U.S.A. POLICY

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 October 1944, Page 2

U.S.A. POLICY

MR ROOSEVELT’S DEFENCE WASHINGTON, October 27. President Roosevelt speaking at Philadelphia, said: During the past year Americans have participated in 27 different landings on enemy-held shores. Furthermore, within the past five months we have been able to carry out major operations in Europe and in the Philippines, which are 13,000 miles apart. Mr Roosevelt referred to the operations in the Philippines, saying; “I wonder what has become of recent suggestions that I failed, for political reasons, to send enough forces and supplies to General MacArthur? I realise that, during the political campaign, some consider it is impolite to mention the war going on, but the war is still on. Eleven million Arnerican fighting men know it. So do their families. -In that war I bear a responsibility which I can never shirk and never forget. From almost the first minute of iny administration we began rebuilding the Navy, which was whittled down during previous ■Republican administrations.” He then outlined increases in various branches of the Armed Forces that recent years had brought. Mr Roosevelt continued: “After the Japanese attacked us, and Hitler and Mussolini declared war on us, some urged that we should go on the defensive, pull in the Fleet, guard the Continent, and send no forces overseas. We rejected that policy. We cannot wage this war in a defensive spirit. As our power and resources are fully mobilised, we shall carry the attack against the enemy. We shall hit him and hit him again wherever and whenever we can reach him. We 'must keep him far from our shores, because we intend to bring this battle to him on his own home grounds. The war in Europe has now reached the decisive phase, that of attack on Germany; but we have much longer and further to go in the war against Japan. All of these operations had to be- planned far in advance, and that does not mean drawing arrows on maps. The whole story of our vast efforts in this war is a story oi in credible ach ievement.’'

POST-WAR SECURITY

WASHINGTON, October 28

President Roosevelt addressed one of the most uproarious political rallies in American history at Chicago. ■ Mr Roosevelt pledged himself to a postwar security programme, one ensuring for Americans high incomes, also an adequate return both for farm and factory products. He predicted a future American economy providing jobs f0r'60,000,000 citizens, the building of a million homes yearly for ten years, and a threefold increase in foreign trade. These would provide a sound economy foundation for a lasting peace. To achieve this programme Mar Roosevelt pledged that the Government would help private enterprise to expand through normal investment channels; also to aid large and small businesses to replace obsolete equipment by accelerating the rate of depreciation for tax purposes. Mr Roosevelt said that American people were prepared to meet the problems of peace in the same bold way as they met the problems of war. They were resolved ..that when men and women returned from the battle fronts they would come back to the best possible place on the face of the earth. He said that price and production controls will be lifted after the war. He added: “And this time, veterans can grow apples on their farms instead of having to sell them on street corners.”