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THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 12, 1941.
BRITAIN'S GREATEST NEEDS
Willkie's Evidence On Aid Britain Legislation
Destroyers First: Calls For All Out Assistance
"BRITAIN REQUIRES BOTH IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM ASSISTANCE AND THE ONLY WAY THE UNITED STATES COULD HELP BRITAIN QUICKLY WAS TO ENACT THE AID TO BRITAIN BILL 'WITH MODIFICATION” “, DECLARED MR. WENDELL WILLKIE, GIVING EVIDENCE YESTERDAY BEFORE THE SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE.
JOINT DEFENCE OF CANADA AND UNITED STATES
Complete plans now exist for the joint de- fence of the United States and Canada.
This was told to the Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate by Mayor La Guardia, Chairman of the American mem- bers of the United States - Canada De- fence Board-Reuter.
MASCOT IS A “SAINT”
As an example of immediate aid, Mr. Willkie said that the United States should provide Britain with from five to ten destroy- ers monthly.
"We should be able to do this directly and swift- ly, rather than through the rigmarole of dubious legalistic interpretations.
"Incidentally, if we are to make more des- troyers available to Britain we should re-con- dition them in this country in our own yards."
Mr. Wilkie advocated that the, Thơn the United States and proposed and should be limited to Canada would be surrounded by the British Commonwealth, China totalitarian powers. and Greece.
•
He gave it as his belief that the policy of isolation would even fully destroy civil liberties in the United States and cause an (*) - nomic upheaval.
Britain, added Mr. Willkie, would require some time, even with American 'planes, to obtain superiority in the air.
Not Enough
Mr. Wilkie, continuing his tes- timony, said that in spite of the fifty destroyers already handed over, Britain still needed more.
They would so cripple, hinder and infringe upon
Us that We would be forced to fight. We would be fighting alone in Sume war which Britain is fighting.
the
now
Mr. Wilkie declared: "For what it may be worth, my be- lief is that Germany cannot successfully invade Britain, If her Northern ports can be kept open, supply lines can be kept moving.
"I feel confident that Britain will survive the shock of the Spring and Summer campaigns.
"That is also the belief in high quarters in Britain and if Britain the tide will turn. can stand through the
The Commander-in-Chief of the South African Forces, Gen- eral J. C. Smuts, recently watched a demonstration at an engin- cer's camp in the Transvaal. He saw the rapid launching of a small box girder bridge and Inspected the largest mechani- cal transport suspension bridge ever bulit by the South African Engineering Corps while in training. This photograph showa (left to right) The Prime Minister, General J, C. Smuts, Captain E. T. Dobson, O.C. of the Engineers, and Lieut.-General Sir Pierre van Ryneveld, Chief of General Staff. (Copyright, Fox).
TO PROVE WAR IS ALREADY WON
A BIG PROPAGANDA campaign to persuade Germans that the war is as good as won has been launched. Among the most notable Nazi speakers was Ley, leader of the Labour Front, who said at Dresden that by 1948 the 300-year-old Treaty of Westphalia would be liquidated and a new holy
German empire would arise.
CURRENCY BATTLE
Fate, which had taught Eng- and to be blind, had taught Ger- many the power which was a necessary attribute for the shap- ping of destiny. Germany was pre-ordained to create a new European order after victory, Reports cabled from Berlin to neutral newspapers state that In the House of Commons yes- Germany is building factories in- terday, Mr. Wardlaw Milne in- | tended after the war to replace "Merchant ships are making
vited a statement on the implica- ruined British works, especially the crossing of the Atlantic
flirting tions to trade of the four con-
those devoted to textiles. Thus, without nearly enough protec-
and the Yangtse basin.
currencies in Shanghai
it is explained, the foundations. tion. In some cases thirty or forty ships may be protected by
the new Europe are being laid. Summer, Mr. R. A. Butler, Under-Secre-
These factories, it is tary for Foreign Affairs, replied are gigantic and modern, and are alleged, only a couple of destroyers,
"Reinforced by our gigantic re-, that it was too early to forecast said Mr. Willkio,
situated mostly in the protector- Mr. Willkie referred to aid to achieve that effectiveness which Reserve
sources, Britain may be able to the effect which the Nanking
Bank bank-notes will ates. Immediately after the war Britain as meaning, "not to work for Britain, but to work with Bri- the democratic peoples have tem- have on trade but that every at- they will take up manufactures tempt to supplant the Chinese which crippled Britain is unable tain, to defend the area of free- porarily lost." dom. If Britain prevails, the en-
National currency in China can- to undertake. not but do further harm to the slaved democracies will survive."
interests of all countries concern- He added that Britain's long- That was eleven years ago. Now,
ed in trading with China,-Reu- twenty-one-year-old Sergeant term requirements, such as 'planes Pilot Harry Jenson Morson has and munitions, were already large-
Hely on order in the United States. been awarded the gives the credit to a "saint" mas- cot on his 'plane.
Every time he heard an aeroplane engine, a curly- headed little boy would rush out of the house to watch it. "Gosh, mum, I wish I was up there," he would say.
D.F.M.
Ber-
On his way back from Iin the 'plane was hit by A.A. guns and set on fire. The young pilot struggled on with his burn- ing 'plane till he was forced into the sea, but the crew was saved
after hours by the Navy the icy water.
Did Not Tell
In
"He won't say a word about it," his mother told a reporter at her West Hartlepool home.
"Harry reads a lot of strange books, and has a mascot on his 'plane of a saint carrying a
bomb.
visit
"This was his thirteenth to Germany. Before he set off, his pals jokingly asked him if he was superstitious. He, said, "No," but now he swears that all the credit for having got back alive was due to his "saint" and the wireless operator who sent out the S O S signals.
"Harry has always been crazy about flying," she said. "He was in the R.A.F.V.R.. and has been fying since the start of the war.
"We are very proud, of course. Harry is the baby, of the family, and has eight brothers and ters.
Bise
America's Effort
"We are building them as fast as we can, but it will be many, many months before our efforts begin to show significant results. Our aeroplane programme, for in- stance, will not begin to give Bri- tain supremacy until 1942.
"Britain's greatest hazard is the destruction of her shipping.".
Telling of what he had during his visit to Britain, Mr. Willkle referred to "the piteous and heart-rending" destruction
seen
of the northern industrial towns, The damage to productive faci- lities was, however, small.
Time Limit
"Britain may go down if Unit- ed States' ald is ineffective!" | ter. declared Mr. Wendell Willkie, who approved of a time limit cri the presidential powers imposed by the House of Representatives' amendment.
All modifications, in Mr. Willkle's opinion, should seek to limit the granting of any unnecessary authority by the Bill,
Mr. Willkie added impressively: "I've wanted to see Americans stand united before all the world as a friend of all who fought for democracy; a deposer of all ag-
and despoilers of democratic way."
#ressors
INDO-CEYLON DIFFERENCES
German
newspapers abound with other plans for the future, and the impression is always given that the work has already begun.
Readers perusing these promi ing schemes search vainly for news of the war in Albania. In- stead, they can read about the new Siegfried Line on the Chan- nel coast, which is claimed to have an offensive as well as E defensive character,
Ten thousand workmen with dredgers were set to work imine, diately the Armistice with France The new line is a was signed.
· Fundamental differences on the question of the status of Indian the residents in Ceylon led to failure of the Indo-Ceylon Explor- atory Conference last November, explains an official New Delhi chain of forts, batteries, and anti-
aircraft guns. communique.
believe that While the Germans
Informed circles
the the
are
are
failure is not regarded by trying to disseminate the imprès- either side as final, but events in 'sion that victory is so easy and the near future may make fresh certain that even now they For unity's sake, Mr. Willkle approaches for reconciliation of devoting time, money, and man- If the United States isolates her-
urged have
of the outstanding differences feasible power to laying the foundations self, he said, Britain may the greatest difficulty in surviv- ing.
even opponeṛits Bill to approve of it.
This, with the approval of the No man can say this time millions of Americans they re- whether or not Britain can win presented, would give the nation the war without assistance In "the strength of a united- people supplies, ships and armaments, a strength greater than that but we do know that if she la] of armaments and battleships" defeated the totalitarian powère
'will control the world. ~| Britain's Greatest Needs They will control not only washanga
Reuter.
JAPANESE PLANES OVER BORDER?
leged to have flown over British territory near the New Territor-
les border yesterday morning.
of the new Europe, Giovanni An- saldo, speaking in Berlin on Italy's war against Britain at the Form eign Press Club, expressed the opinion that the war would »pog sibly, even probably, be a lo
one,...
CHAMBER SEEKS Europe, but probably most of Mr. Wendell Willkie expressed Two Japanese aircraft are al- Africa. They may also control the the opinion, in reply to a question,
FIXING OF PRICES Atlantic Ocean. Germany would that, if Englemi - fell_to-morrow then probably drive either econo- and Germany got the Royal Navy:
At a meeting of the Chinese mically or militarily towards the United States would be in the
One of the machines appeared General Chamber of Commer Latin-America).
war in a month or two.
to be out of order. Both planes last night, it was decided to Mr. Willkiscuoted Mr. Win- came from the north-east and quest. Government, thre U.S. Prospect
Mton Churchill as saying that Bri-flew west of Shumadhun, presum-offices of the Chinese man tain's greatest needs were destroy- ably to land at the recently com- the Legislative Council Perhaps Japan would also drive ers, big bombers and merchant pleted landing field between Nam price of «fr wood Southwards to the 1}turmdien;-mens Router.“
Tai armi Shumchum,.
possible.