AID SENT BY AMERICA

Southland Times, Issue 24437, 17 May 1941, Page 7

AID SENT BY AMERICA

FARM PRODUCTS FOR BRITAIN NEED FOR BOMBERS (Rec. 7.15 p.m.) WASHINGTON, May 15. The Senate passed the Bill authorizing the requisitioning of foreign ships. The Commodity Credit Corporation announced that 90,000,000 dollars worth of farm products have been sent to Britain to date under the Lease or - Lend Act.

The Washington correspondent of The New York Times says that the Assistant-Secretary of the Navy, Mr James V. Forrestal, has returned from Britain and reported the results of his investigations to President Roosevelt. It is reliably learned that he said that Britain’s greatest need was heavy bombers to combat the U-boats and thereby make the American convoys unnecessary. Britain also needed ships and tanks, he said, indicating that an invasion was still feared. He added that British morale was so high that any attempt to negotiate peace would precipitate a revolution. Furthermore, the public confidence in Mr Churchill was at its highest. The Royal Air Force had greatly improved its night defences and hoped to overcome the night raid menace by downing 10 per cent, of the raiders. Hie New York Times says that American Administration circles believe that 200 heavy bombers would permit Britain to smash the _ U-boats. They believe, too, that it is likely that such a number will have been supplied from America before the end of the summer.

The battleship Washington of 35,000 tons, and armed with 16-inch guns, has been commissioned, raising America’s battleship strength to 17. Completed six months ahead of schedule, the Washington cost 70,000,000 dollars. Senator Josh Lee (Democrat) has asked the Senate if the United States Navy would seize Dakar and convoy supplies to Britain as the best means of America avoiding total war.