It is good reading that on Monday, swiftly following President Roosevelt's declaration, that all vessels in the United States defensive zone would be protected from U-boats or aeroplanes, the American Atlantic Fleet stripped for action to take over the armed protection of all Lease-Lend cargoes between the United States and Iceland. Itis reported that a fleet of 125 ships of all classes are being utilized, which means in effect a very considerable reinforcement of the British Navy, and a reduction of the demands which have hitherto been made upon it. That it will gravely annoy Hitler and his Italian Gauleiter may be taken for granted, and, when the news comes of the sinking of the first enemy vessel, it is to be expected that the enemy Press will foam at the mouth even more than they did when the President expressed his intention of doing what has now been commenced. After all they had plenty of notice of what was likely to happen, for many months have passed since he declared that the delivery of cargoes to Britain would be assured.
It is to be expected that the Germans will send every available submarine in an endeavour to beat down this new defence, but the success which the British Navy has lately had against the U-boat fleet, and the very substantial reduction in the amount of tonnage lost suggest that the Americans, who had plenty of convoy experience in the last war, will be well prepared for the task which now devolves upon them. Lord Halifax in the course of an interview has given a glowing account of the enormous industrial effort Which is being made in the United States, and the great potential which US. industry possesses. It is clear that there is still much room for expansion. The British Ambassador expressed the conviction that American aid to Britain would increase week by week, because all the time more people in the United States are being brought to a realization of how closely this war affects their own lives, and all things which make life worth living for them.
It is no small matter that in California what was a vast mud flat six months ago is now a great shipyard from which the first vessel has already been launched. From then on a ship was io be launched every three weeks which indicates that the shipyard must indeed be a big one, Such an achieve-"oont could only be made by people living in a big continent, accustomed to great projects and with the will to put every' ounce of work into them. Night and day the shipyards and factories of the United States are busily engaged in turning out the material with which it will be possible to bring an end to Hitler and all his evil influence. America's great industrial machine has not yet reached the peak of its production; indeed it has been forecast that this will not come until some time next year, but it is @nown that what the United States has done along with Great Britain's own efforts has done much to remove the huge disparity which existed rather over a year ago between the equipment of the Allied and the German armies.
Whether it means a shooting war, or not, President Roosevelt has determined that the American Navy will ensure that the vast production of the factories and shipyards of his country shall reach its destinations. The large sums of money which the United States is devoting to the defence of democracy, the tools for which Mr. Churchill has asked contribute to the certainty of Hitler's defeat and removes the probability that American manpower might have again to be thrust into the maelstrom of war. That is an important factor bearing upon the fate of the demo-crocies, but the effort which is being made ensures that the industrial potentialities of the United States after the war will be greater than that of any other country, and will place America in the very forefront of the manufacturing nations of the world. The eminence which it has secured in this respect in the past is already important, but present developments in the United States are pre-grant with great possibilities.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.