U-S- NAVAL DEFENCE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 264, 5 October 1940, Page 8

U-S- NAVAL DEFENCE

TWO-OCEAN BASIS.

NEW ATLANTIC PATROL

(United Press Association —Copyright.) WASHINGTON, Oct. 2. It is announced that the navy is reorganising 125 warships into a new Atlantic patrol force. It will include units of the Atlantic Squadron, plane forces and a neutrality patrol. RearAdmiral Hayne Ellis (Chief of the Atlantic Squadron) will take command, and having all the ships in the Atlantic under one commander will result in increased efficiency in operations and training. The Secretary of the Navy (Colonel Knox), at a Press conference, said that a suggestion that has been made of a naval goodwill cruise to New Zealand and Australia was a good idea, but no decision regarding 6uch a cruise had been reached. Colonel Knox added that the navy did not plan to reinforce the Asiatic fleet, the Yangtze patrol, or the units in the Philippines, nor did it intend to withdraw the 1000 marines from (Shanghai. Questioned as to whether the navy had negotiated with Britain for the use of Singapore, or had planned a survey of the facilities with a view to its future use, he said he did not know of such action. Asked if he was satisfied with the size and number of American bases in the Pacific, Colonel Knox replied: “I am not satisfied with anything, because 1 want everything to be better. Of course, the situation with regard to bases in the Pacific could he improved.” “MUST AID BRITAIN.” Political and diplomatic circles are interested in an endorsement by the Republican Presidential candidate, Mr Wendell Wilikie, in an interview in the Christian Science Monitor, of an immediate extension of joint Anglo-Ame-rican defence co-operation in the 1 acific and negotiations to secure bases in Singapore and Australia for the United States. i Mr Wilikie is reported to have addled : “1 am prepared to exert the full ! leadership of the Republican Party to facilitate prompt action. The Axis j threat in Asia has increased the conviction that the United States must I aid Britain to the utmost. If Britain [fails we will be utterly and savagely I alone. We must send and keep sending aid to Britain, who is our first line of 'defence and our only remaining I friend.” The Monitor comments that !Mr Wilikie gave the impression that he regards American and British interests in the Far East as synonymous. Though officials refuse to confirm or deny the report, it is reliably indicated in diplomatic quarters that the i United (Mates has proposed to the British and French that the 100 Allied 'planes located in Martinique which were bought from the United States should be repurchased b.y the United States. It is understood that the British approve but that the French have not committed themselves, contending that they are not free under the armistice terms to dispose of the planes. The New York Times’s Cleveland correspondent says Mr Wilikie stated that he gave no interview to the Christian Science Monitor and declined in any way to supplement his public pronouncements regarding the acquisition of bases in the Pacific which he favours. He said he stood by his speech at San Francisco. He added that ir elected he would continue the efforts to aid the heroic British, the-only people in the world to-day fighting for their lives and liberty. ~ “I would aid Britain even if it meant the sacrifice of 6ome speed in building our own air fleet. The longer Britain holds out the more time we will have to prepare,’! he added.

PLANS ACCELERATED

PACIFIC COAST AREA. "LONDON, Oct, 2. The joint American-Canadian Defence Board has decided to, speed up plans for the defence of tho Pacific Coast, it was revealed to-day b.y Mr La Guardia, head of the American section of the board. The American report states that tho reason given was the signing of the new pact between Germany, Italy and Japan. Several proposals had been accepted and some were already under way. _ . , , , As for the Atlantic, the board lias decided to study the defence ol New England and the maritime provinces of Canada as one whole.