AID FOR BRITAIN

Grey River Argus, 20 January 1941, Page 5

AID FOR BRITAIN

U.S.A. ADVOCATES Ministerial Statements [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] (Received Jan. 19, 7.30 pan.) WASHINGTON, January 18. Mr Stimson (Secretary for War), resuming his evidence before the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives referred to the reports that the United States might buy the British Fleet if Britain were defeated, or might allow the British Fleet to operate from United States bases. He described the reports as fantastic and preposterous. He explained that Mr Roosevelt's Bill would permit British warships to be repaired and outfitted in American ports, but said this did not mean that those ports could be used as bases. He said he was opposed to inserting a clause in th e Bill forbidding the United States Navy to go to the War zones. “Nobody can forsee what situations might arise making it essential for our own defence to send our warships to the war zone." he said. H e likened a proposal made by Representative Tinkham for the banning of the U.S. Fleet from the war zones to a suggestion that the country should tie its right hand behind it back. He said: “All these things are in th e nature of shackles \vhich would" be put on this country jfi a great emergency, the future of Vrhich nobody can forsee.” Representative Vorys asked: Should nbt the United States have a definite frpmal agreement about the disposition of the British Fleet, before embarking on the suggested programme? To this. Mr Stimson replied: “That was considered, most carefully, last summer. We asked, and received, the strongest assurances that one democracy can give another. But nothing can be impervious to war. That is why w e feel it is important to prevent Britain being brought to the breaking point where she might violate all law.”

Representative Mundt sought to establish that the United States would be involved in th e aiding of many nations throughout the world. In reply to this, Mr Stimson said: “No. Only/ when it is effective for our own defence.” He continued: “I cannot over emphasise the apprehension I feel as to the possibility of a crisis within the next sixty, or, at least ninety days.”

He replied in the affirmative to a question as to whether the aid proposed was necessary to prevent Britain’s defeat. He also said that it Britain fell, the United States, sooner or later, would be involved in war. Mr Wallace (Vice-President) in his annual report said: “If Germany wins the war, Herr Hitler will probably launch an economic war against th e United States. That might be the prelude to use of armed forces against us. Such economic warfare would be extremely dangerous to our security.” He said that if the Germans were victorious probably the world would be divided into four spheres of influence —first, a German-control-led Europe and Africa with British and French colonies a nd Asia; secondly, North and South America, and possibly Australia and New Zealand: thirdly, Russia; fourthly, Japan. He said that a combination of th e three spheres outside of the new world would have a population three times that of the Americas, and their potential Pacific partners and thus could apply “economic pincers,” though government-dominated • trading corporations, which might control the Western Hemisphere agricultural exports to Europe. He said: “Every farm and every home in the new world would feel the effect.” He urged increased United States trade with Latin America to remove peril of economic and political penetration. Senators friendly to the British aid programme are at present proposing that Britain and other democracies benefiting by the Loan and Lease Bill should be permitted to keep their gold in order to facilitate a re-establishment of an international gold standard after the war. Senator Byrnes, who has been newly elected to the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, in a broadcast said: “Free men do not stamp the dollar mark upon their liberty. We cannot let Britain down. If we do, Hitler may never let us up! The cause can be won if America does her duty.” Mr Knudsen said that he is not fully satisfied with th e progress of the United States defence programme but it was doing as well as could be expected. “We are doing fairly well, but a real showing will not start until the tooling is ready, and it is coming in,now,’ he said. He added that it required ten or eleven months to put a new aeroplane into production, due to delays necessitated by changes in design. He also said that curi rent delays would mean that full equipment for an army of 1200 thousand men and heavy equipment for an additional eight hundred thousand could not b e achieved before the end of 1942. instead of by July, 1942, as I scheduled. British orders, he stated at present represent about thirty-five I per cent, of the American defence production, and he could not estimate the increase in proportion under the new programme. Senator Carter Glass said: The United States should declare war now. Personally, I would like to see Hitler at the bottom of the sea.” Mr Jesse Jones, in his annual report, said the defence programme gave paramount importance to interAmerican trade. He emphasised efforts were being made to increase the exports from Latin America. He concluded: “It is noteworthy that the United States is dependent on Europe at present for none of the imported ; materials essential for national de- ’ fence.” I Senator Hull (Secretary of State) I revealed that he had granted general licenses permitting the export to Canada of many essential war materials previously subject to licensing, ; and for which all other nations must obtain separate licenses for each shipment. These materials include oil. aluminium, tungsten and machine tools BOSTON, January 18. Mr R. G. Casey (Australian Minister to U.S.A.) addressing the Sons of the American Revolution recalled that the birth of Australia had resulted j from the War of Independence. With I the establishment of direct Austral-ian-United States relations, he said. I “history came full circle, and what may be called the step-child of your revolution reached maturity, and en-

tered with formal diplomatic relations with you.” Australians, he said, were increasingly conscious of being had an increasingly important part a Pacific nations, and believed they to play in the development of the Pacific area. They realised that after the war was won, they would have to co-operate to a greater extent in this with the United States than previously. “Many Americans, ’ he said, “think of the Western Pacific solely in terms of the Far East. They are not sufficiently conscious of the South-western Pacific, of which Australia is the central land mass, and th e core—an area of great strategic significance, which may well turn out to be the key of the Pacific area

BRITISH BASES FOR U.S.A. (Received Jan. 19, 7 p.m.) RUGBY, January 18. It is officially stated that a final agreement has been reached between the United States and Britain in regard to the location of sites in St. Lucia, which are to be leased to the United States Government, for the establishment of air bases in the island. In addition to a site a Gros Isglet Bay, which, as already announced, is to be leased for the establishment, it has been agreed to leas e the Americans a site for a landplane base at Vieux Fort. Roosevelt’s Reply TO CRITICS OF HIS BlLt. [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.j (Received January 19, 7.40 p.m.) WASHINGTON, January’ 17President Roosevelt has ridiculed various isolationist interpretations of his Lend and Lease Bill, such as that it empowers him to give «way the entire American Fleet by remaking it. He says the Bill also does not contain a provision prevent him from standing on his head, or from buying the Vatican, which, nevertheless, he regards as most unlikely Similarly, he said that Congress might authorise him to buy tin. •German Navy—.implying . that -tins was just as practical as talk of buying th e British Navy. He also declared that many provisions of the Bill were designed solely to protect America in a world situation that was shifting daily. He indicated he was not disposed to revise any of thos e sections. Th e press correspondents asked him whether he would object to removal of the section permitting the United State s to buy equipment from Governments that it considers to be friendly. Mr Roosevelt replied that, in a world changing every twenty-four hours, the Administration might need something quickly or urgently for American defence. The provision was strictly, precautionary.

AL SMITH’S ESTIMATE [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.l NEW-YORK, January 18. Ex-Governor Al Smith said: "If we give full aid to Britain, Hitler’s empire will fall to pieces as fast as it was put together.” Mr Wendell Wil’.kie described Mr Churchill’s speech as "very interesting.” WASHINGTON, January 18. Mr Knudsen testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He said it would be late in 1941 before any great increase oi neip would flow from the United States to Britain as a result of the Lend and Lease Bill;, unless the United States draws products from existing facilities. Representative Lupher Johnson asked: “Do you think it is necessary for our defence that we give aid to England this time?” Mr Knudsen replied: “I do.” Representative Lawrence Arnold asked: “If Britain falls, do you think we eventually will’ become involved in war with the Axis Powers?”

Mr Knudsen replied: “I think we would." Mr Arnold: “That in time we would have to fight the war anyway?” Mr Knudesn: “Yes, sir.” The Committee adjourned until Tuesday. The chairman announced that Mr Wendell Wilikie i 3 unable to testify because he is going to England by plane on Wednesday.

Mr Kennedy’s View BRITAIN’S OBSTACLES. DO NOT SPELL DEFEAT. [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.l (Received January 20, 12.45 a.m.) LONDON, January 19. Mr. J. P. Kennedy (former U.S.A. Ambassador to Britain), said: “there have been many false statements regarding my views. fl here is growing confusion and reliance upon emotion. When I reported to our Government the seriousness of the problem that faced the British people, it iSi said I predicted the defeat or Britain. That is not true ... I reported that there were serious obstacles to Britain gaining victory. 1 know many of Britain s weaknesses, and predictions can only be based upon a complete knowledge of the strength and the weakness of both sides ... A prediction of England s defeat would be senseless. But one can recognise the enormous difficulties that are facing Britain without forseeing its defeat.” LONDON, January 19.

Mr. Kennedy spoke over the National Broadcasting Corporation’s link up which donated him the time as a public service. Mr. Kennedy proposed outright gifts of arms, munitions and airplanes to Britain. He said: “We should go the very limit in our assistance, but not to a point which would endanger our own protection ... If I am called an appeaser because I have opposed oui entrance into the war, I plead guilty. So must any one who wants to keep America out ■ . . England’s spirited defence is affording us precious time to rearm. Consequently; it is our interest that England shall be aided. Mr Kennedy referred to the lend and leas e measure. He said he did not believe that the country faced “such an immediate danger as to justify this surrendei of Congress authority and responsibility.” He expressed the opinion that when the hearings of the Congress Committee were completed “there will be revealed less drastic ways of meeting the problem of adequate authority. for the President.” He emphasised repeatedly that while _ the United States should aid Britain to tne utmost, it should direct all of its efforts to keeping out of the war, if possible.