ATLANTIC PATROL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 October 1940, Page 5

ATLANTIC PATROL

ORGANISED BY UNITED STATES

PROPOSAL BY REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE.

FULL NAVAL CO-OPERATION IN PACIFIC.

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) WASHINGTON, October 2. It is announced that the navy is reorganising 125" warships into a new Atlantic patrol force. It will include units of the Atlantic squadron, plane forces and a neutrality patrol. Rear-Admiral llayne Ellis, Chief of the Atlantic Squadron, will take command, and having all the ships in the Atlantic under one commander will result in increased efficiency in operations and training.

The Secretary of the Navy, Colonel Knox, at a Press conference said that a suggestion that has been made of a naval goodwill cruise to New Zealand and Australia was a good idea, but no decision regarding such a cruise had been reached.

Colonel Knox added that the navy did not plan to reinforce the Asiatic fleet, the Yangtze patrol or the units in the Philippines, nor did it intend to withdraw the 1000 marines from Shanghai. Questioned as to whether the navy had negotiated with Britain for the use of Singapore or had planned a survey of the facilities with a view to its future use, he said he did not know of such action. Asked if he was .satisfied with the size and number of American bases in the Pacific, Colonel Knox replied: “I am not satisfied with anything, because I want everything to be better. Of course, the situation with regard to bases in the Pacific could be improved.”

Political and diplomatic circles are interested in an endorsement by the Republican Presidential candidate, Mr Willkie, in an interview in the “Christian Science Monitor,” of an immediate extension of joint Anglo-American defence co-operation in the Pacific and negotiations to secure bases in Singapore and Australia for the United States.

Mr Willkie added: “I am prepared to exert the full leadership of the Republican Party to facilitate prompt action. The Axis threat in Asia has (increased the conviction that the United States must aid Britain to the utmost. If Britain fails we will be utterly and savagely alone. We must send and keep sending aid to Britain, who is our first line of defence and our only remaining friend.” The “Monitor” comments that Mr Willkie gave the impression that he regards American and British interests in the Far East as synonymous.

Though officials refuse to confirm or deny the report, it is reliably indicated in diplomatic quarters that the United States has proposed to the British and French that the 100 Allied planes located in Martinique which were bought from the United States should be repurchased by the United States. It is understood that the British approve but that the French have not committed themselves, contending that they are not free under the armistice terms to dispose of the planes.

•i PACIFIC COAST U.S.A.-CANADA JOINT BOARD. DEFENCE PLANS SPEEDED UP. LONDON, October 2. The joint American-Canadian Defence Board has decided to speed up plans for the defence of the Pacific Coast, it was revealed today by Mr La Guardia, head of the American section of the board. The American report states that the reason given was the signing of the new pact between Germany, Italy and Japan. Several proposals had been accepted and some were already under way. As for the Atlantic, the board has decided to study the defence of New England and the martime provinces of Canada as one whole. It is also announced from Washington that the War Department has ordered an initial unit of 29 war planes and 2400 additional men for duty at the new 12,000,000-dollar air base at Anchorage, Alaska.