AMERICA'S STAND

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23819, 21 November 1940, Page 11

AMERICA'S STAND

SUPPORT FOE, BRITAIN OWN FUTURE AT STAKE CLEARER UNDERSTANDING [BY TELEGRAPII —OWN CORRESPONDENT] WELLINGTON, Wednesday Some idea of the widespread support of the United States for Britain in the tvar is contained in a circular letter sent to friends in the British Empire by Professor F. W. Hart, of tho University of California, who was one of the leading figures at the New Education conference held in Wellington about two years ago. "Before the invasion of Denmark and Norway," wrote Professor Hart, "the barbershop forums of America were saying, 'Let God save the King.' That is heard 110 more, and if I may venture to interpret the present attitudo by playing 011 those same words, it would be, 'God save the King that we may bo saved.' Self-preservation "More and more, except for a few isolationists, it is becomjng increasingly clear that England is all that stands between us and ultimate attack upon the Americas. Undoubtedly, there is selfishness about our gigantic programme of total defence, but at the same time such programme is basic to any far-rcachitig policy of sustaining the hand of England in our present state of military impotcncy.

"It seems to be the calculated judgment of our leaders that material aid short of war is the most effective aid we can"possibly give. Personally it has been my opinion that we should have entered the fray at the outset, and thus by this time we would bo in a position to play a more fearless, realistic part. "On my return to the United States in 1938," Professor Hart continued, "after scanning the war clouds abroad, I advocated in public lectures an American navy, so large that one could not land a canoe on either coast without running into a battleship, and that our skies should he darkened with the flight of our own aeroplanes. But that was as futile as the call of a lone, lost child on a desert island. «■ Some Hopeful Signs "We were living in a fool's paradise. I lost the respect of many of my friends by that speech, but I think I might be able to - gather them together again now. "Since I wrote the preceding paragraphs a number of hopeful signs have marked the kaleidoscope scene. First, you have blasted the blitzkrieg with telling blows and at the same time made 'the safest city' in the world (Berlin) not so safe. Fverv report of a bomb falling in Germany is a boon to our spirits and a lift to our hopes. Secondly, the United States destroyers and navy base trade between our countries is, "in my opinion, a long stride in the direction of more effective co-opera-tion toward the achievement of the common end."