MR WILLKIE’S TRIP

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 January 1941, Page 5

MR WILLKIE’S TRIP

DESIRE FOR IMPRESSIONS OF BRITAIN

' THINKS LEASE & LOAN BILL WILL PASS. AFTER REASONABLE DEBATE. I i.By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) WASHINGTON. January 19. “I waul to get the viewi point of the people in the hoinb-Gieliers and in all walks ! <d' life. I want to get their ideas on what kind of Govi eminent Britain should have al’ier she wins the war—l reI fuse io consider any other r possible end to the struggle i than :t British victory." said I )lr Wendell Willkie today, I discussing his eoinint. r trip to I Britain. i Mr Willkie added that he believed I that the Lease and Loan Bill would be I adopted easily after a reasonable de--1 bate. President Roosevelt today conferred I with Mr Willkie and Mr Cordell Hull i (State Secretary), The President i handed Mr Willkie a personal note for Mr Churchill. Mr Willkie told the Press that ho was unable to disclose the contents of the note, and added: "It i.s a pleasant I personal note; not a formal introducI tion." KEEPING OUT OF WAR _ I i MR KENNEDY’S ADVOCACY. THE LIMITS OF ASSISTANCE TO BRITAIN. MONTREAL. January 18. The former United States Ambassador in London. Mr J. P. Ken- I nedy, in a broadcast on the Lease I and Loan Bill, said that he did not I believe his country faced "such immediate danger as to justify this surrender of Congress authority and responsibility.” Mr Kennedy expressed the view! that when the hearing of evidence was completed "there will be revealed less drastic ways of meeting the problem! of adequate authority for the Prcsi-I dent." He emphasised repeatedly that ■ while the United States should aidi Britain to the utmost she should direct all her efforts to keeping out of war. if possible. Mr Kennedy spoke for the N.B.C. which donated the time as a public service. He proposed outright gifts of arms, munitions, and aeroplanes to Britain. "Wo should go to the very limit in our assistance.” ho said, "but not to a point which would endanger! our own protection.

"If I am called an appeaser because I am opposed to entering the war. I cheerfully plead guilty. So must anyone who wants to keep America out. "England’s spirited defence is affording us precious time to rearm. Consequently it is in our interest that England bo aided. "There are many false statements regarding my views and there is growing confusion and reliance upon emotion. When 1 reported to our Government on the seriousness of the problem which faced the British ]ieople it was said that I predicted the defeat of Britain. That is not true. I reported on the serious obstacles to a British victory. "1 know many of Britain’s weaknesses. and predictions can only be based on complete knowledge of the strength and weakness of both sides. .A prediction of England's defeat would be senseless, but one can recognise th.e! enormous difficulties facing Britain' without foreseeing her defeat."