Wairarapa Times-Age THURSDAY, JULY 4, 1940. ASSISTANCE FROM AMERICA.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 July 1940, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age THURSDAY, JULY 4, 1940. ASSISTANCE FROM AMERICA.

SOMETHING almost repellent may be found by a good many people in the terms in which the two noted Kepublicans now being admitted to the United States Cabinet Mr Heniy L. Stimson, whose nomination as Secretary for War has-been approved by the Senate Military Committee and Colonel Frank Knox, whose appointment as Secretary for the Navy has yet to be voted upon by the Senate Naval Committee have expressed themselves on the subject of the policy the United States should adopt in the war. Both Mr Stimson and Colonel Knox have affirmed that all aid should be given to the Allies short of war, but the grounds on which they advocate this policy are, to say the least, rather narrow. Mr Stimson’s attitude was defined in brief terms in his answer to the following question by Senator Taft: — If Britain could be saved only by the United States entering the war, would you favour it, even though Germany had not attacked us? The reply of the new Secretary for War was Only if by so doing it would be better for our defensive position. At present our own protection involves the preservation of the British Fleet, but three years hence it might not. Colonel Knox, when he was asked whether the vital interests of the United States were in the scales, replied: — An Allied victory vitally concerns the United States, but if you mean vital interests to the extent of going to war on the side of the Allies, no. It may very well be considered that these statements are not only marked by a failure to appreciate the supreme importance and value of the service Britain, with her Dominions and allies, is rendering to world democracy, but fall considerably short of an intelligent recognition of the peril to which the United States would be exposed should Britain be defeated. There are impressive grounds for believing that if British democracy were overthrown, the overthrow of American democracy would be a matter only of time. No doubt, however, Mr Stimson and Colonel Knox feel it necessary to align themselves with the desire to keep out of the war, if that be humanly possible, which admittedly is strong and widespread in the United States. The larger saving feature of the situation is that Britain and those who stand with her are upheld by a strong faith in their ultimate victory, though they receive to the end from the United States only aid short of war. Every incentive to develop that aid on a generous scale should be found in Mr Stimson’s frank admission? that British seapower in the Atlantic today shields the United States from “a grave national emergency, fraught with the possibility of immediate peril.”

A JAPANESE DEMAND.

JT is learned in London, a cablegram has stated, that the British reply to Japanese inquiries regarding traffic on the Burma route to China and other questions may be dispatched within a few days. The inquiry regarding traffic on the Burma route to China is in fact an imperative Japanese demand that this traffic should cease—that Britain should no longer send or allow others to send war supplies to China by way of the. road from Burma. The demand is as lawless as is Japan’s invasion of China and the Tokio Government obviously is emboldened to make it only by the fact that Britain is at present rather fully occupied in her war with Germany and Italy. The British Government obviously is confronted by a grave problem. In the circumstances that exist today, it would be no light matter to invite Japanese hostility. On the other hand, Japan is demanding that a perfectly lawful traffic should be discontinued and that Britain, in effect, should take sides in the Far East with the aggressor and against the victim of aggression. More than ever, if Britain yields to that demand, will it be possible for the leaders and people of China to say, as Madame Chiang Kai-shek, wife of the Chinese Generalissimo, said recently:—■ • One disconcerting thing is that, though we have been deserted, as it were, the democracies seem to be willing to listen with a strangely attentive ear to the demands of Japan that the Powers should remain neutral. Japan, with the air of a grievously injured innocent, is crying for help to destroy us as if it were her country that was being wrongly invaded and consumed by fire, and her people who were being blown to fragments by the guns of Chinese aggressors. These reproaches have point, as they relate to all the democracies, but hardly to Britain alone. As world affairs are ordered today, no nation has a greater or more manifest responsibility, where relations in the Far East are concerned, than the United States. The general policy of the United. States has been to maintain and uphold the status quo in the Far East and according Io a message from Washington the return of the American Fleet to Hawaii “supports the belief held in informed circles that the Administration is standing by its announced policy.’’ if any pressure is now to be put upon Japan to induce her 1o restrain her militarist extremists the United States presumably must take the lead in applying that pressure. American readiness or unreadiness in this matter no doubt will have an important bearing on the reply to be made by Britain to Japanese inquiries regarding traffic on the Burma route to China.

At a I sentatives kstt'i was decide at th >.hirar< pital Board t isked to place a. of stretchers throughout its a hospital depots, in case of emerg The cost would be distributed by the board among local contributing authorities. Valueless Cheques Issued. Valueless cheques issued to Wellington business firms in August, 1935, formed the basis of 10 charges of false pretences preferred against Jane Harding, alias Vivienne Marjorie Atlee-Hunt, saleswoman, aged 33, in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, yesterday. She pleaded guilty and was committed by Mr Goulding, S.M., to the Supreme Court for sentence. Nev? Radio Station. The shortage of steel and scarcity of carpenters and concrete workers, accentuated by the rush camp job at Waiouru, will mean that Auckland’s IZB commercial broadcasting studio in Durham Street West will not be completed by November as originally scheduled. (It is possible that the five-storied building will not be ready for occupation before June or July next year. Winner of Motor Car. The owner of the winning ticket in the recent raffle for a motor-car for the Sick, Wounded and Distress Fund has been found. He is Mr George Gallate, for 40 years a resident of Wellington, and well known in the food supply and restaurant business. He said yesterday that he had the winning ticket, No. 27695, safely at home. It was one of 11 tickets he had bought, the remainder of a book, the winning ticket being the second to last in the book. Rail-Car Accommodation. The inadequacy of rail-car accommodation on the Wairarapa line was brought before a (meeting of district local body representatives yesterday by Mr J. B. Carruthers, of Eketahuna. Mr Carruthers stated that the present railcar accommodation from Woodville to Trentham was totally inadequate. It was pointed out that soldiers were being left on station platforms as the cars were full up. It was decided to write to the Railways Department on the matter Service of Intercession. The Rev R. S. Kings presided at the weekly prayer of intercession held in the Masterton Opera House yesterday. Mr Kings apologised for the absence of the Ven Archdeacon E. J. Rich, and the Revs. T. V. Pearson, V. W. Joblin and H. Taeapa, who were attending the annual Anglican Synod, and also the Rev D. McNeur (president of the Masterton Ministers’ Association). Brief addresses were given by the Revs J. Davie and Kings, and Major Mahaffle led the gathering in intercession. There was a large attendance. Court Martial. The finding of the district court martial, which sat at Papakura Camp on Friday has been confirmed by the convening officer, Colonel N. W. McD. Weir, and promulgated in camp orders. Accused, Privates N. Catley and W. Hemphill, 24th (Auckland) Rifle Battalion, who were found guilty of being absent without leave and not guilty of desertion, were each sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment with hard labour in Auckland prison. In addition, each forfeited 27 days’ pay as a result of absence from camp from May 17 to June 12. In accordance with custom, the sentences were read to the men at a special parade of the batallion. Maori v Pakeha. Mr P. Ngatuere, of Hastwells, a well-known hockey enthusiast, is endeavouring to arrange a representative match between Maori and Pakeha women’s teams. If it eventuates, this match should prove both a big draw and a fine exhibition of the game. In addition to the Maoris playing in the Wairarapa competitions, there are also some fine players in the Hastwells district who could be drawn, and there is no doubt whatever that a very strong team could be chosen. The proposal will probably soon be submitted to the Wairarapa Women’s Hockey Association, and will no doubt be enthusiastically received. Practical Assistance. At a meeting of local body representatives yesterday, convened by the Mayor of Masterton, Mr T. Jordan, following a request from the Minister of Internal Affairs to consider the British child evacuee scheme, Mi’ Jordan announced that the Wairarapa College Board of Governors had offered to take two boys of school age at College House. Mr and Mrs G. G. Hancox had volunteered to take care of them during the holidays. It was pointed out that there was accommodation for a further twenty boys and the suggestion was made that residents who did not wish to take a child in their homes could pay for board at College House, but would be responsible for the child during term holidays, etc. Compulsory Loan Proposal. Complaint of a lack of information in the Budget concerning the proposals for a compulsory loan, an excess profits tax. and the regulations giving the Government power to take over overseas securities was made by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Hamilton) in the House of Representatives last evening. Referring to the compulsory loan proposal, he said that full details should have been given to avoid confusion and misundertanding, as no business or enterprise could plan for the future without definite informa- , tion. The Government should tell the i people the worst, for when a person knew what his obligations were he could arrange his affairs accordingly. Appendix Commercialised. Funds for patriotic purposes are being raised throughout New Zealand in many ingenious ways. The palm for inventiveness, however, must surely be awarded to a Wellington resident who. when taken to hospital for an appendicitis operation, hit on the novel idea of charging visitors who came to see him sixpence to see his appendix reposing in a bottle, the money to go to help the war effort. The sum raised is not known, but as many of his fellow-workers in the Public Works Department went to sec him. it is understood that it was quite a tidy amount. The doctor who performed the operation was heard to say when he learned of the scheme that it was the first time he had ever heard of an appendix being commercialised.

RATLjN OF RECL. ARRANGEMENTS. Problems arising out of the scheme to bring British children to the Dominion were discussed at a meeting yesterday of local body representatives convened by the Mayor of Masterton, Mr T. Jordan, at the request of the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr Parry). Mr Jordan presided over an attendance representative of all parts of the Wairarapa. An apology for absence was received from Mr R. E. Gordon Lee, chairman of the Masterton County Council. A brief outline of the Government’s scheme was given by Mr Jordan, who stated that children would be placed in individual homes under a provincial quota arrangement. Each provincial committee would have the responsibility of allocating the children to their new homes. Mr J. J. Hercock, District Child Welfare officer, offered his full co-opera-tion, and made several practical suggestions.. It was decided that forms of application for children should be issued by local authorities, the completed forms to be sent to the secretary, Mr G. T. O'Hara Smith, Town Clerk, Masterton. Messrs Jordan (chairman), Gordon Lee, W..H. Chcetham, D. L. Taverner, J. B. Carruthers and J. J. Hercock (ex officio), were appointed a central executive. . Mr Jordan stated that residents who wished to nominate children of relatives in Great Britain should communicate directly with the Under-Secretary, Department of Internal Affairs, without delay. When the allocation was made by the provincial committees, relatives would be given preference.