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Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 September 1941, Page 5

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AMERICAN WAR Ail) MODIFICATION OF NEUTRALITY LAW. URGED BY MR CORDELL HULL. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) NEW YORK. September 22. The “New York Times’’ Washington correspondent reports that at the legislative strategy conference at the White Monse President Roosevelt received assurances from the Democratic Congressional leaders of the speediest possible passage of the 5,985.000.-000-dollar lend-lcase appropriation. They also agreed to tie to the measure a deficiency Bill carrying 100,000.000 dollars in defence items. Both measures, the President told the conference, were necessary to keep aid moving to Britain and her allies.

A few hours later the President sent Congress estimates calling for an additional 150,000,000 dollars for defence, including 120,000,000 dollars for naval ordnance.

The Secretary of State, Mr Cordell Hull, told the Press that he had indicated some time ago, that the Neu J trality Act should be substantially modified. He reminded the reporters that he and President Roosevelt said at the time the neutrality law was enacted that it would be as likely to send the country into war as to keep it out. He pointed out that the LendLease Act was based primarily on the doctrine of self-defence and provided the way to go further as the necessities of defence increased. The Federal Loan Administrator, Mr Jesse' Jones, said that the Reconstruction Finance Corporation had advanced the second instalment of 25,000,000 dollars of 425,000,000 recently authorised against British-owned securities in the United States to finance supplies contracted for prior to the adoption of the lend and lease plan. United States defence production has now reached the point where it is able to" meet all demands for tanks, small guns, and ammunition. This was revealed today by Mr W. S. Knudsen, Director of the Office of Production Management.

Calling for still greater efforts, Mr Knudsen declared it was time .for the country to get behind the armament programme and see it through, “regardless of the sacrifice we have to make in our comfortable standard ol living.” The Navy Department announced that 24 British warships have been repaired at United States ports, of which 12 have already departed, in eluding the battleships Malaya and Rodney. IMMEDIATE REPEAL OF THE NEUTRALITY ACT. ADVOCATED BY'COLONEL KNOX. LONDON. September 23. At today’s launching of the new 35,000 ton United States battleship. Massachusetts, Colonel Knox, Secretary of the Navy, urged the immediate repeal of the Neutrality Act. Any handicap to those trying to keep the war from their continent should be removed, he said. The casualties in Russia, Colonel Knox went on to observe, were gi eater than in other conflict in history. It was essential that aid should be sent when and where it was needed. The United States Labour leader, Mr William Green, also advocated the repeal of the Neutrality Act.