SUPPLIES FROM U.S.A.

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 June 1940, Page 8

SUPPLIES FROM U.S.A.

GENERAL SPEEDING-UP

MANY PLANES AVAILABLE

[BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.]

WASHINGTON, June 11

Swift action has been taken in the United States as a result of Mr Roosevelt’s promise, in his speech yesterday, to speed up the supply of all available war material to the Allies.

Last night numbers of new United States military aeroplanes were massed at ports bn the east coast ready for shipment to Europe, and it is reported that a number of naval bombers are already on their way to England. Mr Roosevelt is now investigating to- see what other surplus war material is to be made available.

The House of Representatives completed action on the Vinson Bill and sent it to Mr Roosevelt’s house. The Appropriations Committee reported on the 1,706,000,000 dollar supplemental Defence Bill which votes funds to increase the regular army to 375,000 men. The navy will start the construction of 68 new warships to cost 319,000,000 dollars. The committee also eliminated 2,290,000 dollars from minor requests, including the construction. of three dirigibles- and floating equipment for Canton Island. The Senate approved the 1,823,000,000 dollar Army Appropriation Bill and sent it to Mr Roosevelt. It includes provision for 2566 war aeroplanes, of which 200 will be superbombers.

The Senate voted 67 to 18 in favour of allowing the Army to trade in surplus military equipment and munitions to the manufacturers for resale to the Allies. After a conference with Mr W. S. Knudsen, president of General Motors, Mr Edsel Ford stated that he saw no reason why a great emergency company could not produce 5000 aeroplanes a day. It is reliably stated in Washington that the War Department ordered 93 Northrop attack aeroplanes 1 to be flown to Houlton, Maine, from various parts of the United States for shipment to Canada without the formality of first presenting them to the Douglas Aircraft Company, although, the Douglas Company is crediting the Army with them under the trade-in plan. The aeroplanes were manufacture in 1933-34. EXCELLENT PROGRESS. (Received June 13, 9 a.m.) WASHINGTON, June 12. Mr. Stephen Early announced the turning over to private enterprise of the Army’s reserve manufacturing equipment, for the immediate production of sizeable quantities of smokeless powder, ammonia, and small arms ammunition. Mr. Early added that the War Department reported excellent progress in the surveying of material and supplies that could be declared as surplus. These would be turned over to a subsidiary company, for sale to the Allies. FURTHER 80 BOMBERS. (Received June 13, 10.45 a.m.) WASHINGTON, June 12. A further 80 Northup bombers have been i-eleased for -sale to the Allies. The total of Army and Navy plan.es destined for the Allies is now 263.'

The Army has disclosed that between 5,000,000 and 10,000,000 dollars’ worth of technical equipment has been turned over. It is learned that the Allies sought to buy outright, but the Army preferred to sell to private manufacturers, in order to expedite i.he production of both American and Foreign orders.

It is authoritatively learned that the Allies have already bought 800 “Seventy-fives,” 600,000 Enfields, quantities of machine-guns, mortars, and munitions.

» The Defence Commission spokesman said that Mr. Ford discussed the mass production of engines, rather than aircraft. 1

PACIFIC FLEET

WASHINGTON, June 12. President Roosevelt, at a Press conference, indicated that the American Fleet is remaining indefinitely in the Pacific Ocean. U-BOAT AND LINER., (Received June 13, 11 a.m.) " • LONDON, June 12. Authoritative German circles admitted that a U-boat held up the liner. They explained that they were not informed that the vessel was calling at Galway. MEXICAN DOLLAR. MEXICO CITY, June 11. The dollar dropped nearly 100 points in one of the biggest breaks in history. The drop is attributed to fears that the United States will soon enter the war. The lowest actual transaction was 5.10 pesos to the dollar, and the rate at the close was 5.15. U.S.A. WHEAT PRICES. ■ . \ CHICAGO, June 11. The Board of Trade has removed the pegged minimum prices,for trading in grain futures to facilitate the marketing of the new wheat. The measure will be effective from June 14. CENTRAL AND SQUTH. MEXICO PRO-ALLY. NEW YORK, June 11. It is semi-officially stated in Quito that Ecuador is l severing contact with the Italian Military Mission which has been quartered there for 15 years, and is replacing it with a United States Mission. The Mexican Minister for the Interior (Senor Manuel Tellez) summoned the publishers and managers, of all the capital’s l newspapers to an unusual meeting in which he unequivocally expounded Mexico’s foreign policv as pro-Allied, and one of co-operation with the He particularly mentioned and supported the French cause. \ BRAZILIAN ATTITUDE. RIO DE JANEIRO, June 11. The Brazilian President (Dr. Vargas) proclaimed Brazil’s neutrality in the conflict between Italy and the Allies after a speech in which he der

fended the ways of “vigorous peoples who must follow the route of their aspirations.” A Buenos Aires message says it is reliably stated that Argentina and Paraguay have strengthened their frontier'’garrisons recently without explanation.

The Argentine Ministry of the Interior confirmed the report that precautions were being taken unofficially. All the Argentine borders, particularly that with Brazil, were under a close watch. MR HULL’S COMMENT. (Recd. June 13, 12.15 p.m.) WASHINGTON, June 12. Mr Hull, in a Press statement commenting on President Varga’s statement, said he could not recall a period when relations between Brazil and the United States were more intimate and wholehearted in understanding friendliness of spirit, and co-operation. He added that this observation included Brazil’s relationship to the whole inter-American programme, in which they were co-operating identically. RUSSIAN PROTEST. (Recd. June 13, 12.15 p.m.) WASHINGTON, June 12. M. Oumansky talked with Mr Hull for over an hour. ' It is understood that he protested strongly against the stoppage of shipments of American goods to Russia. Such an embargo has not been announced, but it will be recalled that the administration placed a complete embargo on the export of machine tools, for defence reasons.