PACIFIC BASES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 50, 2 March 1943, Page 5

PACIFIC BASES

NEGOTIATIONS URGED AMERICA AND POST-WAR SECURITY

(Recd. 6 p.m.) New York, Feb. 27. The Washington Bureau of the New York Tinies says that the Secretary of the Navy, Colonel Frank Knox, told a Press conference that negotiations should start now for the acquisition of overseas bases which the United States considered would be necessary after the war. “The Navy is not in a position to negotiate for such foreign concessions, but it is entitled to express its views and needs to the Government agencies which would carry out the negotiations,” Colonel Knox said. The Secretary explained that the United States had a large and powerful air base on the island of Upolu in the Samoan Group, which is under New Zealand mandate, and where there is a runway 1000 ft. wide and 6000 to 7000 ft. long, permitting five planes to land simultaneously. It is equipped with revetments protecting the planes from bombing, and has excellent dispersal stations scattered in jungle-covered areas. The entire base has been built from crushed volcanic rock, which hardens when rained upon. Questioned as to whether Upolu was one of the bases it was suggested New Zealand might turn over in perpetuity to America. Colonel Knox replied: “Yes. That is under discussion.”

Concluding. Colonel Knox asserted that the United States should be concerned only with military needs, and not with acquiring new bits of land. “This must be a matter for negotiation, and we are not going to grab them,” he said.

A powerful system of American defence bases will be established in the Pacific, said Mr. Carl Vinson, chairman of the House of Representatives Naval Affairs Committee. A chain of naval and air strongholds would be built up In all vital strategic points to ensure peace and security in the Pacific for all time.

“The United States has no territorial ambitions, and will continue to respect British, Dutch, Chinese, and French sovereignty.” he said. “It may be a long and hard struggle to crush Japan, but it will be accomplished. When it is done the next job will be to ensure that the threat of aggression is removed.

“In the Pacific there must an efficient safeguard against a treacherous and sudden attack. The United States will need naval and air bases along the far-flung Pacific routes. The matter is now in the exploratory stage. “The construction of the bases should not be postponed until the end of the war. Congress should put before the Administration a definite programme so that the Administration can act.

“Recommendations could be implemented by formal agreements with the different nations concerned. The former Japanese strategic bases must never be returned to Japan. Other bases in the United Nations territories, whether free of temporarily occupied by the enemy, could either be acquired by the United States on leasehold. like those got from Britain m the Caribbean Sea, or reserved for joint use in common defence measures.

“The Pacific is vital to America, and its safety is of immediate concern to us. If we want to keep It safe we must make our contribution to achieve this aim. We will expect others to make theirs.”

COMMENT BY MR. FRASER

(P.A.) Wellington, March 1. When asked to comment on the remarks attributed to Colonel Knox, the Prime Minister, Mr. Peter Fraser, stated that no negotiations had taken place concerning the post-war provision of permanent American bases in the Pacific. In any case, such a matter would require to be discussed by ail the Empire Governments concerned—United Kingdom. Australia, New Zealand—with the United States, he said. “So far as Western Samoa is concerned. New Zealand occupies a position of trusteeship on behalf of the native inhabitants for the League of Nations.” said the Prime Minister. “Until that body is reconstituted or its authority is vested in some similar international organisation New Zealand is not in a position to enter into discussions as to the disposition of its mandated territory.”