AMERICAN AID

Evening Star, Issue 23833, 13 March 1941, Page 9

AMERICAN AID

“UNCLE SAM MEANS BUSINESS” FIRST CONSIGNMENTS READY FOR SHIPMENT TWO HUNDRED AMPHIBIAN TANKS INCLUDED Pm» Association— By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, March 12. “Uncle Sam means business.” With these words the ‘ New York Times sums up the American public’s attitude towards the signing of the Lend and Lease BUI. The ‘ Times ’ goes on to state that the change in American policy has been brought about by the acts of the dictators themsleves during the past six months. President Roosevelt’s signature to the Lend and Lease Bill was scarcely dry when he approved the first list .of army and navy material to bo sent to England. It is reported that included in the list were 200 amphibian tanks designed for landing operations. They are stated to be able to carry 36 men each, and have a speed in the water of 10 miles an hour. INITIAL LIST APPROVED BY PRESIDENT WASHINGTON, March 11. After signing the Lend and Lease Bill to-day, President Roosevelt approved of an initial list of army and navy weapons to be sent to Britain and Greece. The President said the nature of. the list had necessarily to be kept secret until the military implications were not valuable to anyone except the recipients. The Maritime Commission has approved of the sale to British interests of 12 laid-up freighters totalling 100,000 tons Mr Bloom, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, made the closing speech in the House of Representatives. He said; “ Mr Speaker, this Bill is the voice of an aroused America, sounding the trumpet call of victory for free government everywhere. By this action the United States gives the lie to the cowardly and defeatist cry that democracy is powerless in the face of aggression. We are now proving that democracy can and will unite to carry into effect Abraham ...Lincoln’s..high resolve:, It shall not perish from the earth.” Mr Lehman, in a speech, appealed for national unity. Ho declared: “If England is beaten democracy in this hemisphere will inevitably and directly be threatened. We could not hope to withstand long the impact of military and economic aggression. I believe we would bo militarily attacked, but even if we first obtained breathing space we would suffer from economic pressure which would cause a fantastic rise in unemployment.” ISOLATIONISM LOSING GROUND MR WILLKIE'S DECLARATION NEW YORK, March 12. (Received March 13, at 9.30 a.m.) Mr Wendell Willkie said to-day that the victory of Mr Joseph Clark Baldwin in yesterday’s New York by-election necessitated by the death of Mr Kenneth Simpson indicated that isolationism was losing ground. “Mr Baldwin favours all possible aid to Britain,” he said. AID FOR DEMOCRACIES HUGE APPROPRIATION SOUGHT WASHINGTON, March 12. [(Received March 13, at 9.30 a.m.) President Roosevelt sent a message to Congress asking for an immediate appropriation of 7,000,000,000 dollars " in order to produce every gun and plane we possibly can ” for the democracies. BERLIN COMMENT BERLIN, March 12. (Received March 13, at 12.30 p.m.) Commenting-on the Lend and Lease Bill, the Wilhelnistrasse spokesman eaid neither Germany, Italy, nor Japan had the slightest intention of submitting themselves in any way to attempted world dictatorship or world policing. If such was intended Mr Matsuoka’s visit should serve to emphasise this. ARSENAL OF DEMOCRACY AMERICA DETERMINED TO 00 IJS FULL PART WASHINGTON, March 12. (Received March 13, at 11.35 a.m.) In a letter to the Speaker, Mr Rayburn, which .accompanied the Bill appropriating £7,000,000,000d01, President Roosevelt wrote; “ This nation felt it imperative to the security of America that we encourage the democracies’ heroic resistance to aggression by not only maintaining but increasing the flow of material assistance from this country. Therefore. Congress enacted and I signed it.” Mr Roosevelt added; “Through this legislation our country is determined to