DEPRIVING JAPAN OF SUPPLIES

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 127, 22 February 1941, Page 11

DEPRIVING JAPAN OF SUPPLIES

Suggested British-U.S. Collaboration NEW POST FOR HARRY HOPKINS (By Telegraph —Press Assn.——Copyright.) (Received February 21, 7.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, February 20. Mr. Harry Hopkins has been appointed a member of the Office of Production Management’s Planning Board, which deals with plans for short and long-term defence work. It is believed the appointment is related to early British am! American collaboration to deprive the Japanese of vital war supplies. The new post will give Mr. 1 lopkins, who .is reported to have brought back a British proposal fur. such measures against Japan, great influence on the distribution of war material-.

The isolationist Senator Aye. citing recent pro-war speeches in the Senate, declared to the Press that 30 senators were at present, ready to vote for a declaration of war and predicted that (lie United States would enter tiie war 30 days after the passage of the Aid to Britain Bill due to encountering "some incident which would leave no alternative but war.” In the course of the debate on the Bill in the Senate. Senator lb - h fids surprisingly announced today ti ■ lie would vote against tiie Bill, of wnich he was formerly in favour. He denied that the defence of America was dependent on Britain, instead of which Britain was dependent on the United States to maintain her world-wide Empire.

Before American farmers and labourers .should be called on to finance Britain’s war ejlprt, said Senator It. ynolds. wealthy industrialist- and landowners throughout the British Empire should be called on to snip themselves of their hunting lodges, castles, hounds, falcons, horses, dogs, jewels, cash, and securities. General George Marshall,- United States Chief of Staff, who was a mem her of the American military mission which visited Britain recently, gave evidence on the Bill before the Senate Military Affairs Committee today. His evidence was not made public, hut members of the committee said that lie was optimistic regarding the possibility of a British victory. Senator Lee, a member of the commit tee, stated: “He told us something rather encouraging."

Reports say that General Marshall spoke about the situation in tiie Far East. He is said to have described Hie situation in the Pacific as serious, and to have told the committee that the United States intends to reinforce the Pacific fleet immediately with an unspecified number of rhe latest type of war planes. Army and naval officers have requested that reserve stocks of tungsten should be used only for defence purposes in case supplies from China should be interrupted.