VITAL FACTOR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23699, 4 July 1940, Page 10

VITAL FACTOR

BRITISH SEA POWER AMERICAN SECURITY ' INEW MINISTERS' VIEWS [AID FOE THE ALLIES By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright WASHINGTON, July 2 / The newly-nominated Secretary for ftVar, Mr. H. L. Stimson, testifying before the Senate Military Committee, and Colonel W. F. Knox, Secretary of the Navy, appearing before the Naval Committee, declared themselves against active 'American participation in a European war. Both urged giving all aid to the Allies short of war. Mr. Stimson said: "Tho situation todav is much more critical than it was >' last autumn and the time that can be saved bv the existence of Britis.i sea power is much more precious. "Wo are facing a grave national emergency fraught with the possibility ' of immediate peril. The world is a house divided. It is not reasonable to anticipate that any peace patched up with the aggressors "would be anything cxcept the briefest kind of truce. The modern conqueror, once in power, v\dl last a long time.

t Time for Rearmament "The time we have for rearmament is largely dependent upon the continuance of Britain's control of the North Atlantic. Under these conditions, assistance we can safely give toward the continuance of that sea power is 1 a step of the greatest importance to our own interests in preparation. None ■would wish to send American troops ' across our borders unless it was necessary for the protection of the United States itself. On the other hand, I ' do not. believe the United States can safely be protected by purely defensive defence." . The Military Committee approved the i nomination of Mr. Stimson as Secretary for War. The vote was 14 to 3. 'An effort to subpoena Mr. H. H. Woodring, who resigned from the post of 'Secretary for War following the President's decision to appoint Mr. Stim- / Eon, was defeated, the committee deciding to invite Mr. Woodring to testify he wished.

British Barrier to Hitler During a statement to the Senate ,Is aval Committee by Mr. Stimson, Senator Edwin C. Johnson (Democrat) asked: "Do you believe we will be the next victims of Hitler?" ~ Mr. Stimson: No, there is one victim still holding the barrier on the North ' Atlantic. When that victim is struck down we will be at least most likely to be the next. Every day the barrier 'to Hitler's crossing the Atlantic holds out the better it is for us. I Senator R. A. Taft (Republican): If Britain could only be saved by the y entry of the United States into the war would you favour it, even though .Germany, had not attacked us? Mr. Stimson: Only if by so doing it Trould better our defensive position. At ; present our own protection involves the preservation of the British Fleet, but ' three years hence it might not. Compulsory Training Urged i Mr. Stimson recommended the prompt establishment of selective compulsory training and service, the pas- ' sage of which would bring home .to every citizen the critical nature of the .emergency. He added that with the development of long-range bombers, the United States' defence line was pushed far into the Atlantic, embracing Puerto Rico, Bermuda, Newfoundland and ; porth-east Canada. It was recognised that a powerful enemy, securing a base in any of these places, could devastatingly attack the United States' eastern seaboard. Replying to members of the committee, Mr. Stimson said a third term for President Roosevelt was not discussed. "This mission," he said, "is not related to politics." Asked how ho would regulate the .transfer of munitions to foreign purchasers, under the programme of giving the Allies aid, short of war, Mr. Stimson said: "I would consider whether the munitions were more useful to the [United States here or there."

CITIZEN'S RIGHTS FORFEITED BY AMERICAN ENLISTMENT IN CANADA MONTREAL, July 2 The United States Board of Inquiry ruled that a Washington man, Philip Stegerer, aged 26, forfeited his United States citizenship by joining the ,Canadian forces for active service, from which he was honourably discharged as unfit. The board refused permission for Stegerer to return to the United States. It is believed the case is a precedent by which hundreds may be deprived of jtheir citizenship because they have sworn allegiance to His Majesty the King. / NEW COMMAND , WEST AFRICAN FORCES Pritish Wireless LONDON, July 2 His Majesty the King has approved the appointment of Lieutenant-General G. J. Giffard as General Officer Commanding West Africa. This is a new appointment and will embrace Gambia, the Gold Coast. Nigeria and Sierra Leone. / Lieutenant-General Giffard had long experience of West African conditions before being appointed Inspector-Gen-eral of the Royal West African Frontier Force and the King's African Rifles in 1936. This appointment he relinquished in 1938 to become Inspector-General of the African Colonial Forces. He was Military Secretary at the War Office in 1939, and in February of this year was appointed General Officer Commanding the British Forces in Palestino and ffransjordania, '( LITHUANIAN ARMY r (Received July 3, 11.10 p.m.) /, LONDON. July 3 The Moscow radio says the Lithuanian forces have been renamed the People's Army and reorganised on the lines of the Red Army, a political commissar being attached to all units end soldiers being permitted to take (part in politics.