U.S. ASSURANCE OF AID

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23301, 10 April 1941, Page 7

U.S. ASSURANCE OF AID

ROOSEVELT’S MESSAGE TO KING PETER LONDON, April 8. Mr Roosevelt to-day sent a message to King Peter of Jugoslavia giving him an assurance of all possible material aid. He said that the people of the United States were profoundly shocked by the unprovoked and ruthless aggression against the people of Jugoslavia. The Government and people of the United States had witnessed with admiration the courageous defence which was one more shining example of the bravery of the Jugoslav people. The United States wbuld furnish all material aid available and all assistance possible in the hope of stemming this criminal assault. In Washington if, was announced that the first shipments of war material for Jugoslavia were already being loaded at various American ports and arrangements had been made for the requisitioning of seven Jugoslav ships how in American ports. ; One well-informed source in Washington said that the equipment already on the way most likely included some 75-millimetre guns. The New York “Journal of Commerce” reports that a decision to link 20 Jugoslav merchant ships, aggregating about 100,000 tons, in'or near Western; hemisphere ports with British and Allied shipping, in the fullest cooperation, was reached yesterday, after a conference of Jugoslav shipowners, (he British Ministry of Shipping, and the Jugoslav Minister (M. Fotic). It is suggested that Mr .Roosevelt, in furtherance of his policy to aid the democracies, will take over Italian and German ships; now Ifa United States ports. GOOD WISHES TO JUGOSLAVIA MESSAGE FROM CZECH PRESIDENT (8.0. W.) RUGBY, April 8. The Czech President (Dr. . Benes) has sent a telegram to King Peter of Jugoslavia conveying good wishes to the King and his army In the fight against “a criminal attack perpetrated by a barbarous aggressor.” ; Dr. Benes sent the following message to King Peter; ‘T know that the Jugoslav people will triumph over their new, big trial, and will overcome further sufferings by the heroism they showed in the last war. We won against our common enemy in 1918, and I firmly .believe that we shall be victorious again in this war, which will decide the fate of our two States and our two nations.” SOVIET MINISTER TO RETURN (Received April 9, 10 p.m.) BUDAPEST, April 9. The Soviet Minister (M. Karanov) is going to Moscow to report on the Balkan situation. He will be accompanied by hia family. 'a •

U.S. Naval Flying-boat Missing— A message from Norfolk, Virginia, states that a big naval patrol flyingboat with 10 officers and men on board has been missing since yesterday morning, It is feared that the machine is ‘down somewhere off vthe north-east Atlantic coast— New York. April A