ESSENTIAL TO DEFENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 30, 3 August 1940, Page 12

ESSENTIAL TO DEFENCE

PRESIDENT'S ENDORSEMENT

MEN FOR MACHINES

(By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright.)

(Received August 3, 9.5 a.m.)

WASHINGTON, August 2,

President Roosevelt reaffirmed his endorsement of the principle of conscription. "I am in favour of -a selective training Bill," he said, "and consider it to be essential for adequate national defence."

Mr. Roosevelt said that he not only hoped, but also believed, that Congress would enact a Bill this session to provide sufficient man-power to operate the war machines which were being assembled. He said that he would not cumber himself with details but would endorse any specific Bill or provisions of a Bill.

The War Department stated that Mr. H. L. Stimson yesterday referred in error to the Italians who had been arrested* in the Canal Zone as foreign agents, whereas in reality they were refugees who were granted a temporary haven several months ago by the Panamanian Government. The Department explained that the error was due to faulty transmission.

. The Senate Military Committee declined to limit the Universal Draft Bill to a million men between the ages of 21 and 31 as had been suggested, and 12,500,000 men from 21 to 31 years of age will be eligible to be called up should the Bill be passed in its present version.