THE CHINA MAIL, JANUARY 10, 1941.
BLANK CHEQUE FOR ROOSEVELT TO
TO AID BRITAIN
(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")'
IT WAS LEARNED IN WASHINGTON LAST NIGHT THAT LEGISLATION GIV- ING PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT "BLANK CHEQUE" AUTHORITY TO HANDLE THE MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR LEASE AND LOAN TO BRITAIN PLAN WILL BE INTRO- DUCED IN CONGRESS TO-DAY:
The measure was approved in principle by President Roosevelt last night at a confer- ence with eight Democrat Congressional leaders and seven Government officials, in- cluding five Cabinet officers and Mr. Wil- liam Knudsen, chief of the Defence Commis- sion.
Details of the measure were withheld pending introduction of the Bill because of certain revisions to be made by legislative drafting experts,
DEFENCE OF THE N.E.I.
great
changes
The which have come over the Netherlands East Indies since the outbreak of war and the loyal cooperation of the native population in defence measures were emphasised yesterday by Slotemaker de Bruine.! who is on an official visit to Britain for the Dutch Colonial Ministry.
It
is rehably warned that the measure will simply authorise the President to proveed With the programme and will
cury appropriations
In substance the Bill so far provides:
BOMB-PROOF PANTS
From a house wreck- ed in a raid on the outskirts of London a bedstead was flung over another building and across two gar- dens. It landed on its legs, in a front gar- den-
With the bedclothes still in place and о pair of neatly-folded trousers still hanging over the back.
LEND AND
LEASE
PROGRESS
President Roose- velt summoned Democra- tic leaders in the Senate and House of Representa-
First, President Roosevelt will For powered to control pur- chicas of ships, tanks, guns and tives to a conference yes-
planes to be turned over to Bri- tak, Greere and Chma through the War and Navy Departments,
Second, the President may
terday
afternoon on legislation to give him virtually unlimited au-
enter into agreements with is thority to lend and lease.
embattled Dentocracies for pay ment
king, either through replacements of materials after hostilities cease
сг ir raw ma
terials the United States needs
in the defence programme.
Congress Position
Third, armaments destined for the Democracies may be withheld by the United States in the event of any of them quitting the war. Virtually the only restrictions Congres will have over the
pro gramme as now drafted is the
amount of money to be appropri ated, and through a provision re- quiring that in negotiations some form of repayment be stipulated. He stated that there is a grow-International News Service, ing demand by natives for a lur- ther measure ofonscription to include natives (all Dutchmen in the East Indies between the ages of 18 and 46 are already con~ scripted).
Officer's training schools are now open to natives who also are be- ing trained as air pilots, gunners and observers, and many natives are proving as good as Dutch pi- lots.
Natives and Chinese are also participating actively in the local Defence Corps on the model of
the British Home Guard.
WARNED OF RED CAUTION
Warning to the Turkish people not to expect any dramatic move by Moscow was given in the semi-of- ficial Ankara newspaper
Naval Strength Economically, the East Indies "Ulus." are now part of the sterling block and the Dutch guilder is no longer accepted.
The Slotemaker pointed out that there is no need for any rationing in the East Indies and 'the 70 mil- lion population · is almost self- sufficient.
Most of the Dutch Navy has al- ways been based in the "East In- dies and is still there. All repairs can be done there and a few ships are being built-Reuter,
FREE FRENCH SUBMARINE LOST The Free French Forces an- nounce that the French submarine Narwahl has been sunk by enemy action while operating with the Allied Forces --Reuter.
The editor who wrote. this secmingly inspired article referred to two recent denials from Mos- cow.
a
The first contradicted a re- port that Russia favoured. grouping of Britain, Turkey, the Soviet Union, Greece and. Yugo. slavla. The second denied the -German- statement that Russia had been told in advance of the Nazi move Into Rumania.
"There is no doubt that these derials, particularly the second- open the way to fanciful fore- casts," said "Ulus."
"The Soviet Union," in face of the struggle which threatens- to become world-wide, la con- cerned only with her own in- terests."
In Ankara this article is regard- ed as an authoritative declaration that the Turks should not be too confident of Soviet aid should Turkey become involved in war.
war material to Britain and other nations war- ring against the Axis.
It is believed the meet- ing has paved the way for the introduction of a Bill in Congress to-day.
the
One high authority stated measure inakes possible future ap. propriations in any amount which Congress may vote, delegating to the fullest res- the Government ponsibility for handling "lend and lease" aid to the Democracies.
re-
A member of the Administration told the press yesterday they were working hard on plans for leasing aeroplanes to Greece, and added:
"We hope to do some- thing soon".--Reuter.