the depths by enemy actiou. It is well-known that a considerable amount has been lost, but reports which are emanating from the United States must be accepted with reserve. Britain will not give away such an important military secret to the enemy and President Roosevelt has rendered a signal service by stating at a Press conference that no one possesses accurate data about the matter in America to suggest that even 40 per cent, was being lost. That, he added, was an over-high estimate. Opinion is growing in the United States that the. American Navy must sooner or later convoy shipments and Colonel Knox's statement indicates its consolidation. "Having gone this far, we can only go on," he said. "Hitler cannot allow our war supplies and food to reach England. He will be defeated if they do. We cannot allow our goods to be sunk in the Atlantic. . . . This is our fight." The importance of America convoying her own ships to Britain needs no stressing. But the decision is one that cannot be made lightly by Washington. It must be regarded by the Axis Powers as tantamount to a declaration of war, and they would not hesitate to sink .American convoys and the escorting ships. The President himself sensed the difficulties when he told a Press gathering that neutrality patrol vessels would be used to "operate as far into the waters of the Seven Seas as might be necessary! Tor the defence of the American hemisphere," but the Administration "is not yet thinking of escorting convoys." The state-j menfs of leading American Administrators arc none the Jess significant.