The Northern Advocate Daily “NORTHLAND FIRST” Registered for transmission through the post as a Newspaper THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 1941. U.S. Seizure Of Enemy Merchantmen

Northern Advocate, 3 April 1941, Page 4

The Northern Advocate Daily “NORTHLAND FIRST” Registered for transmission through the post as a Newspaper THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 1941. U.S. Seizure Of Enemy Merchantmen

IN view of the seriousness of the Battle of the Atlantic as •affecting the British- mercantile marine, upon which Britain 'depends* for "the supply of foodstuffs and American munitions of wa,r the decision of the United States Government, to sieze enemy merchant ships in American ports is a. matter of unusual interest at the present, time, < Since the outbreak of war, German and Italian ships have sought sanctuary in United States ports, as well as in various South' American harbours. The passing of the Uea.se or Bend Bill, g'iving the United States Government power to offer Britain and other democracies the utmost aid in their fight against the Totalitarian Powers, has evidently aroused in Germany and Italy a fear that ships belonging, to their’ nationals, and sheltering in American ports, might he utilised lor the benefit, of Britain. If this does not provide a clue to the policy of sabotage begun by crews of ihe ships, it must bo taken as an admission of the enemy’s realisation that defeat is inevitable, for Powers anticipating victory would take good care to see flint, as many of their ships as possible were preserved against the day when they would be able to resume service.

Whatever may have been the moving impulse, there seems to he little doubt, that the crews of enemy ships were instructed to destroy them. The United States authorities, discovering this intention, took stops to place the ships out of danger. It is true that considerable sabotage had boon committed before seizure was ordered, and that many ships were destroyed, but there is little doubt that very considerable tonnage has been saved. Germany and Italy, angered by this action, have formally demanded that the United States release the Axis ships taken into custody and liberate members of the crews who have been placed in custody. It is not at all likely that these demands will be entertained. The United States Government had ample justification for its action. Bncmy ships have been allowed to remain in American harbours on condition that they were maintained in a state of efficiency. The Government was under an obligation to see that they were safeguarded. It is obvious that if the Government had stood by and watched the destruction of valuable ships belonging to the Axis Powers it would have done a very wrong thing. Of course, if the Axis Powers ordered the destruction of the ships, they have put themselves out of court, and little heed need be paid to their protests. It would be in order if the United States employed the seized ships for its own commercial purposes. It could, if it wished, lend the ships to Britain, but. more conveniently, could use them in place of American ships loaned or leased to the British Government. It is for this reason that, with the Battle of the Atlantic in full blast, and making serious inroads into British mercantile tonnage, the United States seizure of the enemy ships assumes importance.