’PLANES FROM AMERICA

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 247, 26 July 1940, Page 5

’PLANES FROM AMERICA

HUGE DELIVERIES WANTED.

“BRITAIN ABLE TO PAY.”

(Received This Day, 9.5 a.m.)

WASHINGTON, July 25,

The Secretary to the Treasury (Mr Morgonthau) stated that the United States had pledged every facility to enable the British to buy 3000 planes a month in addition to the huge orders already placed. This would require the construction of new factories, for which Britain had promised to pay. Mr Morgonthau added that the Treasury, War and Navy Departments were in complete accord on the commitment. The factories would give the United States a capacity to build far in excess of 50,000 annually. “The sums involved.are colossal, but the British seem to have plenty of money,” asid the Minister, adding that the British wanted 72,000 planes ill addition to the existing contracts. “From the. standpoint of national defence, that is the best tiling that has happened this year,” said Mr Morgenthau, who predicted that American capacity would be far in excess of Mr Roosevelt’s announced goal of 50,000 planes annually. The Secretary said that the British proposal had been seriously received and considered. “We agreed to study the proposals and have given them every possible facility to place orders and get delivery.” Ho said the cost would be colossal, but lie did not doubt Britain’s ability to pay. Private aircraft builders describe the British proposals as fantastic, saying that American production at present is not more than 600 a month. Officials deny Lord Beaverbrook’s statement that the United States approved the delivery of 3000 planes a month to Britain, but they admit that they were considering expansion of at least 60,000 annually to enable accommodation of the British order.