U. S. ENTRY INTO WAR

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23361, 21 June 1941, Page 9

U. S. ENTRY INTO WAR

JAPANESE OFFICIAL’S

STATEMENT

CONSIDERED “ALMOST

CERTAIN”

(Received June 20, 8 p.m.) (U.P.A.) TOKYO, June 19. “The entry of the United States into the war on Britain’s side is almost certain,” declared Mr Ishii, spokesman of the Japanese Government’s information bureau, addressing the Central Co-operative Council. "American aid to Britain has increased tremendously lately, but Germany is taking a deliberate attitude

of refraining from any step to stir up the United States,” Mr Ishii said. He added that in the last .war United States expeditionary forces had been able to land in Europe, but the situation was different to-day.

JAPANESE FLEET MOVEMENTS

WARSHIPS OFF COAST

OF CHINA

LONDON, June 19. - Reports from Shanghai state that passengers in the American liner President Coolidge arriving here, saw a large fleet of Japanese warships heading southward off the Chinese coast. The fleet comprised more than 50 warships, and included four or five battleships, an aircraft carrier, destroyer* and submarines. . The liner passed them off the island of Amoy. :The passengers in the liner reported seeing about 100 Japanese warships, Including battleships, cruisers, aircraftcarriers, destroyers, submarines and supply ships. . .. When inquiries were made from the Japanese naval spokesman in Shangr hai, he said that he had no word of the movement, but he suggested that the ships were carrying out permitted manoeuvres off Chekiang on the China coast. ' ‘

MR ROOSEVELT HONOURED

OXFORD UNIVERSITY CONFERS DEGREE

V' . LONDON, June 19, The British Ambassador to the United 'States (Lord Halifax), who is also Chancellor of Oxford University, has conferred its highest degree of Doctor of Civil Law on Mr Roosevelt. The ceremony took place at Harvard University, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, from which Lord Halifax had received the honorary degree of Doctor of Law. , ■ ‘ . Lord Halifax said that the degree 1 was conferred on the President in token of the appreciation and respect in which he was held, and for the manner in which he stood for liberty and championed humanity ’ and law and order. *

Mr Roosevelt replied by proxy, saying that the American people would rather die on their.feet than live on their knees. He was proud to be associated with the great cause of freedom and civil liberties for which the university stood.. . He recalled the words of the United States Ambassador to Britain (Mr John G, Winant) when he said that every bomb dropped on Westminster Abbey and the House of Commons was a sign of a dictator’s pagan aims. Britain wa* born to freedom and willing to fight.

SUPPORT PLEDGED BY. PHILIPPINES

AID FOR UNITED STATES MANILA, June 19. “If the States enters the war she will find all the people in this country to the last man on. her side, fighting under her banner and praying for the victory of her arms," said the President of the Philippines (Senor Quezon) .in a speech on the, occasion of Loyalty Day. He added: “Our stake in this war is more than the continued existence of democracy. It is our own future and enduring independence."

POLISH CABINET MEE^S

(BOW.) RUGBY, June 19. To-day, the first anniversary of General Sikorski’s memorable flight t9 London, the Polish Cabinet met in London under his presidency, and General Sikorski gave his colleagues an outline of the present international situation, particularly with reference to the position between Germany and the Soviet. , The Polish Prime Minister had an interview with Sir Stafford Cripps, the, British Ambassador to Moscow, yesterday.

BRITISH MINISTER RETURNS

MR RONALD CAMPBELL

IN LONDON (BOW.) RUGBY. June 19. Mr Ronald Campbell. British Minister to Jugoslavia at the time of the German invasion, arrived in London tonight from Lisbon. He and his staff in the British Legation in Jugoslavia, together with consular officers, fell into Italian hands when the Italians occupied Herzognoni in Dalmatia. The party were taken to Chianciano in Italy, where they spent five weeks. They were treated with courtesy ana consideration by the Italian authorities, and were accommodated in good hotels. The American Embassy in Rome was very active on their behalf in negotiating with the Italian Goverpment for their return to Britain, and in arranging the rather complicated jounjey for so large a party/fromltalY to Lisbon. ■ > i