STRONGER FLEET IN ATLANTIC

Southland Times, Issue 24447, 29 May 1941, Page 5

STRONGER FLEET IN ATLANTIC

“We have extended our patrol in North and South Atlantic waters and are steadily adding more and more ships and planes to that patrol,” said the President. “It is well known that the strength of the Atlantic Fleet has been greatly increased during the past year and is constantly being built up. These ships and planes will give warning of the presence of attacking raiders on the sea, under the sea and above the sea. The danger from these raiders is greatly lessened if their location is definitely known. We are thus being forewarned and shall be on our guard against efforts to establish Nazi bases closer to our hemisphere. The deadly facts of war compel nations for self-preservation to make stern choices ar.d if we believe in the independence and integrity of the Americas we must be willing to fight to defend them just as much as we would fight for the safety of our own homes. RESISTANCE TO HITLER “Our national policy today therefore is first, we shall actively resist wherever necessary with all our resources every attempt by Hitler to extend his Nazi domination over the Western Hemisphere; second, we shall actively resist him in every attempt to gain control of the seas. We insist on keeping Hitlerism

away from any point of the world which could or would be used as a base for an attack against the Americas; third, v.e shall give every possible assistance to Britain and all who with Britain are resisting Hitlerism or its equivalent. “The delivery of needed supplies for Britain is imperative. This can and will be done. We must not be defeated by the fear of the very dangers we are preparing to resist. Our freedom has shown its ability to survive war, but it would never survive surrender. The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

Mr Roosevelt said the Government was determined to use all its power to express the will of the people and prevent interference with the production of materials essential to the nation’s security.

Mr Roosevelt said that today the world was divided between human slavery and human freedom, between pagan brutality and Christian ideas. “We will not accept a Hitler-dominated world. We will accept only a world consecrated to freedom of speech and expression, freedom of every person to worship God in his own way,” he said. “We will not hesitate to take every single measure necessary to maintain our American liberties. Our Govem-

ment will not hesitate to meet the challenge of Hitlerism. We reassert the ancient American doctrine of freedom of the seas. We reassert the solidarity of 21 American republics and the Dominion of Canada in the preservation of the independence of the hemisphere. “We in the Americas shall decide for ourselves whether, when and where our American interests are attacked or our security threatened. We are placing armed forces in strategic military positions. We will not hesitate to use our armed forces to repel an attack.