MINES LAID AT PANAMA

Southland Times, Issue 24163, 27 June 1940, Page 5

MINES LAID AT PANAMA

BOTH ENTRANCES TO CANAL ACTION BY UNITED STATES ARTILLERY SHIFTED TO ATLANTIC SIDE (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received June 26, 6.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, June 25. The Panama correspondent of The Daily News says that the United States has mined both entrances to the Panama Canal, rushed the heaviest railway artillery from the Pacific to the Atlantic side and virtually placed the entire Canal Zone on a war footing. The military authorities called the manoeuvre an emergency rehearsal, but week-end observers believed that it was a preparation for real “trouble.”

Guard ships took stations outside the minefields to warn approaching vessels. The Italian liner Conte Biancamano, which entered the canal, was shifted in order to prevent the crew and pasengers from observing the mine-laying. The movements of all small craft were rigidly restricted. Brigadier-General Jacob Devers declared that both entrances to the canal were mined for war games only and there was no cause for alarm. Asked if the mines would be removed on the completion of the games, he said: “They may be taken up or they may not.” SENATOR PITTMAN’S COMMENT Senator Key Pittman, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in a Press statement said: "Mr Churchill’s statement, ‘We will never surrender and that, if any portions of the British Isles are subjugated, we will fight from the new world with our navy,’ if carried out and carried out immediately, will end Hitler’s ambition for world conquest. It is to be hoped that this plan will not be too long delayed by futile encouragement to fight on. It is conclusively evident that the Congress will not authorize intervention in the European war.” Mr Roosevelt’s Advisory Defence Commission announced that it has cancelled negotiations with Mr Henry Ford for the manufacture of RollsRoyce aircraft engines because of Mr

Ford’s refusal to manufacture similar engines for the British Government. Mr William S. Knudsen, president of General Motors, said it was hoped that production in the United States would be expedited by employing Ford facilities because of the fact that the Ford interests in Britain had a contract with the British Government for the manufacture of Rolls-Royce engines. FORMAL RELATIONS AT AN END DESIRE TO MAINTAIN CONTACTS LONDON, June 25. The Secretary for the Dominions, Viscount Caldecote, in the House of Lords, said:— “I am afraid that it must be recognized that the French submission has made the severance of formal relations between Britain and France inevitable. But, if there are any contacts that can be maintained, Britain will not lose the opportunity to do so. Even if Paris is not occupied the real governors of France are in Berlin, not in Paris. “It would be full of danger to our interests to have British representatives in unoccupied France accredited to a government under the thumb and under the observation of our enemies. “The subduing of an Italian submarine by a British trawler is typical of the supremacy of British forces in the Middle East over the lackey ally of Germany. The superior initiative and skill of our troops in the Middle East have established in the field a definite supremacy over Italy. I have no doubt that your lordships view the prospects —as I do—with confidence and determination.”