DEFENCE OF AMERICA

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21197, 21 August 1940, Page 8

DEFENCE OF AMERICA

PRESIDENTS WIDE POWERS “VIRTUAL DICTATORSHIP” (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyrig-ht) NEW YORK. August 20 A clause hitherto unnoticed in the Naval Bill enacted recently gives President Roosevelt power to commandeer any manufacturing plant or facilities considered necessary for national defence. Revealing this, the Washington correspondent of the New York Her-ald-Tribune comments that virtual dictatorship has thus been conferred upon the President. The fact was only discovered after a close perusal of the Navy “Speed-up” Act, signed by President Roosevelt on June 28. Observers believe that many members of the Senate and House of Representatives who approved the new law in the feverish rush to enact rearmament legislation were unaware of the unprecedented powers granted. The State Department announced that any foreign diplomatic or consular officials unacceptable to any other American Government will be unacceptable hereafter to the United States. Dr. Ried, German Consul at New York, has been transferred to Kobe, after investigation by America of his activities. INTEREST IN AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND AFFECTED WAR LESSONS FOR AMERICA (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received August 21, 3.15 p.m.) CANBERRA, August 21 The decision of the United States and Canada to set up a Defence Board has most interesting implications for Australia and New Zealand, declared the Minister of External Affairs in the House of Representatives. j He pointed out that for the first j time in history a Power engaged in j a major war is associated with a neutral country in this manner. The past two months, the Minister added, had brought home to the people and Administration of the United States that the defence of that country and the defence of the whole of the Americas could not be regarded on the basis of insularity. | APPOINTMENT OF ATTACHES FIRST TIME IN HISTORY EXCHANGE OF OFFICIALS (United Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received August 21, 3.15 p.m.) OTTAWA, August 20 Captain Victor Brodeur, now Commodore commanding the Pacific coast, has been appointed Canadian naval attache to Washington. Canada has never previously sent either naval or military attaches to the United States. It is also announced that the United States is sending Captain Oliver Read as United States naval attache to