Evening star., 1940-06-19
Ships
Continued From First Page.)

C.P
down the rumored sale OF destroyers
to the Allies. Mr.. Compton, he said,
was vehement in denials that such
sales were contemplated, but volun-
teered the information, in an aside
from the tenor of the questioning
that the mosquito fleet" was to be
sold by the Electric Boat Co.
The committee was left gasping," "
one member declared. Mr.. Compton
was Immediately asked by whose au-
thority the Navy had permitted the
sale and declared that no new au-
thority was needed, since the Navy
is permitted to change designs and
permit later deliveries of vessels.
Mr.. Compton also was said to have
informed the committee he was ac-
cepting full responsibility for the
transaction and that Mr.. Roosevelt
knew nothing about it.
1t was calculated that the British
delivery would delay the Navy order
10 months.
Il consider the action of the Navy
Department most regretable with
war staring us in the face" said
Chairman Walsh. Il consider it a
grievous wrong, especially to the
American youth who may be called
upon to fight for the defense of
our country, to be denied every
possible weapon against an enemy
and for their own protection. If
war comes in the next few months
and enemy submarines approach our
harbors, no one can estimate the
consequence that may follow as
result of this disposal.
The seriousness of the disposal
OF naval vessels, airplanes and mu-
nitions is not only that it tends
at this critical time to deplete our
own defenses in case of war but it
is being done at time when the
people of this country are having
the cost of building ships and air.
planes tremendously increased by
reason of the speedup program. per-
mitting the payment of premiums
to builders of vessels and airplanes
to make delivery as soon as possible.
"On the other hand, we are tax
ing the American people large sums
OF money, to speed up our defense
program and apparently secret ne
EQUATIONS have been going on to
lessen or diminish these defenses
Furthermore, I have never been
able to reach the conclusion that
defenseless country has surplus
war materials to dispose Of"
Several members of Congress re-
called that when construction of the
small vessels was discussed the Navy
declared its opposition to the small
types, maintaining they would be
OF little use except for chasing
smugglers. There was feeling
among Navy officers that the United
States would be in dire circum-
stances indeed If 1t were ever forced
to use such small coast defense
vessels.
Senator Walsh, one OF the spon-
sors Of the mosquito fleet" program,
declared they would be especially
valuable in such East Coast harbors
as Boston, New York, Philadelphia
and Norfolk.
Members of Congress indicated q
belief that should war ever be de-
clared against the United States by
a nation with a large fleet there
would be a repetition Of the Span
ish-American War scare, when East
Coast cities of all sizes petitioned
Congress to station gunboats in
their harbars to prevent attacks.
The mosquito fleet" would be of in
estimable value, they said, under
those circumstances.
Motorboats of the type sold to
England have already been credited
with successful assaults on war YES
sells. The Germans were reported
to have sunk a destroyer and also
several transports during the evac-
uation from Flanders. The Italians,