WIDEST POWERS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20451, 11 January 1941, Page 5

WIDEST POWERS

AID TO BRITAIN ROOSEVELT’S AIMS BILL BEFORE CONGRESS LEND-OR-LEASE PLAN REPAIRS TO WARSHIPS RELEASE OF INFORMATION (jfilec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Jan. 11, 9 a.m.) WASHINGTON, Jan. 10.

President Roosevelt’s bill for aid to Britain, which was introduced simultaneously in the House of Representatives and the Senate, enables British warships to enter the United States ports for repairs and authorises the United States “ to test, inspect, repair, fit out and recondition any defence article for any Government.” The bill authorises the President to manufacture defence articles in United States arsenals and private factories for any country whose defence the President deems vital to the United States. Thus the President’s powers are virtually unlimited except in the case of cash appropriations which Congress will be called on from time to time to provide in order to carry out the programme. Provisions of Measures The bill which is entitled an "Act to Promote the Defence of the United States” provides, “(1) Notwithstanding any other law, the President may from time to time when he deems it in the interests of national defence to authorise the Secretaries of War, the Navy or the heads of any other department or agency, to manufacture any defence article for the Government of any country whose defence the President deems vital to the defence of the United States.

“(2) To sell, transfer, exchange, lease, lend or otherwise dispose of to any such Government any such defence article.

“(3) Inspect, repair, fit out and re condition defence articles.

“(4) Communicate defence information to any such Government. “(5) Release any defence article for export.” Such action may be carried out “on terms the President deems satisfactory and beneficial to the United States” President’s Discretion

The bill defines ‘defence articles” in the broadest possible terms covering machinery and tools necessary for manufacture as well as component parts and materials. The bill defines defence information as any plan, specification, design, prototype or information pertaining to any defence article. President Roosevelt, eight leaders of Congress, five members of the Cabinet, and Mr. W. S. Knudsen, head of the defence advisory commission, at a conference, reached general agreement on the bill.

President Roosevelt’s secretary, Mr. Stephen Early, described the conference as a full dress review of President Roosevelt’s pledge to make the United States an arsenal for the democracies.

President Roosevelt has imposed strict export license regulations covering copper, brass, bronze, zinc, nickel and potash to be effective from February 3 due to the accelerating of the nation’s defence needs.