LONG PLANNED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 October 1943, Page 3

LONG PLANNED

BRITISH USE OF BASES IN AZORES STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT. BENEFIT TO ALL UNITED NATIONS. (By Telegraph-—Press Association—Copyright) WASHINGTON, October 13. President Roosevelt described the Azores as “the news of the day.” He added that the British-Portuguese agreement originated at his and Mr Churchill’s conference in Washington last May, when they assured Portugal that neither Britain nor America desired to gain territory by taking the Azores from Portugal. Commenting on the actual use of the islands, the President explained: “America has no agreement with Portugal, but obviously we will use them in an emergency to protect American lives and ships. The same applies to other seafaring United Nations.”

Mr Roosevelt said that if Russia allowed the United States to use Siberian bases to bomb Japan, the Japanese would invade Russia. He questioned whether any person should stand up and say Russia ought to go to war with Japan now. Mr Marcelino Garcia, senior partner of the Garcia Steamship Lines, on his return from a three months’ European tour, said that large quantities of war material were being received daily in Portugal from Britain, the receipt of which was general knowledge both in Portugal and Spain. No attempt was made at concealment.

Mr Garcia added that popular sentiment in both countries was definitely on the side of the Allies.