U.S.A. CABINET

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 June 1940, Page 5

U.S.A. CABINET

AND SALE OF ARMS TO ALLIES INVESTIGATION BY SENATE COMMITTEE. ATTITUDE OF REPUBLICANS. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. WASHINGTON, June 21. Senator Nyc told the Senate that ;in investigation by the Military Affairs Committee may show that the War Secretary, Mr 11. 11. Wood- ' ring, resigned when he was ordered to deliver to the Allies a United States’ secret bomb sight.

Earlier in the House of Representatives, Mr Carlson had introduced a resolution for a joint Congressional investigation of the circumstances surrounding Mr Woodring’s resignation, stressing reports that Mr Woodring had recently said that he would be forced to resign because he opposed the sale to the Allies of arms needed by the United States. The Senate Military Affairs Committee decided to hold hearings in public on Mr Stimson’s appointment as Secretary of War on the insistence of Republican members. Senator Nye indicated that Mr Woodring would be called before the Committee during the hearings on Mr Stimson’s appointment. Mr Stimson will also be asked to testify. It is planned to delay the hearings till after the Republican national convention. It is likely that similar hearings will be held in respect to Colonel Frank Knox, who has been nominated as Secretary of the Navy. NON-PARTY SERVICE. Colonel Knox made a statement that he had accepted the secretaryship because “the President said that I can help him in national defence. It is not a partisan question. It should have the united support of the people regardless of party. Congress in the past few weeks has acted in substantial unanimity on every defence proposal. The administration of the Navy Department is in no sense political. The navy knows no party, and at a time of tremendous naval expansion it is vital that its management should be wholly non-political.

“The President has asked me to serve on that basis, and, on that basis, I accepted. I firmly believe that in a time of danger to our country each of us must do whatever we can to meet the danger as good citizens. We must serve in whatever capacity we are asked to serve.” Mr Roosevelt made a statement in which he alleged that the opponents of his “National Solidarity” Cabinet were acting from paritsan instead of patriotic motives. He defended the nomination of Colonel Knox and Mr Stimson as a step to solidify the United States in the face of a grave international crisis. The President refused at a Press conference to comment on Mr A. Landon’s assertion that the nomination of two Republicans was an indication that he had given them, assurances that he would not seek a third term. Mr Roosevelt said that the same conclusion applied to those opponents who charge that by forming a twoparty Cabinet he is forming a war Cabinet and making the Democratic Party a war party.