AMERICA’S DEFENCE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 252, 1 August 1940, Page 6

AMERICA’S DEFENCE.

HUGE APPROPRIATIONS MADE.

(Received This Day, 11 a.m.) WASHINGTON, July 31

Tlie House Appropriations Committee approved the Bill implementing President Roosevelt’s requests for defence expenditure totalling-4,863,151,957 dollars and cash contract authorisations making 10,040,225,543 dollars available for expenditure on defence in the current fiscal year. Tlie House later passed the Bill and sent it to the Senate. The Senate Military Committee amended the Burke Wadsworth Bill to require registration only of men front. 21 years to 31, and eliminate provision for service in the home defence -units of those 18 to 21 and 45 to '64. The Secretary for the Navy (Mr H. L. Stimson), supporting the Burke Wadsworth Bill before the House Military Committee, said: “We are face to face with a potential enemy— Germany. A prudent trustee must consider that in another 30 days Britain may be conquered and her Fleet under enemy control. The danger is far graver than in June, 1917. ' Then the unbroken Allied line gaye the United States time to prepare,” The Senate Military Committee advised the War Department that the Budget Bureau had approved the Conscription Bill. Members consider the Bureau’s approval implies sanction by the President.