merica Prepares To Shoot
Step by step President Roosevelt's administration is feeling s way towards implementing the promise to deliver the goods Wade for Britain in the United States. Germany has played nto his hands by repeated lawless attacks on United States vessels, among which the ' Robin Moor' and the destroyer Greer' have become classic instances. Last week the Presi- lent announced his decision to take action against piratical essels in American defensive waters ; henceforward American arships and aeroplanes will protect all merchant ships—not American ships only—engaged in commerce in those areas. In fect, this means that the United States takes over the defence of the Atlantic against German submarines or raiders as far as Iceland, and to that extent sets the British Navy free for duty elsewhere. The Secretary of the Navy, Colonel Knox, explained the position exactly. The American Navy will pro- vide protection for ships of every flag carrying Lease-and- Lend supplies between America and waters adjacent to Iceland, and will capture or destroy Axis-controlled submarines or sur- face raiders encountered in this defensive zone. Thus the " shooting war " may begin at any moment. American warships will henceforward convoy " Lease-and-Lend cargoes." Subsequently .it was announced that the Attorney - General had given a ruling that the veto on the transport of implements of war in American ships to the United Kingdom and the Dominions did not apply to all portions of the British Empire, and that there was no ban on such transport to places like Singapore, Gambia, Aden or Port Sudan. The ruling immensely widens the world area over which supplies for Britain may be sent in American vessels, and will further diminish the calls on British shipping. Thus while the output of munitions grows in the United States new means are being found for trans- porting them, and for protecting the seas over which they must pass. This is the end of all German hopes of winning victory in the Atlantic.
