It is becoming increasingly -obviousy to the American citizen that the war in Europe is just og much their war as it Is the: war of the Allies. What Is at stake is not merely the British, Dutch and Belgian empires, but the vital principle of freedom—whether mankind shall con-Hinue on the road of progress and civilization or [whether™ he shall be lifted spiritually. physically back to the era of the Middle Aes. Tt fs signifteant that dwo of the key'men in the American administration have denounced the Neutrality Act during the last few days, while President Roosevelt's letter to the head of the US, Maritime Commission, Rear-Admiral Emory 'S, Land, made his views on the matter quite clear, In'the summaries which have so far been cabled {0 Shanghai, the President made, no mention of the Neutrality Act, but he declared that, United States vessels "wil carry through the seven seas implements of war which will help to destroy the menace to free people every-Wwhere.". This statement would appear to mean that the President believes that the usefulness of the Neutrality Act, which forbids the use of belligerent seas' to United States ships, has ceased to exist, and that it ly time that fresh easurcs were undertaken. Sald the President: It we are going to keep-away from our shores he forcey which have convulsed the Old World the job will be done. in @ large mesure by the. ships and sailors of the merchant marine and by the working men who build ships and supply them. If they fail, the whole effort fails." And in another passage he makes It plain that ofers 10 the United tates merchant marine and no othe when he ays: "More and faster ships will manned by trained American sei clause of the "Cash and Carry" to a large extent swept away by Lease Act. It seems that shortly the second clause, the "Carry" clause, will go the same way. The sooner this happens the better for all concerned, including-the United States. It has been emy many times that this ig a war of weapons. The Nazis gained several years start in their preparations and are therefore much better prepared with weapony than are the Allies, who pinned their faith up to almost the last moment in.peace. It is therefore the duty of those nations who believe in the ideals for which the Allies are fighting to -exert. their utmost efforts to see that the' advantage the Nazis possess 1s'quickly nullified. This is being done, buf with the Nazis intensifying their campaign against convoys, through the U-boat, the surface raider, and the bomber, there is a great amount of effort going to waste. This should not and will not be allowed to continue, if the utterances of the leading statesmen of America can be believed. The cause of the Allies and that of the Western Hemisphere is a common one, If the Allies are forced to submit to Hitler's "new order"—of which there is little chance at present—then it will very quickly be the turn of the Western Hemisphere to meet the challenge. One of the greatest disintegrating forces the' world has ever seen, Nazism, cannot stop, once it has begun to move until it has overrun the whole world. The overthrow of Naziism is just og important for the nations which have sp far been only indirectly affected, as It is for those who are now engaged: in the life and death struggle. This fact is appreciated high American circles, and action can cordingly be confidently expected.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.