MONEY FOR ARMS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 143, 17 May 1940, Page 5

MONEY FOR ARMS

MR ROOSEVELT’S PLEA. AMERICAS IN DANGER. NEW MODES OF ATTACK. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received Alay 17, 1D.5 a.in. WASHINGTON, May 16. President Roosevelt to-day asked Congress lor an immediate appropriation of 895,000,000 dollars and additional contract authorisations totalling 286,000,000 dollars lor military implements, “to meet any lightning offensive against American interests.”

“Our vital interests are widespread,” declared the President. ‘•More than ever, the protection of the whole of the American hemisphere against invasion, control, or domination by non-American nations has the united support of the twenty-one republics, including the United States. More than ever, this protection calls tor weapons capable of great mobility. “The Atlantic and Pacific were once reasonably adequate defence barriers, but new elements in the air make it possible to use nearby bases whence attacks on the American Continent can be made, From Newfoundland it is five hours by air, and Nova Scotia and Quebec only six hours to New England. The Azores are two thousand miles from the seaboard. If Bermuda were hostile it would take less than three hours foxmodern bombers to reach our shores, itrazil can be reached from the Cape Verdes in seven hours.” POSSIBLE ATTACKS. •

President Roosevelt detailed the possibilities of an attack on Alaska, Vancouver, Seattle, and elsewhere on the Pacific Coast. “The possibility of attacks on American zones ought to make it essential that we have the ability to prevent them reaching thenobjectives,'' he said. “This means military implements and facilities tor the top-speed production of munitions. Ship for ship, ours are equal to or better than any foreign ship. The army likewise is at its greatest peace-time strength. Combat conditions have changed even more rapidly in the air.” Mr Roosevelt added: “Tear-old aircratt designs are out of date. One belligerent not only has more 'planes than all its opponents combined hut also appears to have a weekly production capacity far greater than its opponents. from the point of view oi oiliown defences great additional production capacity is our principal air requisite. I ask Congress not to take any action which in any way would hamper or delay the delivery of American 'planes to those foreign nations which ordered them or seek to purchase more. That from the viewpoint of our own defences would be extremely shortsighted. 50,000 'PLANES SOUGHT.

“During the past year,” said President Roosevelt, “the American production capacity in warplanes has risen approximately from 6000 annually to more than double, due largely • to foreign orders.' I would like to see this nation geared, enabling it to turn out at least 50,000 yearly. Furthermore, I believe we should plan a programme to provide us with 50,000 military and naval ’planes.” He said that the rearmament drive originally planned for three or four years should be filled immediately with the requested appropriations used to re-equip the army and navy, increase arms production facilities and speed up both existing and now army and navy contracts on a 24hour basis.

“Our defences must be invulnerable, 1 ' Mr Roosevelt continued. “We will meet whatever challenge the future holds. We 6tand ready not only to 6pend millions on defence, but to give our lives for the maintenance of American liberties. There are some who say the democracies cannot cope with the new technique of government developed in recent years by a few countries. This I reject.” IMMEDIATE EXPENDITURE. Mr Roosevelt asked for 456,000,000 dollars for the army, 250,000,000 for the navy, and 100,000,000 for the President’s Fund loi emergencies affecting the national life, national security and defence. These requests are for immediate expenditure for the year beginning in July. Mr Roosevelt added : “These are ominous days. Shocking developments force every neutral to look to its defence in the light of the new factors. No attacks are so unlikely or impossible that they may,be ignored. Americans must recast, their thinking about national protection.’' PROGUAMME OiJTLJNED. The United Press ut America’s correspondent states that Mr Roosevelt proposes a total of 1,182,000,000 dollars for the emergency defence programme, made up of 896,000,000 dollars immediate appropriations for armaments and 286,000,000 dollars, for future contracts making the defence expenditure (with tin, amounts already authorised) 3,182,000,000 dollars. New major expenditures include 106.000.000 dollars for the expansion of pilot training to from 2400 to 7000 yearly, 262,000,000 dollars for'protective mobilisation under which 750,000 men and 250,000 replacements would be ready for combat within 90 days of the outbreak of war, an increase in the regular troops’ strength by 15,000 to 242,000, and 'the purchase of 200 heavy bombers costing 80,000,000 dollars. 1

An earlier message stated that the Naval Affairs Committee urged the maintenance in the Pacific of an impregnable fleet, an air base at Hawaii,

and air and submarine bases at Unalaska, Sitka, Kodiak. Midway, Wake, Johnson, Palmyra, Canton and in the mid-Pacific.