AMERICAN DEFENCE

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21246, 17 October 1940, Page 12

AMERICAN DEFENCE

DANGER IN FAR EAST REFUSAL OF PASSPORT PRESIDENT’S BROADCAST (United Presd Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 For the purpose of keeping Americans from danger in the Far East the State Department has announced that passports will not be issued unless the applicant has satisfactory reasons for going to the Far East. Such restrictions hitherto have applied only to Europe. Nearly 3000 United States citizens in the Far East have taken the advice of their Government to return home and have registered. Twelve hundred registrations have been made in Shanghai, 1000 in Japan, and the remainder in Hongkong. In a broadcast today—the eve of the registration under the Conscription Act of 16,000,000 between 21 and 35 years—Mr Roosevelt said: “Those who have dared to threaten the whole world with war—those who have created the name and deed of ‘total war’—have imposed upon us and upon all free peoples the necessity of preparation for total defence. “But this day not only imposes a duty,” Mr Roosevelt added. “It provides also an opportunity for united action in the cause of liberty and an opportunity of continuing creation on this continent, where a free people alone shall be master, and where the people shall be truly free.” In reply to a question by journalists toady, Mr Roosevelt said that machine tools not required for defence would be available to Russia and other friendly Powers. It is understood that 7,000,000 dollars’ worth of tools and 51,000 tons of oil tank shipping for the transport of gasoline have been released to Russia since August.