THE GUARANTEE OF VICTORY
T00 late," said Hitler in sepulchral manner, referring to America's promise of aid to Britain. It will be in time, replied President Roosevelt, armed at last with the Lease-and- Lend Act passed by Congress, with the assurance of a colossal appropriation of £1,750,000,000 to give effect to it, and with the knowledge that full measures had already been taken by his Administration to apply the Act the moment it became law. The oratory of the dictators, breathing venom, has a hollow ring n it when we compare it with the splendour of President Roosevelt's confident speech last Saturday, the assured accept- ance of the challenge by the Prime Minister welcoming last Tuesday the new American Ambassador, Mr. Winant, and the latter's renewal of the promise that America will provide the ships, the planes, the guns, the ammunition and the food for those who are defending the cause of freedom. Mr. Roosevelt spoke with the knowledge that now America was behind him. The decision to go all out in aid for Britain was not taken quickly and impetuously, nor without prolonged debate in Con- uess, but, as the President said, having been taken, it was bind- ng all. The reaction on the platform and in the Press 'how'd that on this issue he did not appeal in vain for national unity. Even the Hearst Press joined its voice to Mr. Wendell Wilik:c's in promising support for the defence programme. It is to be a total effort, said the President, a full-time national effort to provide the sinews of war for the fighting-line to make victory certain for democracy.
Above all he appealed for speed. The battle of the Atlantic is joined. It is there, during the next few months, that Hitler must. seek a decision, for if he does not succeed in crippling Britain before the end of the summer the overwhelming increase in our strength accruing from America will make his position desperate. Anyone can see, said Mr. Churchill, how bitter is th' need of Hitler to cut the sea-roads between Great Britain and Lie United States. The tale of recent sinkings reveals that Germany has already started the great spring offensive by which she hopes to devastate the ports where ships are unloading and the yards 'Where new ships are building, and to sink at sea the merchant-fleets which bring us munitions from America or supply our war efforts in the Middle East. It is for her now or never, before we have that superiority in all arms which will destroy her efforts at the source, smash her communications and frustrate her submarines and long-range bombers. The recent terrific attacks on Merseyside and the Clyde are one indication of her effort. The multiplication of the attacks on shipping at sea are another. Mr. Churchill reported that not only U-boats but German battle-cruisers have crossed to the American side of the Atlantic and sunk some of our ships not sailing in convoy—some as far away as 1,200 miles west of Ireland.
The crisis of the battle of the Atlantic is upon us—Germany's supreme effort to win a decision before America's aid can become -effective. But we are striking back. On Monday the Prime Minister received the news of the certain destruction of three enemy U-boats. The destroyers which reached us from America last autumn and winter are coming into action, and the fleet is being steadily augmented by our own building. Our strength in the air is increasing in numbers as well as efficiency, and our power of hitting back on the Atlantic is growing. If German raiders dare to dispute the passage of merchant-ships on the other side of the Atlantic and carry the war into the Pan-American safety-zone they will be challenging America to defend her own waters. We must be prepared to hear of severe losses to our vessels during the next few months, but it will be remembered that the intensity of the attack cannot be maintained to the full if our counter-measures are pressed with vigour, destroying submarines at sea and in the ports, and blunting the edge of the enemy's bombing-strength. The development of our offensive power in the Near or Middle East will contribute to the same end by compelling the Germans to distribute their Air Force. Meantime, we have the certainty that every month in which we can hold and check the enemy's depredations brings nearer the moment when the tide of wart thanks to the growth of American aid, will turn once and foi all in our favour.
