U.S. WARNED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 9 January 1940, Page 6

U.S. WARNED

NECESSARY MEASURES FOR DEFENCE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS* TESTIMONY STRONGER NAVY WANTED [U.P.A.-By Electric Telegraph-CopyrUht] (Received 9th January, 1.45 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Bth January. Admiral Stark, Chief of Naval Operations, testifying before the House Naval Affairs Committee, issued *» warning that recent world events made necessary defence against a coalition of Powers and simultaneous offensives against the United States in the Atlantic and Pacific which would probably push the American Navy “back on ita haunches.” The hearings dealt with Representative Vinson’s Bill. Admiral Stark replied an emphatic “No” to a question whether half of the present United States Fleet could withstand a Japanese Pacific attack, and added that unless the United States planned further extensive increases in her Navy’s sea and air strength during the European was it would find itself relatively weak when the conflict was over. ESTIMATE OF SEA POWERS’ STRENGTH Admiral Stark continued that with a basis of the information available and some guesswork the total tonnage of the world’s major navies were;— Britain 2,053,000 tons; United States, 1,727,000 tons; Japan, 1,180,000 tons; France, 801,000 tons; Italy 710,000 tons; Germany, 516,000 tons; Russia, 478,000 tons. PRESIDENT DELIVERS HOMILY ON DEVOTION TO NATIONAL WELFARE (Received 9th January, 2 p.m.) WASHINGTON Bth aJnuary. President Roosevelt, addressing Democratic leaders at the so-called Jackson Day dinner, at which there were some expectations that he might indicate his third term intentions, humorously referred to himself as “supposed to be self-made,” aid delivered a homily on politics behind the democratic form of Government. He insisted that devotion to the whole of the national welfare must transcend the barriers of party lines.