MR ROOSEVELT’S REQUEST

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21369, 13 March 1941, Page 7

MR ROOSEVELT’S REQUEST

GUNS, PLANES AND MUNITIONS APPROPRIATION OF 7,000,000,000 DOLLARS HELPING DEMOCRACIES TO RESIST AGGRESSION (United Press Assn.— Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received March 13, 11.35 a.m.) WASHINGTON, March 12 In a letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, which accompanied a bill appropriating 7,000,000,000 dollars, President Roosevelt wrote: — “ This nation felt it imperative to the security of America that we should encourage the democracies’ heroic resistance to aggression by not only maintaining, but increasing the flow of material assistance from this country. Therefore Congress enacted the bill and I signed it.” Mr Roosevelt added: “Through this legislation our country is determined to do its full part in creating an adequate arsenal of democracy. This great arsenal will bulwark our own defence. It will be a source of tools of defence for all democracies which are fighting to preserve themselves against aggression. “ While the defence equipment produced under law remains under the control of the United States until it is readv for disposition, it is the fixed policy of this Government to make for democracies every gun, plane and munition of war which we possibly can. “ For the accomplishment of these objectives I am transmitting an estimate of 7,000,000,000 dollars and I strongly urge the immediate enactment of this appropriation.”

BRITAIN’S GRATITUDE MR CHURCHILL S THANKS THE DEFEAT OF NAZISM CHEERS IN PARLIAMENT (Official Wireless) (Received March 13, 1.0 p.m.) RUGBY, March 12 A remarkable demonstration of cheering followed a statement by Mr Winston Churchill in the House of Commons regarding Mr Roosevelt’s signing of the Lease-and-Lend Bill. He said: “The Lease-and-Lend Bill became law yesterday, when it received immediately the signature of the President. I am sure that the House will wish me to express on its behalf and on behalf of the nation a dear and respectful appreciation of this monument of generous and far-seeing statesmanship. “The most powerful democracy has in effect declared in a solemn statute that it will devote its overwhelming industrial and financial strength to ensuring the defeat of Nazism, in order that nations, great and small, may live in security, tolerance and freedom. “By so doing the Government and people of the United States have, in fact, written a new Magna Carta, which not only has regard to the rights and laws upon which healthy and advancing civilisation can alone be directed, but also has proclaimed, by precept and example, the duty of free men and free nations, wherever they .may be. to share the responsibility and burden of enforcing them. “In the name of the British Government and speaking, I am sure, for Parliament and for the whole country, and indeed in the name of all freedom-loving people, I offer the United States our gratitude for an inspiring act of faith.” ECONOMIC PROBLEMS WEALTH IN FEW HANDS WIDER DISTRIBUTION URGED SMALL ENTERPRISE WANTED (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received March 13, 11.40 a.m.) WASHINGTON, March 12 A further clarification of Mr J. C. O’Mahoney’s statement stressed the enormous importance of over-con-centration of wealth in the hands of few vast corporations. Mr O’Mahoney said: “The country has passed completely from individual to corporate economy, characterised by an amazing concentration of corporate ownership of wealth and dividend distribution. Not only do corporations own the great bulk of the industrial and commercial assets and income, but within the corporate structure itself concentrations are progressing. Commerce Department statistics and testimony prove that only ten States have assessed valuations greater than the total assets of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and the American Telephone and Telegraph Company. “The large corporations tend at a rapidly accelerating rate to invest their surpluses in Government funds, thus slowly as the concentration proceeds the flow turns away from organised business towards the Government. The inevitable and inescapable result of such process is the final triumph of big Government and the destruction of what we call the private enterprise syst< “We need a programme which will set free for productive enterprise the unimagined energies of the most progressive people which has ever inhabited this globe. New business and small enterprise are necessary for the purpose of encouraging new employment and a wider distribution of wealth.” On March 11 it was stated that Mr

SPENDING THE MONEY OUTLAY OF 7,000.000,000 DOLLARS APPORTIONMENT TO SERVICES BUDGET DIRECTOR’S REPORT (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received March 3, 12.55 p.m.) WASHINGTON. March 12 Accompanying Mr Roosevelt's letter was a report by thl Budget Director. Mr Smith, on how the 7,000,000,000 dollars would be spendable:— (1) Ordnance and ordnance stores, 2,343,000,000 dollars. (2) Aircraft, 2,054,000,000 dollars. (3) Tanks and armoured cars, 362.000,000 dollars. (4) Ships, 629,000,000 dollars. (5) Miscellaneous equipment, equipment, 260,000,000 dollars. (6; Facilities and equipment for the maintenance of defence articles, 752,000,000 dollars, and agricultural, industrial and other commodities, 350,000,000 dojlars. (7) Testing, outfitting and repairing any defence articles, 200,000,000 dollars. (8) Services and expenses for carrying out unspecified portions of the programme, 40,000,000 dollars. (9) Administrative expenses, 10,000,000 dollars. NAZI REACTION NO WORLD DICTATORSHIP GERMANY. ITALY. JAPAN (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received March 13, 1 p.m.) BERLIN, March 12 Commenting on the Lease and Lend Bill, the Wilhelmstrasse spokesman said:— “ Neither Germany, Italy nor Japan has the slightest intention of submitting itself in any way to an attempted world dictatorship or world policing, if such is intended. Mr Masuoka’s visit should serve to emphasise this.” BY BIG MAJORITY PASSING OF THE BILL WEAPONS FOR BRITAIN United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) WASHINGTON, March 11 The Act to Promote the Defence of the United States, known as the “ Lend-or-Lease,” or “ Aid-to-Brit-ain ” Bill, was passed by the House of Representatives by 3317 votes to 71. After signing the Bill Mr Roosevelt approved an initial list of army and navy weapons to be sent to Britain and Greece. The President said the nature of the list necessarily was kept secret until the military implications were not valuable to anyone except the recipients. Mr Roosevelt then revealed that he had asked the leaders of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees to set up a small sub-committee to confer regularly with him and so keep informed of his activities under the Bill. There was a final and historic scene in the House of Representatives. Amid applause from both Republicans and Democrats Mr Martin (Republican—Massachusetts), the floor leader, said he had to vote for the Senate revisions. “ I voted against the Bill because I am opposed to granting powers to the President which I believed should be retained by Congress. A short time after Congress com-

J. C. O'Mahoney, chairman of the Federal Monopoly Committee suggested that Congress call a conference of business, labour, farm and consumer leaders to draft a national economic constitution that would abolish the economic uncertainties “which seem to threaten even our political system.”

pleted action on the Bill today, the Vice-President; Mr Henry A. Wallace, said the Speaker of the House, Mr S. Rayburn, sigfined at 3 p.m, President Roosevelt signed the measure at 7.30 p.m., thus completing this most important enactment. The Maritime Commission has approved the sale to British interests of 12 freighters at present laid up, totalling 100.000 tons. Victory for Free Peoples Mr Bloom, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, made the closing speech in the debate on the Lend and Lease Bill. He said: “Mr Speaker, this Bill is the voice of an aroused America, sounding the j trumpet call of victory for free Gov- ! ernment everywhere. By this action j the United States gives the lie to j the cowardly and defeatist cry that j democracy is powerless in the face |of aggression. We are now proving i that democracy can and will unite to j carry into effect Abraham Lincoln’s high resolve that we shall not perish from the earth.” JAPANESE COMMENT CONVOYS OI MERCHANTMEN I'niicd I'rco A.-?n. -Her. Trl. Cnpyriylit) TOKIG. March 11 Referring to the American “Lend-and-Lease" Bill, the Japanese newspaper Yomiuri said the United States i will eventually form convoys of her own merchantmen escorted by American warships to tend material [ to Britain.