The Pittsburgh Press (October 24, 1941)
Aid to Russia
By Raymond Clapper
Washington –
We are not abandoning our shipping route to Vladivostok, in spite of an announcement from the U.S. Maritime Commission which would seem to suggest that.
Tokyo can take no comfort from the earlier dispatches which indicated that this government had gulped a run-out powder and was going to aid Russia over the Atlantic rather than the Pacific in order to keep out of Japan’s way. Officials of the Maritime Commission said today shipments would continue to go to Vladivostok, as well as across the Atlantic. It has been our policy to use all routes into Russia.
The Maritime Commission’s earlier announcement was that all aid-to-Russia cargoes would move from Boston, effective Tuesday next. It should have stated that all aid-to-Russia cargoes crossing the Atlantic would move from Boston. But as that explanation was not included, it was inferred that Pacific shipments were to be abandoned.
Appeased Boston instead of Tokyo
Because of the tense Far Eastern situation, it was assumed in some quarters that this announcement revealed a change of high policy amounting to a backdown in face of the new Tokyo cabinet. That was not the case. In fact, the State Department and even the President himself were taken completely by surprise at the Maritime Commission’s announcement.
The mistaken color given to the announcement caused consternation in high quarters. And naturally so. In the first place, the government was left in the position of seeming to be undertaking a broad-scale appeasement move at a time a firm front was needed. In the second place, it was as if we were telling Hitler where to send his submarines to intercept our supplies to Russia.
Actually, the appeasement story blew up on investigation. The Maritime Commission was merely throwing some shipping business to Boston. That’s all there was to it. For some time, Rep. McCormack of Boston, Democratic leader of the House, has been trying to get some Lend-Lease shipping business for Boston. The stevedoring situation ran up the costs. Finally that was worked out. Even so, Boston was still up against opposition from New York, which has been hogging the business. Rep. McCormack was determined. The Maritime Commission decided the time had come for appeasement – not of Japan but of Rep. McCormack and Boston. So it agreed that all Russian shipments across the Atlantic would be sent out of Boston. The announcement was unclear but the decision was entirely clear. Because it was a routine decision concerning whether New York or Boston would get the business, and thus involved no high policy, there seemed no occasion to consult either White House or the State Department.
Rail line to Moscow uncertain
A fair amount of ship traffic is being promised to Boston under this arrangement. Reports that it should run to about 20 ships a month are probably about right. Officially the port of destination is a military secret. Newspaper speculation has stated it as Arkhangelsk. This is about the only port one could figure out by the map, so it couldn’t be much of a military secret to the Germans once the cat was out of the bag that the Atlantic would be used.
Here there may be some difficulty. European ports of northern Russia are barred to American-flag ships by the combat zone prescribed in April 1940, after Germany invaded Norway. The Arkhangelsk route will have to be traveled by ships flying some other flag unless Congress revises the combat-zone provision of the Neutrality Act. There are also ice problems. Most uncertain of all is the rail line from Arkhangelsk to Moscow. With the Germans 40 miles away, it is doubtful if this route can be kept open long.
This piece has been completely ruined by facts. I came down to work suspecting a big appeasement move. But everything stands where it did 24 hours earlier when Secretary Hull told his press conference that it is time for the United States to defend its right to sail the seas anywhere. I could have said that in the first paragraph and stopped. But then I would have had nothing to show for a day’s work that ruined a perfectly swell idea for one of those tough columns that are expected of a columnist.