1938-08-22 — Page 10

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“AUGUSTIAZ

least, and

that in Europe, at America's stake in peace America's role in war is seen to be hardly less important than that of France or Britain.

.

of A

A very significant side light on this aspect of the question is found in an article in the latest Revue des Deux Mondes, an au- thoritative French monthly, written by General Bernard Ser- rigny, an expert on military af- fairs and especially on motorised fighting. General Serrigny points out that motorisation has great- ly changed the elements Europe's military problem. modern, mechanised division of infantry, he says, would require at least 1800 motor vehicles of various sorts for transport and supply purposes, while an armour- ed car division contains more than 2200. When tanks are added to these figures, he concludes that the automobile-in its various forms-plays a decisive role modern warfare, and that the country that can produce the most cars is in a dominant posi- tion.

in

The United States, as General out Serrigny emphasises, turns more than two-thirds of the whole world's motor cars, while Britain, France, Germany and Italy combined only produce about 17 per cent. Furthermore,

Hong Kong, Monday, August 22, 1938. he declares, the United States

FRENCH VIEW OF

U.S. IN WAR

produces about 75 per cent of all the oil in the world.

or

oil

-

All the motorised units must be fed with gasoline and oil, and · in addition there are thousands Paris's somewhat imaginative of planes, ships and submarines reaction to the speeches of Pre-which require huge quantities of to keep sident Roosevelt and Mr. Cordell petroleumn products Hull might well make those them going. He gives very com- and convincing figures statesmen pause to consider the plete extent to which the United States showing that Europe's wartinte enters into European calcula-needs of oil, in its various forms, tions. In Washington, it is quite would total about 70,000,000 tons conceivably thought that, after annually-80,000,000 tons if Ja- all, these brave words are very pan were included. Now, apart vague and general, and do not in-from Soviet Russia and Rumania, dicate any readiness for action no Continental country produces on the part of the United States oil in any considerable quantity. Government. In Paris, however, The principal powers all have re- and to some extent in other Euro- serves sufficient to last two pean capitals, much meaning is three months, but not much-long- read into them. To Continental er. After that time, if motorised eyes, they are deeply significant warfare is to continue in Europe, indications that American opin-it will have to be fought on ion is evolving-largely under supplied by America.

"Thus one can well appreciate pressure of events in the Far

America would East toward a new outlook on how heavily world affairs. This evolution is weigh in the balance," writes believed to concern two points of General Serrigny, "not only at particular interest to Europe. the beginning of mobilisation but The first is a tendency on the during the whole of the war. And part of Washington to abandon one can see, furthermore, how the neutrality policy and strict diligently we should seek her sup- fisolationism. The second is an port, or at least her benevolent American trend toward lining up neutrality. If she lends her sup- with the European democracies port to any one of the belligerent against the dictatorships.

nations, she will be mistress of Those countries Very possibly this view of the Europe's fate.. American diplomatic scene is ex-to which she refused to supply aggerated; it may even be mis-oil would be in a state of marked taken. But that does not keep it and probably decisive inferiority, from being of great importance. America, owing to its produc- For, rightly or wrongly, France tion, the British Empire, be- and to some extent Britain think cause of its naval supremacy, re- they discern these tendencies in main the masters of the hour, is Washington, and they are begin- General Serrigny's last word. ning to shape their own policies Notwithstanding all appearances accordingly.

to the contrary, power is still on Incidentally, it is not generally the side of the liberal and demo- realised how close is the United cratic nations.. States Government's contact with This can be taken as a pretty all that is going on in Europe. accurate picture of the attitude The American Ambassador in of the French General Staff. It Paris, during recent weeks, has also indicates clearly the views been conferring almost daily with of the French government and M. Georges Bonnet. In London, the Quai d'Orsay. In fact, al- the contact may be less direct, most all the government of- but it is hardly less close.

ficials and diplomats are firmly Even if this means nothing convinced that in case of war, more than a desire on the part of they count on at least the "be- America's diplomats to keep nevolent neutrality—by which Washington posted on daily de- they mean the active and exclu- velopments in Europe, that is sive economic support of the still quite important. The truth United States.