ARMING THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXV, Issue 14376, 28 May 1947, Page 3

ARMING THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE

PRESIDENT TRUMAN'S PLAN FOR ~ NATIONS OF AMERICAN CONTINENT;

CANADA INCLUDED I COMPREHENSIVE, SCHEME OF DEFENCE

REGULATION OF ARMAMENTS STILL MATTER FOR UNITED NATIONS

Washington, May 26

President Truman, in a messagei from Kansas City today, asked Congress for authority to arm, equip and train the armed forces of the Western Hemisphere, including Canada. He said that, although Congress had not granted the similar request he made last year, world developments had since given hemisphere collaboration still greater importance. The legislation suggested by Mr Truman would authorise the United States to instruct and train the military personnel of other American countries, maintain, repair and rehabilitate their military and naval equipment and supply them with arms and ammunition. The broad programme which Mr Truman outlined in his message included the standardisation of armaments and military methods throughout the hemisphere. It stipulated that recipients should not transfer equipment to other nations. The Prseident said the recipients would have to pay the costs of any material especially manufactured for them, and could give the United States their present military equipment as part payment. The United States, would confine military support to "reasonable and limited 1 purposes." "This Government," Mr Truman added, "will not in any way approve or take part in the indiscriminate or unrestricted distribution of armaments." The programme would be subject to any general system for the regulation of armaments which the United Nations might adopt. '