The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-09-04
First Destroyers To Start Away This Week
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of the American people also ap- proved. But he criticized the presl- dents method, saying he should have taken the country into his con- fidence and given congress an op- portunity to act on it, instead of just telling congress about it after ward. The White House long had denied-until yesterday that there was any connection between negoti- ationS for bases and proposals for transfer of destroyers.
 MT. Roosevelt hinted that more deals may be in the making for other bases. He wouldn't indicate where they might be and advised correspondents not to speculate on their location.
 Logic pointed to the western side of the Panama Canal. There are no outposts guarding it. There has been talk from time to time of seeking bases on islands owned by Scuador and Costa Rica in the Pacific, on the Costa Rican main land, or possibly on the west coast of Mexico. MT. Roosevelt himself inspected some of these Pacific re- gions last winter.
 Six Bases Obtained
 The six bases obtained from Bri- tain in exchange for the 50 destroy CTS form a chain encircling the Caribbean approaches to the canal British Guiana, Trinidad, St. Lucia, Antigua, Jamaica, and the Bahamas. Leases for two other bases-in Bermuda and Nefound- land-were given by Britain out right because of what it described as . common interest with the United States in defending the Western Hemisphere.
 While bases are needed mostly now in the Pacific, still others might be sought among French and Dutch Islands in the Caribbean, or in Dan- ish Greenland.
 Speed was the watchword in car- rying out the deal with Britain.
 The 50 destroyers will be sailed by their American crews to Cana dian ports. There the Stars and Stripes will be lowered and the ships will be turned over in good repair, fully armed and carrying their normal loads of live ammuni- tion. When the Union Jack goes up and British tars go aboard b sail them to England, they will be ready for battle.
 Navy officials indicated that all 50 would be in British hands within a few weeks. World War ships that had laid idle for many years they have been recommisioned in the past year. Al are in the Att lantic. Some are being overhauled after service on neutrality patrol.
 Will Work at Bermuda
 The navy-army board en route to Bermuda hoped to do all its work theee; if this is impossible, sub- committees will go from there tc the various islands concerned. The members flew from Washington tc Norfolk, Va, late yesterday, mad de- parted at once aboard 8 cruiser They should reach Bermuda late tonight or Thursday morning.
 They will begin settling detail with the British at once.
 MT. Roosevelt ignored congress il making the swap and on this poin the isolationists and Republican centered their attack.
 Treaties constitutionally are sub ject to senate ratification. Blu this was not treaty. Attorney Gen eral Robert H. Jackson found il an opinion which said that the pres ident was empowered to enter int the destroyer agreement withou congressional consent. Foes of tn transaction contended that an olt World War statute forbade tn transfer of the vessels, but Jackson held that the law did not apply il the present case. MT. Roosevelt sen the opinion to congress with his mes sage.
 A major feature of the transac ton was concurrent pledge iron Prime Minister Winston Churchill to Secretary of State Cordell Hull that the British fleet would neve be scuttled or surrendered ant thus jeopardize American security il the Atlantic.