U.S.A. POLICY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 January 1939, Page 7

U.S.A. POLICY

IN EVENT OF EUROPEAN WAR

SUSPICION OF COMMITMENT TO AID FRANCE.

SEARCHING SENATE INQUIRY LIKELY. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. WASHINGTON. January 28. A searching Senate inquiry into the Administration’s entire foreign policy appears to be likely as a result of reports that President Roosevelt, through the Secretary of the Treasury, Mr Morgenthau, and over the heads of Army and Navy chiefs, made available mili-

tary aviation secrets to an agency of the French Government. These reports have brought to a head the suspicion within the Senate Military Affairs Committee that the Administration’s present foreign policy is pointed directly toward participation on behalf of France in a European war. The following developments are re-

garded as backing up the reports: (1) President Roosevelt's statement that the Cabinet had spurred on American factories to produce a rush order

for as many as 600 airplanes for France as a means of making idle plants busy. (2) President Roosevelt’s request for the immediate appropriation of 50.000,000 dollars to build nearly 600 planes for the American Army for the same reason. (3) The closed hearing in which the Senate Affairs Committee questioned Mr Morgenthau, Mr Woodring, Sec-

retary of the Army, and General Craig, Chief of the Military Staff, regarding the presence of M Paul Chemidlin, a representative of the French Air Ministry, in the light Douglas bomber when it crashed during a test flight in Los Angeles six days ago. (4) The announcement by the chairman, Mi- Vinson, of the House Naval Affairs Committee, that he had ‘‘in-

vited” the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Mr Edison, to tell the committee on January 31 whether the Administration really intended to fortify Guam Island, and to what extent. Senate is also expected to probe a report that the United States Ambassador in France, Mr Bullitt, impressed with the imminence of a European war, had approached the chiefs of the Army and Navy with a request that they order service type airplanes, which legally could not be exported, so that, when and if a crisis developed,

but before France was actually at war, President Roosevelt could ask Congress to authorise their sale to France. The service chiefs turned down the suggestion, whereupon it is reported that Mr Bullitt went to President Roosevelt, who sent a letter to Mr Swanson, Secretary of the Navy, Mr Woodring, and Mr Morgenthau directing them to give every possible com sideration to French needs and every, courtesy to the French Air Mission. President Roosevelt’s request for the 50,000,000 dollars’ appropriation closely followed the circulation of this rumour.

BOMBER’S CRASH. President Roosevelt, at a Press conference today, explained regarding the crash of the Douglas bomber, in which the pilot was killed and Mr Chemidlin injured, that the plane had not yet been accepted by the Government and therefore the company had a perfect right to permit anybody to ride in it.

With reference to French purchases of planes, President Roosevelt said that, since the factories were idle, the Cabinet considered it a desirable step, particularly since the French order could be completed before the start of construction of American planes. Several Senators, who looked in on the conference, left unconvinced by President Roosevelt’s comments. They said that, if it became apparent that unusual .facilities had been accorded the French mission, it would raise doubts regarding some of the purposes behind the huge United States air rearmament.

Some Senators are even resolved to inquire into whether there is any informal understanding that, in the event of Britain and France being involved in war, some of America’s air fleet would be placed at their disposal.

SALE OF WARPLANES SENATE COMMITTEE MAKING INVESTIGATION. CONSIDERABLE CONFUSION IN WASHINGTON. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright WASHINGTON. January 29. The Senate Military Affairs Committee investigating the reports of a military understanding with France secretly questioned General Craig as to whether France had been given American military aviation secrets, but members interpreted his answers in various ways. General Craig is reported lo have said, "no devices of the Wai’ Department which are regarded as secret, were shown to the French mission."

Some members were satisfied with this, but others considered the statement ambiguous and semi-meaningless. Senator Nye said: "The airplane deal with France in my opinion constitutes a military alliance." Senator Clark asserted: “I think it a shocking situation when the Government is prepared to permit the sale of our latest planes to a foreign Government before they have been made available to America." The "New York Herald Tribune." in a leader, says that the French airplane episode is a minor illustration of the confusion existing in Washington. "There is not the slightest reason why France should not buy American planes, but the secret fashion in which the negotiations were completed makes il appear that.Mr Bullitt (United States Ambassador in Paris) persuaded President Roosevelt to accept military collaboration with France. Such muddles are dangerous to international understanding."