COMBAT ZONES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23953, 1 May 1941, Page 9

COMBAT ZONES

AMERICAN WARSHIPS "ENTER IF NEED BE" EXTENSION OF PATROLS WASHINGTON, April 21) American naval vessels could enter combat zones if necessary in defence of the Western Hemisphere, President Kooscvclt told journalists to-day. He said the United States did not recognise any German combat zone extending round the British Isles. Admiral 11. H. Stark, Chief of the United States Naval Staff, addressing the Chamber of Commerce Convention to-day, said the naval const met ion programme was running well ahead of schedule, and he significantly asserted that the United States would share its resources to the limits of security. This statement immediately raised speculation as to whother transfers of naval vessels to Britain might be imminent. Admiral Stark said: "The Navy is charged with the responsibiltiy of making sure that your ships roll down to Rio and back with no enemy molesting them but winter and rough weather, that your tankers bring Texas gasoline up to serve New Jersey filling stations undisturbed, that your freighters put out and return from Sydney and Singapore, from Batavia and Manila and Hongkong with unbroached cargoes, and finally that the American nations proceed on their legitimate affairs to the end of the earth and back, no man making them afraid."

In an extemporaneous addition to his prepared address Admiral Stark said: "1 wish I could talk about convoys. I would like to tell you about our patrols 3000 miles out from high latitudes to the Antarctic in both oceans." Asked to explain this afterwards, he said that perhaps 2000 miles was a better approximation, but a few weeks ago the patrol line had been moved substantially eastward. A 'eading German newspaper, the Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, commenting upon the policy of the United States, repeats the threat that American ships will be sunk. President Roosevelt's plan, the newspaper states, will have one result —the quick and certain sinking of American vessels.

"HEADLONG INTO AVAR" JAPANESE PRESS COMMENT AMERICAN PATROL DECISION NEW YORK, April 29 The Tokio newspaper Kokurnin declared to-day that the decision of the United States to extend the patrol of Atlantic waters in the western hemisphere means that the United States is only a step from entering the war. The usually temperate newspaper Asahi described the United States as going headlong into war, and said the grim determination of Mr. Roosevelt to take the offensive against the Axis Powers meant letting loose American patrols on all the seas of the world for convoying United States transports carrying war materials for Britain. The Times-Advertiser, controlled by the Japanese Foreign Office, carried a headline, "War Worry Causes General Price Drop," over a story which said that concern was felt on the market that the United States was being braced to take a catastrophic plunge into the European war, and said this had caused a wholesale fall in stocks. It is stated that the Times-Adver-tiser's comment on the. Xow York stock market is inaccurate. Since the Balkan defeat the general tendency has been for prices to move irregularly upward.

In an editorial the Times-Advertiser said that the possibility of peace terms rested upon the United States, hence the United States held the power of decision. A grave responsibility rested upon President Roosevelt's shoulders in this critical hour.

AID FOR CHINA MINISTER ENCOURAGED "WASHINGTON, April 2!) Dr. Que Tai-chi, the new Foreign Minister for China, said'to-day, alter conferences with President Roosevelt and Mr. Cordell Hull, that he was greatly encouraged about the prospects of American co-operation with China. The Chinese Ambassador, Dr. Hu Sliih, said that materials were going from the United States to China in everincreasing amounts. Dr. Quo Tai-chi described his conversation with Mr. 11 uH as very satisfactory. Ho predicted thai Britain now could stand off any invasion attempt and that the crucial struggle of the European war would be the Battle of the Atlantic.

BLOCKADE RUNNER

ANOTHER GERMAN SHIP SANTOS (Brazil), April 2S> The German freighter Natal (.3172 tons), carrying general cargo, arrived to-day after a voyage of J32 days from Hamburg, thus running the British blockade successfully like the German freighter Leah, which yesterday sailed again for Germany.