STRENGTH NEEDED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19882, 8 March 1939, Page 5

STRENGTH NEEDED

AMERICAN OPINIONS WEAKNESS PROVOCATIVE COSTLY RACE FOR ARMS STAND BY DEMOCRACIES (Eli’o, Tol. Copyright—United Pros* Assn.) (Reed. March. 8, 9 a.m.) NEW YORK, March C. “It is weakness, not defiance, that is provocative in the world of to-day,” said the United States Assistant Secretary of State, Mr. A. A. Berle, in a speech combining a plea for world disarmament with a warning to dictators that no nation, except possibly the United States, is financially able to continue the costly armament race beyond a few years. Mr. Berle dismissed the totalitarian complaints concerning assistance by the United States to the European democracies as unworthy of serious consideration. “Nations which project a doctrine of world subjugation, whether through force or attack by propaganda, on our social system, compel us toward defensive measures,” .said Mr. Berle. “If a group of nations chooses to join, in such a policy, we are fairly entitled to consider whether the defence of our own institutions may not require assistance in one form or another to those other nations who, like ourselves, desire to keep peace. _ We may dismiss as unworthy of serious consideration the comment from, overseas that such assistance is provocative.” The former Secretary of State, Mr. H. L. Stimson, in .a letter to the New York Times, sweepingly endorses _ the foreign policy of “affirmative action” against the Fascist nations as the best preventive of a general war. Mr. Stimson. also urges joint naval measures with, Britain and France in event of a concerted attack on the European democracies by the Rome-Berliin-Tokio axis. Mr. Stimson, contending that America’s foreign policy cannot be safely limited to the Western Hemisphere or to Continental boundaries, expresses approval of the recent policies of the Administration, as outlined by President Roosevelt in his address to Congress in January. The writer calls on all citizens and political parties to back up the Administration. SIX THOUSAND PLANES PLAN OF U.S. ARMY

(Reed. March 8, 9 a.m.) WASHINGTON, March 7. The Senate passed an amendment 'to a House measure increasing the strength of the army air corps from 5500 to 0000 planes.