Jan. 17.
Mr. Cordell Hull, U. S. Secretary of State, said something very much to the point during his testimony before the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives in connection with the "Leaso and Lend"
when he rematked:—
The question is whether in the face of a universally recognized movement to invade and conquer, peaceful nations shall await Unfit the invader crosses their boundary lines, for whether they shall recognize that this Is '8 world movement of conquest and invoke the Taw of self-defence before it is too late.
That clearly outlines the position of the Administration of the United States with regard to the present war, and the developments which are taking place in Asia, and is in-itself complete justification for asking Congress to pass the Bill as quickly as possible, The issue involved is whether the United States shall assist Great Britain and her Allies in the fight for democracy, and in doing so protect herself, for Mr. Hull ha made it quite clear that, should the former fall before the Axis onslaughts, the turn of the United States to be subjected to attack would aot long be delayed.
That 1s the reply to the amusing, hysterical outbursts of local enemy-propagandists who merely profess to see Great Britain on her Knees appealing to the United States for assistance. It Is useless for the Germans now to deny that when Hitler embarked upon this war he had in mind anything but the complete subjugation of the world, including, of course, Italy. World conquest, "Deutschland Ober Alles" is just as much the ignis tatuus of the Nazis now as i was in the old imperial days, The enslavement of the peoples of the world, rendered subservient to the alleged superior German race, is the sole aim of "Hitler's ambitions, and in the lust for power which imbues his people is to be found the great danger which confronts the democracies in Europe immediately and in the improbable event of German success the western hemisphere as well.
Mr. Hull has made it quite plain that a Germany in control of the eastern littoral of the Atlantic would be a definite menace to South America and ultimately to the United States, and wise statesmanship dictates that every step shall be taken necessary {0 prevent any such situation coming about, His statement that "We (the United States) are still clinging to the form and tatters of neutrality, but are not going fo lot that chloroform us into a. false sense of security on national defence," clearly. shows that Washington is fully apprised of the dangers attendant upon anything in the nature of final success for the Axis's arms, Nor will the United States condescend to any form of appeasement, realizing now how futile that policy has' proved to be, Ultimately there can be no neutrality in such a struggle as this; there cannot even be a compromise between the different ideologies for, unless the doctrines which dominate the Axis Powers are completely wiped out, there fan be no peace.
For that reason Mr, Hull cannot advise his fellow-countrymen to follow the suleldal course of Holland, Belgium and the other nations who have followed neutrality to their destruction, temporary it is believed but nevertheless destruction. As he rightly say: withholding aid from Britain will not bring peace. Rather will it provide for the continuation of war until the Axis's ambitions shall have been satisfied. That is completely contrary to the best interests of the United States, and the whole of the western hemi~ sphere, for it would ultimately bring them face to face with forces not restrained by any consideration of law, or principle of morality, which fix no limits to their conquests and are desperately struggling now to seize con~ trol of the oceans as an essential means of achieving and maintaining their conquest. It is only through the clear vision of the Government of the United States and the legislature that their safety can be secure, and clarity of vision can only be demonstrated by a full realization of the perils which threaten the world, and adequate preparations to meet and remove them.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.