AMERICA'S NAVY WAS NEVER IRE READY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 107, 8 May 1941, Page 7

AMERICA'S NAVY WAS NEVER IRE READY

JOB OF CONVOYING Stimson Speech Created ! Considerable Flurry liiii.cl pp.*. Aiuoc-lnlliin.— C.pjrlpht. Kec. 11 a.m. WASHINGTON*. May 7.1 The broadcast talk by the Sccre-j tar.v for War. Mr. H. L. Stimson. in! which lie advocated the use of the j American Navy to safeguard shipments of supplies to Britain, created .considerable flurry in the capital! i to-day. At the Press conference. J Colonel Frank Know Secretary of! the Navy, was asked to comment on j ! Mr. Stimson's plea for immediate j J naval action. Mr. Knox replied: 'it I ; was a forthright, courageous and j enlightening talk, animated by a high ■ spirit of patriotism." I j Answering a question whether i the navy was ready to do the job j of convoying war supplies to Britain. Mr. Knox said: "The navy is always! ready. It is readier now than ever." Meanwhile. Senator Vandenberg (isolationist) endeavoured to prove that convoys are unnecessary, an-' nouncing that Mr. Emory "Land.! chairman of the Maritime Commission, had informed him by letter J that only eight of 20."i American war supply ships had been sunk in the first three months of 1941. j The "New York Times." in ar. .editorial on Mv. Stimson's speech. states: "The only real question is whether we shall choose to tisjht under our own terms and conditions I or under the terms and conditions I set by Hitler. Let us nm wait. Let I us do so while there is still time to j keep Britain in the war. Let us have a showdown with Hitler, while it is still possible to have it at our own tremendous advantage." The New York "Herald-Tribune" states that the next two or three weeks are likely to be the most critical in the United States' history. 1 The I'nited States, the newspaper . ■-•ontinucs. has reached the end of i counting on Britain to save her. The I I'nited States should have a showj down with Hitler while she could still have it with advantage. "If i Britain is defeated, we are going to get war whether we like it or not," the paper declares. j Newspapers today regard the 1 speech as the turning point in their 1 country's history. The Texas House of Representatives pas.'-ed by 100 votes to 15 a resolution that goods for Britain should be convoyed. "Such a statement by a responsible statesman is a fact of almost epoch-making significance. which cannot be mistaken here, or in the I Axis countries, or in the I'nited I States," it was stated in London to- • day.

; CERTAIN OF VICTORY

I MR. MKXZIKS SI'KAKS TO I.S.A. I j HrltiiOl OlDclll] Wir.-lrss. Rec. 1 p.m. RUGBY. May 7. On arrival ax Xew York airport. ! Mr. R. G. Menzics told the Press: I "I am convinced that Britain cannot I lose the war. though the speed of victory depends on the United States. As Australian Prime Minister I want to say quite frankly to the United States—it is up to you. You are not being asked to make a donation to a deserving charity. You are being asked to defend your own way of life. Rut you can do more than produce materials of war. you can see they arrive where they will do the most good."