BIGGER NAVY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23658, 17 May 1940, Page 8

BIGGER NAVY

AMERICAN PROPOSAL r: ADOPTION URGED 1 J x r STATUS IN PACIFIC V WASHINGTON*, May 15 The Naval Affairs Committee of the Senate has issued a statement urging the passage of tho Vinson Bill, authorising an II per cent expansion of tho Navy, and also the fortification of Guam.

It is stated that the United States is without power or means to police tho world, but she does havo the power to keep others from bringing the war to the Western Hemisphere. "We should make every effort to preserve peace in the Far East if we can, even if we must defeat Japan," the statement says. "But tho effort required would bo enormous. "At present, duo to a lack of naval bases in tho area, a Far Eastern war could he undertaken only in conjunction with Britain, France and Holland."

The committee urged the maintenance in the Pacific of an impregnable fleet, an air base at Hawaii, air and submarine bases at Unalaska, Sitka, Kodiak, Midway, Wake, Johnson, Palmyra and Canton Islands, and in mid-Pacific.

The Scripps-Howard newspapers propose, in editorial articles, that the United States alone, or in co-operation with the Latin Americas, should purchase British, French and Dutch possessions in the Western Hemisphere to enable the Allies to finance war purchases in the United States and simultaneously to strengthen American defences.

JAPANESE CRITICISM "OFFENSIVE" CONSTRUCTION (Received May l(i, 9.30 p.m.) TOKIO, May 10 A Japanese spokesman said the United States Navy's 11 per cent expansion plan was "open to criticism as being for offensive purposes." He assailed as untenable the Senate committee's argument that an impregnable fleet is necessary to avoid war with Japan. "Jf the United States keeps building a larger and larger navy, Japan must cope with the situation accordingly," added the spokesman, who scoffed at the question of America's naval expansion for preparedness against Germany owing to the latest developments. "Germany hasn't any navy," be concluded.

BRITISH TRADE

IMPORTS AND EXPORTS British Wireless LONDON, May I.*> The export of United Kingdom goods in April was valued at £4.8,300.000, compared with £35.140.000 in April, 1939. This is the highest figure for any month since 1930. The value of imports last month was £109.986,000, compared with £70.049.000 a year ago. Re-exports amounted to £1,131,01)0, against £4.."">80.000. These figures, taken together, provide a significant commentary on the hopes of the Nazis to "blockade" Britain by the sinking of shipping of all flags and the terrorising of seamen of all nationalities. The latest example of these methods is the sinking of the Italian steamer Foscolo this afternoon by bombing off the Dutch coast. The Foscolo's last port of call was Antwerp.