ROOSEVELT EVADES "IF" QUESTION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 28, 3 February 1939, Page 7

ROOSEVELT EVADES "IF" QUESTION.

SALE OF I PLANES.

Could Germany and Italy Make Purchases ? CONTROVERSY CONTINUES. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 2 p.m.) WASHINGTON, February 2. The controversy regarding: aid i'or democracies continued to rage unabated to day and a" conference between Jlr. Roosevelt and another Congressional committee, this time the House of Representatives' Appropriations Sub-committee, developed further interesting .features in the dispute.

Members of tlie committee said Mr. Roosevelt turned aside a direct question whether the United States you 11 permit aeroplane purchases by Germany and Italy on the same basis as thos for France.

Mr. H. L.' Ickes. Mr. Roosevelt allegedly said: "That's an 'if* question." The President reiterated his belief that the French purchases would: be beneficial to the American aircraft industry making it ready ; for the first American orders under the appropriation *of 50,000,000 dollars "which i?v expected from Congress, shortly under the President's larger 300,000,000 dollars military 'plane buildyig programme. Mr. H. Morgentliau, Secretary to the Treasury, . replying to Senator Lodge's statements regarding the restabilisation fund, denied that any of its two billion dollars would be used "directly or indirectly or in any way whatsoever Ito help any country to make any pur 1 chases of merchandise." Mr. H. L. Ickes, secretary of the Interior, entered the controversy " with | a statement that, there is no danger of | the United States becoming involved in war under Mr. Roosevelt's administration, and strongly attacked Mr..Hoovers statements. "I think- he owes it to the American people not to misrepresent things and become ah alarmist when* there is no provocation." Mr. lekes, replying a " question regarding charges by Herr Hitler that he is a warmonger, said: "I do not think any man in. America more sincerely wants peace than. I do." TO PANAMA CANAL. ITALO-GERMAN FRONTIER. (Received 1.30-p.m.) LONDON, February 2. The British United Press Rome correspondent reports that Signor Gayda, retorting to Mr. Roosevelt's declaration, which he..describes as an apparently preincdited act leading to provocation of war and discouraging to Mr. Chamberlain's policy, while offering a hand to Bolshevism, says that the German and Italian defensive frontiers must extend to the Panama Canal.