ARMS FOR SOUTH AMERICA

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 145, 15 March 1939, Page 9

ARMS FOR SOUTH AMERICA

Sweeping Proposals In

U.S.A.

SALE OF MILITARY SECRETS URGED Large-Scale Defence Plan For Western Hemisphere By Telegraph.—Press Assn.-Copyright. (Received March 14, 11.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Mar. 14. Foreign policy entered a new phase of controversy today when Senator Pittman, with the approval of the State Department, introduced a resolution in the Senate permitting the supply of warships, arms and munitions, and all necessary secrets concerning their manufacture and operation, to South American republics. The broad terms of _ Senator Pittman's resolution surprised even his closest associates. It has not been suggested hitherto that materials involving secret manufacture or secret processes should be supplied to foreign Governments.

The resolution also left open the question of payment and merely specified that “no transaction herein shall result in expense to the United States.” It would authorize supplies merely with the understanding that, at an unspecified future date, the purchasers would reimburse the United States Similar Resolution. Representative Bloom, introducing a similar resolution in the House of Representatives, commented that it would enable South American countries to l> e “better prepared to resist attack from the armed forces of' non-American Powers.”

The proposals are the broadest laid before Congress since the Great War, The resolution leaves the question of sales directly to the President’s discretion. It opens up a proposition under which the President would be able to sell unlimited arms from Government arsenals to countries with a total combined population exceeding 100,000.000 persons. The resolution binds purchasers not to sell the arms except to other South American Republics. Regarded as virtually tantamount to underwriting the defences of South America, Senator Pittman’s plan for furnishing arms to the Latin American republics thus far lias aroused only favourable comment in spite of the fact that the mild proposals of earlier years involving the sale of old naval craft had fallen through. President. Roosevelt’s hand is sensed behind the proposal, which is the first indication of the magnitude of the pattern of the western hemisphere defence scheme he Ims planned.

Official Endorsement

The fact that the resolution calls for appropriations to finance the purchases is interpreted as meaning that arms will be supplied merely in the expectation that the republics will pay “in due time.”

The early endorsement of the plan by Mr. Sumner Wells, Under-Secretary of State, and Senator Barkley, majority leader, indicates that the Administration is backing it. Mr. Wells commented that it would foster the growing spirit of American solidarity and institute a further necessary step in national defence. Another move in South American diplomacy, with, particular reference to the Panama Canal, is seen in the raising of the American Legation in Panama to the rank of Embassy. Mr. William Dawson was today appointed first Ambassador. A jarring note to these proposals for co-operation in the defence of the Western Hemisphere was, however, provided by a heated Senate debate on tlie recently-announced treaty with Brazil, whereby the United States will make advances of 120,000,000 dollars. Debts to Britain

Senator Hamilton Lewis declared that Brazil was a country which "will promise everything and do nothing.” He said Brazil already owed America millions of dollars on municipal loans, and would use part of the new loans to start repaying her debts to Britain. Senator Reynolds commented that the Foreign Minister of Brazil, Senhor Aranha, had given America “the finest dry-cleaning it had ever experienced.” Senator Borah said that there were no differences between the dictatorships and the democracies when the time came to pay. He caustically referred to the British and French defaults and predicted that more credits would go to default. Senator Reynolds said he had been informed that Brazil was planning a five-year armament programme, spending 70,000,000 dollars in Germany, 20,000,000 dollars in Britain, but only 7,000,000 dollars in the United States of America.

MORE FUNDS WANTED FOR NAVAL BASES

(Received March 14, 6.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, March 13. The Naval Affairs Committee today indicated that it was recommending that the Senate approve more funds for naval bases.