DURATION OF WAR

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 May 1942, Page 5

DURATION OF WAR

MR. ROOSEVELT’S ESTIMATE

NEED FOR COOL JUDGMENT (Rec. 10.30 a.m.) WASHINGTON, May 22.

Mr. Roosevelt, at his Press conference, stressed the opinion that the war would be long. He cautioned against over-optimism one week and over-pessimism the next. “War, public opinion, and news, go up and down with things apparently big at the moment. but the more this was prevented the better it is for the war effort. Fluctuations are caused by the tendency toward over-statement on the part of the American people.” Mr. Roosevelt declared: “It is a great mistake to overstate things,” adding that the Press could help to correct this tendency.

A reporter asked: Do you think the censorship should pass some bad news?

Mr. Roosevelt: Yes, as soon as it does not affect military operations. There is only one reason for withholding bad news, and that is when its release might cause more bad news. Mr. Roosevelt was unwilling to say whether he thought the Army and Navy joint communique, last week, contributed to over-optimism about the war programme. He said he had not read it.

Under further questioning, Mr. Roosevelt expressed the opinion that Army and Navy statements should be relied on, but there should not be over-emphasis on the individual interpretation, or what a person read into them.

Mr. Roosevelt’s reference to overoptimism was probably derived from Mr. Hull’s statement in which he said there were grounds for hope of victory to come sooner than previously expected. This caused a mild upsurge of buying on the Stock Exchange on Thursday. Asked whether the ship-sinking situation was not still pretty serious, Mr. Roosevelt ejaculated “Oh, my! yes.”

ENEMY LANDINGS IN MAINE.

(Rec. 10.30 a.m.) WASHINGTON, May 22

The State Director of Civilian Defence, in Maine, Mr. Francis Farnum, said to-day, that accurate information in possession of the police and Army authorities, showed that foreign agents recently landed on the coast. He warned that watchfulness was necessary for enemy fifth column action on the New England coast. Mr. Farnum further warned that the enemy may attempt to land parachutists in Maine. It is noteworthy in this connection, that there is evidence that submarine crews have brazenly landed, and attended picture shows. Members of captured crews had admission butts in their pockets. MAXIMUM WAGES. (Recd. 10.45 a..m) WASHINGTON, May 22. Mr. Roosevelt, at his Press conference, voiced opposition to the idea of individual companies granting pay increases out of line with national wage stabilisation policies. The Government would do everything possible to prevent unwarranted salary and wage increases. A reporter referred to the case of a California aircraft plant, which indicated a willingness to increase wages without referring the question to the War Labour Board. Mr. Roosevelt agreed such action would conflict with the fixed living costs programme, because if one plant were able to pay higher wages, it would make workers in less fortunate plants unhappy. . The Secretary (Miss 'F. Perkins) announced to-day that the American Federation of Labour and building trade unions had vountarily agreed to stabilise wages on Federal construction production. The pact covers nineteen "unions, with 1,500,444 members, and six Federal agencies in charge of war construction.

SKILLED WORKERS.

WASHINGTON, May 21

The U.S. Manpower Commission to-day directed the selective service system to instruct its local boards to consult with the Federal Employment Service Offices before drafting any individual skilled in a critical war occupation. MANY NEW SHIPS. -RUGBY, May 22. American shipyards celebrated Maritime Day, to-day, states a New York message, by launching 27 vessels on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, —the largest single-day launching since the first World War. It is stated by the Maritime Commission that the shipyards are now averaging two vessels da~y, but the fact is stressed that the number must be doubled, for the purpose of producing 2300 vessels during 1942/43. NORMANDhTsALVAGE. WASHINGTON, Maj/ 21. Preliminary work has been begun on me raising of the liner Normandie. The salvage work will take a year, and then the ship must be refitted before her restoration to service. The method of salvage will be to divide underwater portions of the ship by bulkheads, and pump the water out under controlled conditions, until the vessel is righted. It is an enormous task, and is greatly, complicated by the fact that the Normandie is resting at one point on a rock ledge.

PRESSMAN IN GERMANY (Recd. 11.40 a.m.) WASHINGTON, May 22. State Department officials confirmed, to-day, that Robert H. Best, one of the American newspaper correspondents scheduled to return on the steamer Drottinghalm from Lisbon, voluntarily left the party, to remain in Germany. Best said he was remaining “in the interests of history.” Recent news dispatches from Lisbon mentioned that Best was returned to Berlin to marry an Austrian woman. OIL PIPELINE WASHINGTON, May 22. The House Harbours and Rivers Committees, to-day, approved legislation designed to help relieve the Eastern oil shortage by building a pipeline across Northern Florida, and improving the connecting Gulf and Atlantic barge canals.