The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-12-08
KENNEDY PLANS FOR IDLE SHIPS
Ambassador to Britain Will Present It to Presi-
 dent at Conference
BY FRANK McNAUGHTON United Press Staff COrrespondent


 Washington, Dec. 8-(UP)--Jo- seph P. Kennedy, ambassador to Great Britain, said today that he would present to President Roose. welt plans for using merchant yes. sels made idle by the neutrality act and for expanding southern lumber business
 Kennedy revealed his plan upon his arrival here early today to rec port on the European situation to the president and for important conferences with state department officials He will report to MT Roose- velt-information too confidential for the cables"-at Q a. rn., one and One-half hours before the president goes to the executive offices for his bi-weekly press conference.
 Kennedy said his merchant mo- rine plan embraces the use of idle American ships in trade with Au- stralia and other British possessions not in the war zone. His lumber plan, he said, was based on the fact that Scandinavian lumber trade has Deen nara Nlt Dy the war.
 Talks With British
 T have already talked with Brit ish officials about the maritime plsn," Kennedy said, land they seemed in accord with 1t. also will discuss 1t with maritime officials"
 The marine problem, he said, is one of keeping our ships engaged In trade, keeping the men at work, and maintaining trade routes"
 Asked if the British and French expected the United States to "help' them in their war against Germany he grinned and said:
 Nobody over there wanted war and so they can't find any fault with America when she insists she wants to remain neutral and stay out of war. The British were never misled as to our position"
 Kennedy is the first ranking dip- lomat to return to this country since the outbreak of war in Sep- tember.
 Conference Delayed
 His conference with the president was delayed 24 hours-at Mir. Roose- velt's suggestion-so that the ay1- bassador could spend yesterday in New York with his wife and eight of his nine children. He will remain with his family in this country un- til after the Christmas holidays.
 After the white house conference he will confer with Hull and other high state department officials.
 Meanwhile, the state department sent a message to the British gov ernment outlining its attitude to. ward the Allies naval blockade oi German goods destined for the United States and other neutral na- tions
 The text will be made public upon it's delivery in London, probably to- day. Secretary of State Cordell Hull declined to discuss the note unti then, but elsewhere it was reliably reported that it would cite certain objections or conditions which could be made the basis of future claims against the Allies for damages re- sulting from the seizure of German products consigned to this country
 Kennedy, MT. Roosevelt's No. diplomat, has been working closely with the highest British officials Information that he brings to tht president now probably will be { major factor in formulating thi, country's future policies toward thl European belligerents
 His report was expected to have an especially important bearing or this governments attitude towarl the Finnish Russian conflict II which the United states Is seekinl ways of helping Finland.