U.S.A. DEFENCE OUTLAY

Grey River Argus, 2 August 1940, Page 8

U.S.A. DEFENCE OUTLAY

Fears for Britain OIL EMBARGO WASHINGTON, July 31. The House Appropriations Committee has approved the Bill implementing Mr Roosevelt’s defence requests, totalling 4,863,151,957 dollars cash and contract authorisations, making 10,040,225,543 dollars available, for defence expenditures in the current fiscal- year. The House laterpassed the Bill, and sent it to the Senate.

The Senate Military Committee has advised the War Department that the Budget Bureau has approved the Conscription Bill. Members consider that the Bureau’s approval implies Presidential sanction.

The Senate Military Committee has amended the Burke Wadsworth Bill, to require the registration only of men aged from 21 to 31 years, and to eliminate the provision for service in home defence units of those. 18 to 21 and 45 to 64.

Mr Stimson, supporting Mr Burke Wadsworth’s Bill before the House Military Committee, said: “We are face to face with a potential enemy —Germany. A prudent trustee must consider that in another 30 days Britain may be conquered, and her fleet under enemy control. The danger is far graver than in J*une, 1917. Then the unbroken Allied line gave the United States time to prepare.” Mr Roosevelt has banned the export of aviation gasoline outside the Western Hemisphere. The order bars Britain, Germany, Italy, and Japan from access to United States aviation fuel. The ban prevents rensale to non-Americans from a Western Hemisphere purchaser. Japanese Embassy sources indicat ed that Japan will view the ban seriously. The Commerce Department stated that in the last six months France had bought 513,513 barrels, the United Kingdom 504,196, and Japan 105,662. The preliminary census figures are complete, except transients and minor factors, unlikely to change the figures greatly. They gave New York City a population of 7,380,259, which is an increase of 449,813 over 1930 WASHINGTON, July 31.

The British Embassy has inv ted pilots and other British subjects of n ilitary age in the United States, vho have certain technical qualifications, to volunteer for service in the British Army. It is stated that there is no lack of man-power in Britain, and no question at present of any general call to Britons here, but pilots, wireless operators, engineer.-.. skilled tradesmen, electricians, etc., will be welcomed now. LONDON, July 31.

Professor Arthur Newell an American political observer, said, that the ntmber of Americans volunteer.ng for the R.A.F. would amaze Britain. . WASHINGTON, July'3l.

Mr Welles said that a British convoy for the Excalibur would be a illation of American neutrality. It is absolutely inconceivable, he added. If the Duke and Duchess of Winds.r travelled on the Excalibur, they would be ordinary citizens, with i o special Government recognition. SAN FRANCISCO. July 31.

The British Purchasing Commissioner, Mr Beale, addressing the Foreign Trade Conference said that a direct attack was necessary to de feat Germany. He added that British purchases including the French contracts taken over, totalled 1800 million dollars. Twenty-eight hundred planes have been delivered and 11,000 more ha> e been ordered, also between 400,000 and 500,00 tons of steel is being purchased monthly. Mr Casey (Australian High Commissioner), addressing the Pacific Trade Session of the National and Foreign Trade Convention, said: “1 believe that we in Australia have n great and increasing contribution to make to economic and other development in the Pacific. I believe that we must collaborate more closely and more fully with Americans, to t’fis end. It does not need a great imagination to contemplate the resource;, potential wealth, purchasing power, and military and naval possibilities represented by Australia and New Zealand, and the great umbrella of islands stretching northward from them.’’

An Unfriendly Act! JAPANESE VIEW OF USA OIL BAN. (Received August 1, 10.10 p.m.: TOKIO, August I. The Japanese Navy’s spokesman, Admiral Okuma, commenting on President Roosevelt's ban on the sale of gasoline, said: “Irrespective of the pretext for this, there is no doubt that it represents an anti-Japanese move, one designed to bring economic pressure to bear on Japan, and constituting an unfriendly act. If the United States continues on such lines it is certain to cause international repercussions, although the Unitea States may have fully considered them.”

He was asked whether the ban might not be aimed at Italy and Germany. He replied: “President Roosevelt probably has intended to kill two birds with one stone. It will not arfect Japan’s military operations'"

U.S.A. OIL EXPORT BAN.

BRITAIN NOT MUCH AFFECTED

(Received August 1, 5.50 p.m.)

LONDON, August L The “Daily Telegraph” sa -y s; The ban on the export of aviation petrol from America will not seriously affect Britain. In the first eight months of the war, America exported 800,000 barrels of aviation petrol, of which Britain took slightly below 300,000 barrels.

A petroleum expert, Dr. Oscar Tokayer, said British petrol stocks were very high. The quant\y of aviation petrol’ at present being consumed was comparatively small. Stocks were available for ma-.-months. All British requirements, he said, wer e isasily obtainable from the Dutch West Indies, which were nowin the British sphere of influence. A refinery for high grade petrol was also being constructed in the Dutch East Indies. These supplies could be paid for with sterling, causing less strain on the Treasury than payments in dollars. ■ I’;

The “Daily Telegraph” also says: “Germany is handicapped by her Ito"

ited quantity of high-grade fuel. A shortage of this fuel has been responsible for German fighter planes failing to attain the speed claimed.” It adds: “The American petrol ban affects Japan, because she is almost entirely dependent on American supplies.”

RUGBY, August 1.

Little comment has so far been made in London on the placing of a ban by the United States on the shipment of oil to Europe and to the countries outside of the Western Hemisphere. It is considered in official circles that such a. ste£ would be in accordance with .the Americans’ latest policy to build up reserves of the most important commodities in case of emergency.