U.S. BOMBERS TO FLY ATLANTIC

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23088, 2 August 1940, Page 9

U.S. BOMBERS TO FLY ATLANTIC

Machines Purchased By Britain early Attack ON GERMANY (tTStTED PfeESB ASSOCIATION—CDrTaIQHT.) (Received August 1, 9.10 a.m.) LONDON, July 31. Arrangements have been completed for the flight 'of the first long-range American bombers across the Atlantic to Britain. These machines have been purchased by Britain and are to be Used in the aerial attack on Germany. It is reported from San Francisco that the British Purchasing Commissioner (Mr Beale), addressing the Foreign Trade Conference, said that a direct attack was necessary to defeat Germany. He added that British purchases, including French contracts taken over, totalled 1,800,000,000 dollars. A total of 2800 aeroplanes had been delivered, and 11,000 more had been ordered. Also, between 400,000 and 500.000 tons- of steel was being purchased monthly. Referring to the expected arrival of American bombers, the Secretary of State for India (Mr L. S. Amery) said that day by day Britain was approaching the stage when she would have undoubted aerial supremacy over Germany just as she now had naval supremacy. , , With the Increase In her resources, and with her air strength fully developed, she would soon be able to attack the enemy on land and choose her own targets.

CONSCRIPTION IN

AMERICA

APPROVAL GIVEN BY

SENATE

PLANS FOR NAVY IN

TWO OCEANS

(Received August 1, 12.30 p.m.)

LONDON, July 31.

The United States Senate Military Committee has advised the. War Department that the Budget Bureau has approved the Conscription Bill* Members consider that the bureau’s approval implies Presidential sanction. The Senate Military Committee amended the Burke-Wadswofth Bill to requite the registration only of men from 21 to 31 and eliminate the provision for service in home defence units of those from 18 to 21 and from 45 to 64 The United States Secretary for War (Mr H. L. Slitnson), supporting the Burke-Wadswoi-th Bill before the House Military Committee, said: “We are face to face with a potential enemy —Germany. A prudeftt 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 gave the United States lime to prepare,” The Secretary for War is repotted to have told the House Military Committee that compulsory military training was essential to meet a war situation, as the System of voluntary enlistment, had proved a costly failure. The Chief-of-Staff (General George Marshall) has said that it is impossible to build an army to effective strength without conscription. The Senate has approved the president's plans for a two-ocean navy. With a greatly increased army. While figures of armament commitments are Secret, the committee had recommended approval of a request from theBudget Bureau for 14,000 aeroplanes, 400 d of which are for the Navy. The House of Appropriations Committee approved the bill implement irig Mr Roosevelt’s defence requests totalling 4,803,151,057 dollars in cash contract authorisations, making 10,040.225.643 dollars available for defence expenditures in the current fiscal year. The House later passed the bill and sent it to the Senate. PUBLIC OPINION SURVEYED MINISTRY’S METHODS DEFENDED (Received August 1, 10 p.m.) LONDON, August 1, The canvassers of public opinion in war time, who have been nicknamed “Cooper's snoopers,” were defended in the House of Commons by the Minister for Information (Mr Duff hooper), Who declared that the difficulty of ascertaining public opinion was greater in war time than in peace time. Scientific methods had been used by newspapers and commercial firms, and the Minister for information had decided months ago to utilise methods under the auspices of the National institute for Economic and Scientific Research. About 60 persons Were now employed at salaries commensurate with the importance of the task. The information was circulated to the departments to which lt- N was likely to be useful, . . * ■Mr Duff Cooper said the system was started before his arrival at the Ministry. The ‘‘Cooper’s snoopers” called on an average at eight houses a day. It was revealed that only 2 per cent, of householders objected to the interrogation. Recent 'questions related to the effects of ait raids and .to rationing. The answers Were confidential. The Ministry had established the organisation a iter the success of similar surveys in recent years, particularly in America, . Borne members described- the scheme as wanton spying and waste eupublie money. The Chief Constable of Derby (Major F. R. Anley) warned, the public not to answer the Ministry's questioners. “It is a lot of damned silly nonsense,” he said, “I am not going to have people in this town Worried by officials knocking on their doors and asking what they, think of the war and other absurd questions. We have all got enough to do without this.”