“ON VERGE OF WAR”

Timaru Herald, Volume CL, Issue 22063, 9 September 1941, Page 5

“ON VERGE OF WAR”

Attack On American

Destroyer

President’s Broadcast Awaited

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. 11.28 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 8. The Reykjavik correspondent of the Associated Press says that British and American officers believe the U.S. destroyer Greer sank the attacking U-boat. This discounts statements to the contrary from Berlin as deliberately misleading. Meanwhile British and American warships are collaborating in combing the site of the incident because the U-boat, if not sunk, could not yet have reached port. The United States Attorney-General (Mr Frederick Biddle) said that President Roosevelt’s broadcast on Thursday would throw light on the explosive international situation arising out of the submarine attack on the United States destroyer Greer and the unsatis-

factory nature of the German reply. “We are on the very verge of war,” said Mr Biddle. An official at the White House, declining to comment on the contents of the speech, said it would be “Of major significance.” The speech will take fifteen minutes and will be rebroadcast in 14 languages. Speculation In the United States on the nature of President Roosevelt’s speech, ranges from United States naval protection for merchant convoys to an announcement that he will seek Congressional permission to declare, war.

Majority opinion is that the President will aimounce that merchant convoys will be given United States protection.

In London it is popularly expected that the President may speak r.bout the delicate Far East situation on which the United States-Japan'ese informal talks have been proceeding, and also about the coming Moscow conference between the three Great Powers engaged in the cause of freedom.