AMERICAN DEFENCE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 246, 16 September 1940, Page 8

AMERICAN DEFENCE.

CONSCRIPTION APPROVED. POWERFUL SEA FORCES. WASHINGTON, Sept. 14. The Senate approved the final draft of the Conscription Bill and sent it to the House of Representatives, which also approved it. Before finally approving, the Senate sent the Conscription Bill back to a conference after a deadlock on the revised industrial draft provision, thus further delaying its adoption. Immediately after the Senate’s action the members of the conference met and restored the original Smith provision to the Bill, empowering the President without restriction to take over plants refusing defence contracts at a “just rental.” TWO-OCEAN FLEET. President Roosevelt has approved of tlic new and stronger naval policy drawn up by the Naval Board based on a prospective two-ocean lieet, the recent acquisition of new naval outposts and the strengthening of the naval air arm. It will be a policy of developing two main bases on each coast. The one in Hawaii will be continued. while air bases will be developed on the coastal areas in outlying islands to support the naval operations. The board states that the major aims are:

(1) The organisation and maintenance of the fleet for major operations in both oceans. (2) The development of naval aviation as an integral part of the fighting forces and indicating the new stress on the air arm. (3) The development and maintenance of shore activities, including strategic bases for the support of the mobile forces. (4) Locating shore activities in such geographical areas and construction in such a manner as to promote security from air and other attack. (5) To foster civil industries useful in wartime. (C) To make building superiority the major aim. It is stated that the Asiatic fleot and other detached forces will keep in readiness for incorporation in the main fleet. Submarine nets have been laid near tlie Golden Gate at the entrance to San Francisco. HONOLULU BASE.

A message from Honolulu statesthat Colonel Knox (Secretary for the Navy) after five days at sea with the battle fleet, said: ‘‘The American sea forces are the most powerful and most effective in the world.” He declared that alter his return to Washington he would do all possible to make Pearl Harbour the most impregnable bulwark of American defences in the Pacific. Colonel Knox added that he believed that tlie army and air strength in the islands needed urgent expansion. It is understood new members are being sent. Colonel Knox will return to the United States by air on Monday. Colonel Knox said: “The United States must revise the earlier concept that safety’ lies in an insularity based on the great fortune that broad oceans stretch on both sides of us. With tlie new weapons available to aggressors and when might alone rules the world we know there will be no safety which does not provide safety and security for, the entire Western World.” Mr Wendell Willkie. the Republican candidate for the Presidency, beginning a nationwide campaign, reiterated his promise to keep America out of the war. “If you elect me. I’ll never send an American boy to fight overseas. I want to make America free and so strong that no dictator will ever strike here, Roosevelt has broadened the export embargo on aviation gasoline to include equipment for the production of aviation fuel, and specifications and technical information thereon also on American aircraft engines.