Roosevelt’s Foreign Policy Arouses U.S. Senators’ Suspicion

Northern Advocate, 30 January 1939, Page 7

Roosevelt’s Foreign Policy Arouses U.S. Senators’ Suspicion

(Received 10 a.m.)

WASHINGTON, January 28,

SEARCHING SENATE INQUIRY INTO THE ADMINISTRATION’S FOREIGN POLICY APPEARS LIKELY AS THE RESULT OF REPORTS THAT PRESIDENT ROOSE VELT, THROUGH THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY, MR. H. MORGENTHAU, AND OVER THE HEADS OF THE ARMY AND NAVY, HAS MADE AVAILABLE MILITARY AND AVIATION SECRETS TO AN AGENCY OF THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT. The reports have brought to ,a head a suspicion within the Senate Military Affairs Committee that the p resent foreign policy is pointed directly toward participation on behalf of France in a European w,ar. Significant Developments. The following developments are regarded as backing up the reports:— First, Mr. Roosevelt’s statement t hat the Cabinet has spurred on American factories to produce ,a rush order of as many as 600 warplanes for France, as a means of providing w prk for idle plants. Second, Mr. Roosevelt’s request for an immediate .appropriation of 50,000,000 dollars to build nearly 600 aeroplanes for the American army, for the same reason.

Third, a secret hearing in which the Senate Military Affairs Committee questioned Mr. Morgenthau, Mr. H. H. Woodring, Secretary for War, and General Malin Craig, Army Chi ef of Staff, regarding the presence of M. Paul Chemidlin, a representative o f the French Air Ministry, in ,a light Douglas bomber when it crashed du ring a test at Los Angeles six days ago. *

Fourth, an announcement by Mr. Naval Affairs Committee, that he ha the navy, Mr. Charles Edison, to tell the Administration really intends to

Carl Vinson, chairman of the House d “invited” the Assistant Secretary of the committee on Tuesday whether fortify Guam, and to what extent.

French Inquiries. The Senate is expected to probe a report that the Ambassador to France, Sir. William Bullitt, impressed with the imminence of a European war, approached the chiefs of the army and navy with ,a request that they should order a service type of aeroplane which legally could not be exported, so that when, and if, a crisis developed, but before France was actually at war—due to the Neutrality Act—Mr. Roosevelt could ask Congress to authorise their sailing to France. «

The chiefs of staff are reported to have' turned this down, upon which Mr. Bullitt went to Mr. Roosevelt, who wrote a letter to the Secretary of the Navy, Mr, C. A. Swanson, .and to Mr. Woodring and Mr. Morgenthau, directing them to give every possible consideration- to French needs, and every courtesy to the French Air Mission.’

Mr. Roosevelt’s request for the 50,000,000 dollar appropriation closely followed the, circulation of this rumour. Aeroplane Incident Explained. Mr. Roosevelt, at a press conference, explained regarding the crash at Los Angeles in which the pilot was killed, and M. Chemidlin was injured, that the aeroplane had not yet bbeh accepted by the Government, and, therefore the company had a perfect right to permit anybody to ride in it.

Mr. Roosevelt added, regarding the French purchases? that since the factories are idle, the Cabinet had considered it a desirable step, particularly since the French order could be completed before the start of construction of American .aeroplanes. Senators Unconvinced, Several Senators who looked on at the conference left unconvinced by Mr. Roosevelt’s comment. They said that if it became apparent that unusual facilities had been accorded the French missions, it would raise doubts regarding some of the purposes behind the huge United States air rearmament. Some are even resolved to probe whether there is any informal understanding that in the event of Britain and France being involved in war some of America’s air fleet would be placed at their disposal. Army Chief Closely Examined. The Senate Military Affairs Committee secretly questioned the Army Chief of Staff, General Malin Craig, as to whether France had been given American military aviation secrets, but members interpreted his answers ki various ways. General Craig is reported to have said: “No devices that the War Department regarded as secret were shown to the French.” Some members of the committee were satisfied, and others considered the statement was ambiguous and semi-meaningless. Senator G. P. Nye said: “The aeroplane deal with France, in my opinion, constitutes a military alliance.”

Senator B. C. Clark asserted: “I think it -a shocking situation when the Government is prepared to permit the sale of the latest aeroplanes to a foreign Government before they are made available to America.” The New York “Herald-Tribune” in a leading article, says: “The French aeroplane episode is a minor illustration *of the confusion existing in Washington. There is not the slightest reason why France should not buy United States aeroplanes, but the secret fashion in which the negotiations were completed makes it appear that Mr. Bullitt contrived, and Mr. Roosevelt accepted, military collaboration with France. Such muddles are dangerous to international understanding.”