BOMBERS CROSSING PACIFIC

Evening Star, Issue 23817, 22 February 1941, Page 12

BOMBERS CROSSING PACIFIC

AMERICA TO SINGAPORE LOCKHEED AND CONSOLIDATED MACHINES LONDON. February 21. The New York ‘ Herald-Tribune ’ says that Lockheed and Consolidated bombers are being flown across the Pacific from San Diego. San Pedro, and other Californian ports to Singapore. Twelve former United States Navy pilots have landed in 'Batavia and will be (lying instructors. The paper also states that 70 Curtis P.tO pursuit (ilancs and the latest types of United States Army fighters are en route by son to Chinn. The Lockheed and Consolidated bombers will have American civil pilots to Honolulu. Some 200 bombers are involved in the present ferrying operation. MESSERSCHMITT DESTROYED SNOT DOWN BY NAVAL UNIT (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 21. (Received February 22, at 9.45 a.in.) An Admiralty communique states: A Mcsserschmitt 110 was destroyed yesterday by the guns of H.M.S. Bramble. Two aircraft made a low-level attack on the ship simultaneously. One was seen to dive into the sea, exploding under the water- There were no survivors. The Bramble suffered no casualties. NOW WELL OVER £2,00&,000 LORD MAYOR'S DISTRESS FUND (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 21. (Received February 22, at 9.45 a.m.) The Lord Mayor’s National Air Raid Distress Fund now stands at £2,185,000. POST FOR MR HARRY HOPKINS WORK RELATED TO DEFENCE WASHINGTON, February 21. (Received February 22, at 8 a.m.) Mr Harry Hopkins has been appointed a member of the office of the Production Management’s Planning Board, which deals with plans for short and long term defence work. It is believed that the appoinment related to early British and American collaboration to deprive the Japanese of vital war supplies. The new post will give Mr Hopkins, who is reported to have brought back a British proposal for such measures against Japan, great influence on the distribution of war materials. AXIS PROPAGANDA FIFTEEN TONS OF MAIL DESTROYED IN ' AMERICA WASHINGTON, February 20. The Post Office disclosed that it had destroyed 15 tons of foreign propaganda mail, which mostly came from Germany and Russia via Pacific routes. The seizure was made on the grounds that the senders failed to register with the United States as foreign agents residing abroad. Mr Martin Dies announced that he possesses several boxes of documentary evidence proving that Russia is the front for economic and political manoeuvres by the Axis. Mr Dies said several embassies and ambassadors wore implicated in an anti-democratic plot, and said that one ambassador violated the United States law. He also said that Germany sent agents to establish military organisations. EIRE'S NEUTRALITY OPPOSED BY IRISH IN LONDON LONDON, February 21. (Received February 22, at 1 p.m.) A crowded meeting of Irish men and women in London, organised by Mr Robert Sanders, former Deputy-Lieu-tenant in County Cork, pledged itself to oppose Eire neutrality and support the war aims of Britain. The meeting decided to form an association. ON UNITED STATES MERCHANT SHIPS SOVIET RADIO OPERATORS WASHINGTON, February 21. (Received February 22, at 2 p.m.) Mr Fred Howe, representing the Commercial Telegraphers’ Union, testified to the House Committee that 150 Soviet agents were serving as radio operators on American merchant ships.

INDIA’S CONTRIBUTION

ARMY OF 5,000,000 MUNITIONS, SHIPS, AND PLANES (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 20. As “ father of the Indian Army,” Field-Marshal Lord Birdwood ' sent groutings to old comrades who have “ over fought so gallantly for the Empire and with whom 1 have been intimately associated during 46 years of active Indian service.” These greetings were contained in a foreword to a booklet by Sir George Dunbar on the Indian war effort, which is a valuable record of every kind of activity. Recalling the Eastern Group Conference of Ministers at Delhi from the various dominions and colonics with the object of making the whole eastern half of the Empire mutually self-sup-porting as regards war supplies, the booklet expresses the opinion that India is the focal point of the British Commonwealth of Nations east of Suez. “ Modern developments in aircraft performance have revolutionised grand strategy,” it says, “ and this conquest of time and space has advanced India’s stategic frontiers eastwards to Singapore and west to the Suez Canal.” Regarding the army, the booklet stales, the India Government is now engaged in providing as a first step and in a comparatively short time nearly 5,000,000 men of all arms, trained and equipped and mechanised in accordance with modern requirements. " INDIANISATION ” OF ARMY. The large number of officers required is being obtained by widespread recruiting. The process of “ Indiauisation ” is being speeded up, and Indian officers will be posted to all Indian army units instead of to specified formations only. Indian ship yards are building wellarmed minesweepers and anti-submarine patrol boats. Australian ship yards are helping with larger sea-going craft, and modern sloops built in Britain for the Royal Indian Navy will shortly he in commission. Schemes for the expansion of the Air Force were put into force at the start of the war, and various service schools were immediately established. The Air Force Technical School has been expanded to train 350 Indian airmen. EXPANSION SCHEME. To-day India is estimated to be turning out 90 per cent, of our war requirements, and when her expansion schemes are complete she should even be able to send surplus munitions overseas. India makes rifles, machine guns, small arm ammunition, artillery up to 6in guns and howitzers, propellants of all kinds, saddlery, blankets, and uniforms, and she has recently been able to meet overseas orders which include 10,000,000 rounds of small arm ammunition, large quantities of explosives, and millions of items of military equipment and clothing. Army boots are being sent to Great Britain at the rate of 1,500 pairs a month on an order of £750,000. Aircraft construction is under consideration. The manufacture of armoured vehicles has already been begun, and one railway workshop is being adapted for the production of tanks and armoured cars. NEW ZEALAND CASUALTIES DEATH OF OTAGO OFFICER [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON. February 21. The following New Zealand Expeditionary Force casualties were reported to-night:— Major Frederick John Brook, died of sickness on February 19. His wife is Mrs L. G. Brook, of Beaumont. Gunner Leslie David Eldred Cordes, died of sickness on mother is Mrs E. Cordes. of Fairhe.

AID TO BRITAIN

SENATE DEBATE ON Bill PRESIDENT'S POWERS CONSIDERED TOO GREAT WASHINGTON, February 21. (Received February 22, at 9.45 a.in.) Senator Gillette, resuming the Senate debate, said passage of the Aid Bill would give President Roosevelt authority to play the United States hand in the international poker game of power politics and to stake all the resources of the United States, also the life, liberty, happiness, security, and perhaps blood of her citizens. “ I am not willing to delegate such authority to any man who breathes,” he said.