PATH DEFINED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24632, 13 June 1941, Page 6

PATH DEFINED

AMERICA’S DESTINY COUNTRY WITH PURPOSE PRESIDENT’S LEADERSHIP While interventionists and isolationists are still arguing the pros and cons of President Roosevelt’s historic “ fireside chat ” of Msy 27, during which he startled the nation by proclaiming a state of unlimited emergency, the maority of the people of the United States have taken the President’s proclamation at face value and already have begun to buckle their belts for the tough task ahead. N So writes an American journalist, Lon Jones, from Los Angeles, on May 29. “ We’re in it now ” seems to be the general consensus of opinion, not only of the people, but of the press. Although many would have preferred stronger language and a little more claritv on certain points, it is agreed that the President has at last defined the country's future foreign policy and the ultimate role it must play in the struggle against Hitlerism. Confusion Ended The President, as usual, timed his speech with that great flair that has marked his entire political career. It came at a time when the nation was literally begging for leadership: at a time when doubt and bewilderment were threatening to split the country into two camps.

America to-day is a country with a purpose. The President has ended the confusion of the past weeks and has swept aside vacillation, indecision and temporising. Pie has undoubtedly committed the people and the resources of the United States to a life-and-death struggle with the forces of totalitarianism and the people are literally straining at the leash as th'ey await his next move. The isolationists are marshalling their forces for a last bitter fight against Mr Roosevelt, but their fight is doomed before ever it begins. The majority of the people are in no mood to listen to-day to the Wheelers, the Nyes. the Tafts and the Lindberghs. The President “ put the finger on them ” when he said they must be embarrassed by the sinister support they are receiving. The Next Move The people are wondering what will be the President’s next move in the international situation. It is obvious that no longer will he inform the public of his every contemplated move. He intimated that at a press conference the day after his famous speech. It looks as though the people will not know what is happening until it has happened. Mr Roosevelt has taken, to himself, with the obvious consent of Congress, more powers than any President ia the history of the Republic. About the onlv thing he cannot do is declare war. That is the prerogative of Congress, according to the Constitution. But Mr Roosevelt, as Commander-in-Chief of the army and navy, could very easily bring about a situation that would leave Congress no other alternative than to declare war.

This is not a hint that he will, or even intends to do this, but it is obvious, from his recent remarks, that nothing is going to prevent him from seeing that England gets the goods America is lending her. Whatever he nlans to do, the people of the British Empire can rest assured it will be to their benefit as well as to America’s. He hag cast the die. ’ ■