U.S.A. NAVAL CONVOYS

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 April 1941, Page 7

U.S.A. NAVAL CONVOYS

SPEECH BY COLONEL KNOX

“Make Good Our Promises”

[by CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.]

LONDON, April 25. The possibility that the United States will provide convoys for supplies sent to Britain is being eagerly discussed in Washington, following, speeches last night by the Secretary • of State (Mr. Cordell Hull) and the Secretary for the Navy (Colonel Knox). Yesterday, Mr. Roosevelt summoned a “War Cabinet,” consisting ‘of Mr. Hull, Colonel Knox, the Secretary of the Treasury (Mr. Morgenthau), and Mr. Harry Hopkins, the recent envoy to Britain providing the first opportunity for a fulldress review of the Allied position in Greece and the question of the next steps for ensuring supplies for Britain. The meeting lasted 90 minutes and Mr. Hull would indicate the ! results. I During the meeting reports were 1 circulated in some Congressional circles that 40 per cent, of American supplies to Britain were at present being sunk. Colonel Knox, speaking at the annual dinner of the Bureau of Advertising to American newspaper publishers, over a nation-wide radio network, strongly indicated that the United States would convey ships to Britain and her Allies. Colonel Knox made an utterly realistic and objective survey of world conditions. Referring to the nation’s foreign defence policies he added significantly: “Having gone this far we can only go on. Hitler cannot allow our war supplies and food to reach England, because he will be defeated if they do. We cannot allow our goods to be sunk in the Atlantic, because we shall be beaten if they are. We must make good our promises to aid Britain. We must see the job through. All of this is needed for our own safety and our future security. This is our fight ” Colonel Knox continued: “The American people have recognised the catastrophic quality of a totalitarian victory, and by an overwhelming majority have endorsed every step towards our present position. Proclaiming as we do our faith in the ultimate victory of good over evil, our devotion to the cause of human liberty, our century and a half of the pursuit of justice between men on’ terms of equality, we can no longer occupy the immoral and craven position of asking others to make all the sacrifices for this victory which we recognise as so essential to us. Our manhood, our self-respect, demand that we shall assume our part of the burden. “What we all see is an American gradually becoming encircled by military Powers, whose ideals, institu - tions, and methods are all irrecon- 1 cilably antagonistic to our ideals, in- ] stitutions, and methods. These same] Powers have also openly and repeat-1 edly proclaimed themselves our en- j emies; and these- openly .avowed- en- j emies have joined themselves togeth-• er in a pact which they do not hesitate to say is aimed at us, has not resulted in open warfare upon us, i has been that it does not suit the, present purpose of these Powers to ngage in war with us. NO RETRACING STEPS. “Whenever, in the judgment of the Axis Powers, it better suits their purpose to begin hostilities, hostilities will begin, and nothing we can do, save prostrating ourselves in abject surrender, will change this. There is no retracing our steps. We have committed ourselves in this world struggle. If we should attempt to back down now, England would go .down to catastrophic defeat, and we would face a world-wide victorious Germany and her allies, whom we should have to fight alone. We have declared that the aggressor nations must not be permitted to win. We have irrevocably committed ourself to see that this is prevented. We have acknowledged that our destiny, just as much as the destiny of the British Empire and the ultimate destiny of the conquered peoples of the ; Low Countries, Scandinavia, the Bal- • kans, and France, is at stake.

“The latest link in the chain of encirclement being forged is the re-cently-announced agreement between Russia and Japan. This pact is certain to strengthen the hand of the war party in Japan. ■ Summed up in military terms, the Russian-Japanese agreement makes Japan more secure as she pursues her dream of the domination of all eastern Asia, and leaves Russia no stronger in the event of the Nazis attempting to seize the Ukraine.

“Thus, everywhere the pressure on us grows. “How long,” Colonel Knox asked, “shall we remain bemused and stupefied while the Axis Powers press on with their plans for our isolation and ultimate defeat?

MR HULL’S WARNING. A way must be found of ensuring that the maximum American aid reaches Britain in the shortest time,” declared Mr. Cordell Hull, speaking to the International Law Society. “Britain’s defeat would give the aggressors control of the seas and would be a colossal danger to America. The breadth of the seas might give us a little time, but would not give us safety, which is obtainable only by collaborating with the peace-loving nations in preventing the aggressor from controlling the seas. . “If British sea power fails, then the Atlantic becomes a broad highway for the conqueror to move westward. I wish it were possible to end the European struggle and to permit us to resume normal life. But the obstinate fact remains that the aggressors not only do not desire peace; but literally do not believe in peace. Thus, peace with the Axis would be merely the trap into which many nations earlier fell, before they understood the true nature of the movement for world conquest. “I do not doubt that the United States is included in the Axis plans for conquest. Thus, it makes a difference to us who wins Europe’s struggle—the difference between the United States standing with its back to the wall, opposed by four other continents who- would then control the seas, and the United States retaining its place in an orderly world “Although the struggle is likely to continue for a long time, I have absolute faith in the ultimate triumph of freedom, 'justice, and security. I caution Americans against becoming

discouraged by temporary unfavourable news, because history shows that Americans become more resolute and more determined as danger.increases. Safety of this hemisphere requires resistance wherever resistance is most effective. Thus, in my judgment, and in the Government’s. judgment, aid must be given without hesitation to Britain and to the others resisting aggression. This policy requires mat aid must safely reach its destination —so means must be found to do this. I do not agree that aid to Britain might irritate the aggressors into attacking us. On the contrary, the aggressors’ philosophy is that attack is justified whenever anad wherever it looks easy and convenient and serves their purposes. Thps, there is no way of safeguarding America except by solid strength placed when and where it is most effective. “The aggressors use every method of barbarism and fiendishness to subjugate conquered individuals. They use the conquered countries as springboards for new aggressions. Thus it would be short-sighted and dangerous to delay action until the aggressor controlled the other continents and the seas, and possessed every strategic advantage for invasion of the western hemisphere. Our intelligence will be measured by the quantity of fighting instruments we produce for the Democracies,”

MR. ROOSEVELT’S EXPLANATION

(Recd. April 26. 11.40 a.m.). WASHINGTON, April 25.

After Colonel Knox and Mr. Hull’s forthright pronouncements yesterday, at to-day’s Press conference Mr. Rosevelt rather surprisingly placed the emphasis on the extended use of patrol vessels, rather than on convoys. Mr. Roosevelt declared that American neutrality patrol vessels would operate as far into the waters of the seven seas as may be necessary for the defence of'the American Hemisphere, but said that the Administration was not yet thinking of escorting convoys. Mr. Roosevelt declined to amplify his views on the convoy situation, but said that, for a year and a-half, vessels of the; neutrality patrol had been operating 1000 miles into the Atlantic from the eastern shore of Maryland. The President said that the patrol would not necessarily be confined to the Atlantic. Asked exactly what was the difference between convoy and patrol, Mr. Roosevelt replied that, in the first instance, it is the escorting of merchant ships in a group, to prevent an act of aggression against them. A patrol, he explained is a reconnaisance in certain areas of the ocean, to find-out I whether there is any possible aggresI sor ship that might be coming into the j Western Hemisphere. The President was reminded that ’three of his Cabinet officers, yesterday, publicly expressed concern over aid to Britain, and he was asked how this ! squared with his Press conference 1 remarks. Mr. Roosevelt said he did not know he had dodged the question as to whether- the country had anything better in mind than the convoy system, to ensure the delivery of war supplies to Britain.

AXIS TROOPS IN GREENLAND.

WASHINGTON, April 25.

The possibility that Axis forces already partly occupy Greenland, was disclosed with frank surprise, by Mr. Roosevelt, at his Press conference, to-day.

LINDBERGH A DEFEATIST.

NEW YORK DEMONSTRATION.

NEW YORK, April 24.

Colonel Lindbergh gave an address here at a meeting of the America First Movement. He said: “It is now obvious that England is losing the war, and that, when she asks the , United States to enter the war, she is considering her own futuie and her Empire.” • Rioting broke out at the meeting, when there were men and women beaten and kicked, several being rendered unconscious, when a proLindberg crowd attacked pickets who were bearing posters denouncing Colonel Lindbergh. Mounted police were required to halt the disturb3RC6S. There was an overflow crowd of 10,000 people who heard Colonel Lindbergh’s speech by means of loudspeakers outside, while there were another 10,000 more in* an adjacent street. MR. ROOSEVELT’S CRITICISM. (Recd. April 26, 10.25 a.m.). WASHINGTON, April 25. Mr. Roosevelt, to-day, sharply criticised Col. Lindbergh and others, who believe the Axis will win the war, and compared the persons who hold that viewpoint to the copperheads ;of the civil war days. These views, Mr. Roosevelt said, “are held by only a small minority of American people. He challenged the patriotism of this viewpoint, and added he was sorry that so many with this type of. mentality are in positions of prominence to speak and write. For himself and the majority of others, Mr. Roosevelt said, were for the - Democratic process, and were willing to fight for it. They did not want to lie down and accept conquerors. “OSTRICHES AND IDIOTS.” NEW ORK, April 24. Dr. Robert Millikan, a noted Californian physicist and .Nobel Prize winner, in .an t address to-day at Rochester, New York State, declared: “Isolationists are ostriches and idiots.” He appealed for a full alliance with Britain. Dr. Millikan said: “The only hope ever of even approaching the condition of a warless world lies in the principle of collective security among democracies. Within 24 months, one dozen free nations have met their fate, because they thought that they could save their own skins separately, without joining forces for mutual selfdefence.” Dr. Millikan further criticised the independent stand being taken by some of the groups of American citi- : zens. He said: “Colonel Lindbergh, and his kind, might just as well be

dropping bombs on London as to urge Americans to fold their hands in composure and turn their eyes away from Europe, and say: ‘lt is too bad for England, but it can’t happen to us.’ ”

LATEST “GALLUP” POLL.

NEW YORK, April 25.

A Gallup survey on United States reaction to the war prospects shows that despite the Balkan setback,..the majority still belieVe that Britain will win. A vote showed that 78 per cent, were convinced of a British victory, four German,,six stalemate, and 12 undecided. A postBalkans vote shows: Britain to win 57 per cent., Axis 11, stalemate eight, undecided 24. The latest vote shows 71 per cent, in favour'of “keep on fighting,” and 29 per cent, to “make peace.”

REQUISITION OF FREIGHTERS

(Recd. April 26, 10.30 a.m.). WASHINGTON, . April 25. The House Merchant Marine Committee to-day approved Mr. Roosevelt’s request to requisition whatever use he elects of foreign merchant vessels in American waters.

CANADIAN CONTRACTS.

~ OTTAWA, April 25.' 'The Canadian Government has ordered 96 cargo freighters of ten thousand tons each, costing 175 million dollars, Mr. Howe, Minister of Munition’s, announced to-day.

WALL STREET

NEW ORK, April 24.

Stocks gained some momentum and rose, by fractions, to more than a point to-day. Railroad company shares were consistently strong. Other stocks were a trifle mixed, including steel company stocks. Stock tunic vor rose to half a million shares. This was the best in two weeks. Wheat futures rose a cent a bushel, partly on the news of a dust storm.

COAL SUPPLIES

NEW YORK, April 24

The Northern Soft Coal Operators and the United Mineworkers have accepted Mr. Roosevelt’s proposal to reopen the mines immediately. . _ It is reported from Washington that the Secretary for Labour, Miss Perkins, has certified the bituminous coal dispute to the National Defence Mediation Board when the southern operators announced that negotiations with the United Mine Workers were hopelessly deadlocked. Miss Perkins’s action includes the northern coal operators, despite the agreement cabled earlier.

Secretary Ickes and Mr. Sayers, Chief of the Mines Bureau, reported to the President to-day that the nation now has only two weeks’ supply of soft coal. The Defence Mediation Board to-day summoned the coal operators and miners to meet here on Friday morning in an effort to end the coal shut-down.

GERMAN AUTHOR’S SERVICE.

WASHINGTON, April 25.

Emil Ludwig, the noted German author, who volunteered his services without , pay, has been appointed by the Treasury to a position in the war savings campaign. Ludwig will speak and write particularly to GermanAmericans.

TAXATION INCREASE?

PRICE OF FREEDOM.

WASHINGTON, April 24.

Mr. Morgenthau (Secretary to the Treasury), to-day testified to the House Ways and Means Committee on tax proposals that were calculated, he said, to produce additional revenue of three and a-half billion dollars. He said the new taxes were designed to fall with the greatest severity on the middle classes. In some cases it would be six times more than the current rate. The Joint Committee on Internal Taxation has countered Mr. Morgenthau with a plan for lighter taxes on the incomes under 25,000 dollars, and with heavier taxes in the upper brackets of income, and also new luxury taxes, and stiffer taxes on gifts and estates. It is believed that a final plan will be formed as a compromise between the two. The Treasury proposes that on'the first two thousand dollars the recipient shall pay 500 dollars in tax; that 20,000 dollar incomes shall pay 5000 dollars: while 100,000 dollar income would pay 52,000 dollars tax. Mr. Morgenthau said: “We are faced with the greatest challenge in this Republic’s history. It calls for the greatest response. I am confident American people Will respond. How much is it worth to be a free man living in a free land? They are willing to pay the price. It would be a tragic error to assume that we shall expand defences on a colossal scale and still proceed as usual. We simply cannot carry on business or government as usual. There must not be excess profits. American people don’t intend that anyone shall grow rich and fat out of the Country’s danger. The American taxpayer stands ready to take this new burden in his stride. We are big, rich, and strong economically. We are better able to carry this load than any other people in the world.”