WAR MATERIALS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 162, 8 June 1940, Page 7

WAR MATERIALS

SUPPLY FOR ALLIES. - • . • ; ; ■■■ * : y . . /. ; ' - 'MR ROOSEVELT’S PLAN. EQUIPMENT STORED. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received June 8, 9.15 a.m. WASHINGTON, June 7. President Roosevelt, at a Press conference, said lie was asking Congress to incorporate in pendilig legislation authority for the United States to trade in old types of guns and thereby complete the Government’s power to turn back to the manufacturers all kinds of surplus equipment. The effect would be to make available to the Allies large stores of war supplies.

Continuing, Mr Roosevelt said authority already existed to turn back ammunition and aeroplanes to the manufacturers, but not guns. He added that new equipment could not be turned in, but “ ’planes get out-dated darned fast.'’

Mr Roosevelt said he, referred specifically to the large quantities of British and French “75’s” which had been stored in the United States since 1919. Asked whether confidential equipment like bombsights could be removed from the ’planes and returned to the manufacturers, Mr Roosevelt said : “I do not think there is any need to worry on that score.” The Secretary for the Navy (Mr C. Edison) announces that the cruiser Wichita is en route to South American ports “on a friendly visit.”. The Allied Purchasing Mission is attempting to obtain warplanes which neutral countries have" ordered from American manufacturers.

President Roosevelt’s programme to sell Army and navy equipment and munitions to the Allies touched off a debate in the House, including Republican charges that the United States was violoting international law by plunging into war. to which Representative Faddis replied : “Anybody who reads newspapers and his mail knows that public sentiment is overwhelmingly behind President Roosevelt’s statement. The United States’s frontiers are on the Rhine.” SURPLUS STOCKS.

An earlier report stated : Tlie United States is understood to have submitted to the Allies a large list of World War guns, rifles and munitions, available at short notice. Unconfirmed reports say that the Anglo-French purchasing mission has completed arrangements for obtaining some of these. The United States Army has resurveved ' its stocks arid has declared a surplus of an additional 1,000,000dollars worth of equipment stored since the World War. Sale to Britain and France can be accomplished indirectly. The Army is turning over the equipment to American manufacturers as part payment for new orders, and the manufacturers are selling the older equipment to the Allies. An official said there might be a statement within 24 hours and added that up to a fortnight ago the Allies, had received 2300 American-made ’planes. The peak could be reached in January. SUPPLIES FOR ALLIES. War supplies being made available to the Allies include several hundred army and navy aeroplanes, over a thousand cannon and 600,000 rifles. The army has arranged for the United States Steel Corporation to take over stocks of guns and ammunition originally costing 200 million dollars. for which the Government will be credited with fifty millions in partpayment for new weapons. The Steel Corporation will be free to sell the old weapons to the Allies. The army plans to dispose of 250 pursuit ’planes - m addition to the navy’s ninety. President Roosevelt, during his statement, did not mention the Allies, but merely declared that trading-in was a good business deal. He added that the bombers being traded-iu had been delivered to the navy only recently, but did not have armour or puncture-proof tanks. All will be stripped of military secrets, including bombsights. FOREIGN SECURITIES. The Treasury has ordered postal and Customs officials to watch foreign securities mailed and imported into the United States. The order is designed to prevent Germany realising upon securities seized from invaded countries. It also prohibits the importing of securities from many countries unless scheduled for immediate delivery to the Federal Reserve Bank, which must hold the securities until the Treasury is satisfied the original owners were not the Governments or nationals of invaded countries. The Secretary to the Treasury (Mr H. M Morgenthau) has announced that Britain, France, Canada, Newfoundland and Bermuda are exempt.

The army arsenals have been ordered to operate on a 24-hour basis. The Federal Communications Commission has banned practically all amateur broadcasting from mobile stations. The House tentatively approved a Wagner Act amendment permitting employers to refuse to negotiate .with aliens, apparently aimed at Harry Bridges (the Australian leader of the longshoremen).