Evening star., 1939-02-21
Defense
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(COntlnued From First Page)
Nationwide hookup of the Nationa
Broadcasting Co.
While the American people hat'
war, he said. they are not afraie
to die for Christianity, morality
justice and liberty. Many mistake
has been made in past history b,
not letting dictator government
know this on the start"
Senator Pittman ridiculed Ameri
can isolationists and the British
policy Of appeasement.
Later. Senator Holt, Democrat, O
West Virginia said in a Statement
that if Senator Pittman, as the Of
fetal spokesman for the administra.
tion on foreign affairs in the Sen.
ate" was expressing the Nations
foreign policy, clearly I'VE are on tn.
road to war"
Il protest with all the power ,
have against sacrificing Americans
to settle foreign difficulties not oul
own" Senator Holt declared.
Administration leaders expected
approval by tomorrow night of the
air base bill, which was on the
House calendar directly behind bills
to extend the leading powers of the
Export-Import Bank and affiliated
agencies.
Naval Board Urged Fort.
Controversy over establishing g
seaplane base at Guam developed
after a Naval Board had reported
fortification of the island would
greatly strengthen defense of the
Hawaiian Islands, the Panama Canal
and the western coast of North
America.
Critics, including Republicans and
Democrats, said the island was in a
region of the Pacific dotted with
Japanese-mandated islands and that
Notifications would be considered
q slap at Japan.
Subsequently, President Roosevelt
expressed approval of harbor i'm
provements for seaplane base, but
said those did not constitute fortifi-
cations.
Chairman Vinson of the House
Naval Committee said yesterday
there never would be a recon-
mendation for fortification unless
the international situation war
rants"
II wouldn't be here advocating
the development of Guam if l
thought it would involve us in the
Orient" he added.
In addition to the Guam project
the air base bill would authorize
construction at Kaneoha Bay, Mid
way Island; Wake Island, johnson
Island, Palmyra Island, Kodiak and
Sitka, Alaska; San Juan, Puerto
Rico; Pensacola, Fla; Tongue Point
Oreg., and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Another segment of the defense
program, which the House already
has approved, probably will come be-
fore the Senate next week. It is the
1916, ,000, 900 Army expansion measure
1t was uncertain whether members
Of the Senate Military Affairs Com
mittee would attempt to write q
provision into the bill restricting the
Presidents powers in making mill
tary planes available for sale to for
eign powers.
Separate legislation to this effect
was offered yesterday by Senator
Nye, Republican, of North Dakota
Senator Nye, one of the leaders in
the committees investigation OF
French purchase of 100 light bomb
Ing planes, proposed that Army
Navy regulations governing the re-
lease of newly developed planes be
written into law.
Seen Lone Result of Probe.
This would make it impossible fol
President Roosevelt, as commander
in chief of the Army and Navy, tc
set them aside. Some Senators pre-
dicted this would be the sole legis-
lative result of the committees
stormy inquiry into the French
transaction.
The Senate has not heard the last
OF the incident, however, for men,
oers who view it as evidence of the
administrations desire to aid demo-
cratic nations expect to discuss it in
1orelgn policy speeches when the
floor.
~ inquired last night in a radio
,,aor ooress oy Senator Bridges, Repub-
&c., .I vi new Hampshire, who said: :
lavor the sale of planes to
france and Great Britain or to anv
otner nation, on a cash basis nro,
vided that the United States hos
the right of priority of purchase ., on
all new military developments h,,t VT
I do object to the secret and un,,s,,aS oI !
way in which this current deal wa :
handled" "''''
1--WE Won't Aid Dictators."
In Senator Pittman's discussion
OF foreign policy and defense, the
Nevada Senator declared Germany
Italy and Japan ARE absolutely con.
trolled by arbitrary and ruthless die.
tators."
He said the United States would
not enter any entangling alliances
I'VE will be prepared, singly and
alone, to successfully defend our
country, its institutions and our
citizens" he said. "We will not aid
a government whose policy is based