Evening star., 1940-06-05
Defense
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Defense
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tempt to transfer should appear
likely the United States shall, in ad.
dition to other measures, immediate.
ly consult with the other American
republics to determine upon the
steps which should be taken to safe.
guard their common interests"
AS the committee tabled his reso.
luton, 19 to 2, Senator Pepper served
notice he would continue his fight
on the floor of the Senate this after.
noon.
Two weeks ago poll showed the
committee II to l against his origi-
nal resolution, which authorized the
President to sell to the Allies i'm
mediately any Army or Navy planes
he believed could be spared.
Gains One Supporter.
The Florida Senator gained one
supporter-Senator Guffey, Demo-
crat, of Pennsylvania-today in the
vote on his broader proposal to let
the President sell ships, planes OF
other military equipment, with the
understanding the Allies would
assign to the United States planes
and other equipment in process OF
manufacture in this country.
Senator Pepper asserted the COM
mittee apparently was not inter-
ested in helping save Paris and Lon
don, but that he will continue to
seek action, believing the country
has right to know whether the
Senate is reluctant to act at all OF
whether it wants to act on some
alternative proposition.
Meanwhile Senator Lodge, Repub-
lican, of Massachusetts, offered in
the Senate an amendment to the
Neutrality Act to permit all Ameri-
can ships to carry cargo to all Cana
dian ports and to Greenland as a
means of strengthening plans for
American defense
In banning American vessels from
belligerent waters the Neutrality
Act permitted them to 60 only to
Bay OF Fundy ports, in Canada. In
explanation of his amendment Sem
ator Lodge said:
Exemption Beneficial"
Further consideration of our ma
tional defense needs has convinced
me that Canada and the United
States have many common interests
insofar as defense problems in this
hemisphere are concerned. The
more than six months expert
ence we have had with shipping to
Bay Of Fundy ports has shown that
the exemption of these ports has
been entirely beneficial both to
Canada and the United States.
In the statement of military pol
icy which I submitted to the Senate
on Monday, June 3. gave it as my
conviction that the whole of North
America, plus the Caribbean area
was air base area-our minimum of
defense. If this is true-and I be-
lieve it is-we should extend the
privilege of shipping to Canada to
include all Canadian ports, just as
we now extend 1t to Bay of Fundy
ports, Bermuda and the Caribbean
islands, many of which are consid-
erably east of the sixty sixth paral-
lel."
Fifth CoIuvnns
A secret statement from the Army
high command on Fifth Column
activities in several Latin American
countries kept Hemisphere defense
problems to the fore in the crush
of preparedness considerations.
There was added emphasis on the
subject in the declaration of a
cabinet member, Secretary of Agri-
culture Wallace, that "the dictator
nations have definite designs" on the
New World.
IF England and France are con-
quered," Mr.. Wallace said in a
speech last night, "the Americas will
be the next objective"
Reasons for the Army's manifest
concern over the potentialities of
conditions in some parts of the
Western Hemisphere were outlined
yesterday in closed meeting of the
House Military Committee by Gen
George C. Marshall, chief of staff
Gen. Marshall, some members said
later, named five countries in Latin
America where he declared Fifth
Column" activities were cause for
apprehension. An intensification OF
efforts might be expected, Gen
Marshall was quoted, if Great
Britain and France appeared certain
to be defeated.
Marshall Favors Guard Bill.
Discussion of Fifth Column" ac-
tivities hinged on preparation of a
bill that would empower President
Roosevelt to mobilize the National
Guard in case of necessity without
congressional approval. The Presi-
dents request for this authority has
drawn the fire of some members OF
Congress.
Gen. Marshall, urging the merit.
Of the legislation, said it was need.
ed because there were dangers thai
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