Evening star., 1940-06-12
Defense
Continued From First Page)

75s of British and French makes,
All this materiel is being handled by
the newly-formed United States
Steel Corp. subsidiary, which acts as
middle man between the allied pur-
chasers and the War Department.
However, planes, engines and ac-
cessories are being handled indi-
vidually by aeronaUtical manufac-
turerS.
Cleans Out StorehOuses.
1t also was learned authoritatively
that the Allies have taken over all
of the old 30-caliber machine guns
stored in Army arsenals. Also they
have optioned all available small
arms, shells and ammunition for
rifles and machine guns that this
country could spare.
1t is understood that this now
cleans out the American store
houses of all over-age munitions
which had either been carried over
from the first World War or man
ufactured shortly thereafter.
While there seemed little imme-
dlate prospect of favorable action
on any OF the suggestions for re-
moving barriers to more direct in
tervention in the war by this govern
ment, developments abroad and an
apparent intensifcation of pro-Ally
sympathies precipitated several posi-
tive steps in this direction.
Neutrality Act Suspension Urged.
In the Senate a resolution was
sponsored by Senators Pepper of
Florida and Lee of Oklahoma. DEM
ocrats, to vest the President with
authority to suspend both the neu-
trality law and the Johnson Act
forbidding credits to debtor nations
From the Republican side came i'm
piled support for such move when
Senator Austin of Vermont an
nounced his approval of modification
of the Neutrality Act to permit
American ships to carry munitions
and supplies to the Allies Senator
Austin said he would favor revising
the Johnson Act if the Allies should
ueeQ 1ullTe CIeOlIS.
Comparable action was noted in
the House, where Representative
Dingell, Democrat, of Michigan in
troduced a resolution to repeal the
johnson Act.
Combat Zone Extended.
Carefully refraining from any
comment on this trend on Capitol
Hill, President Roosevelt took the
final formal action last night 10 ap-
ply the neutrality law to the Medi-
terranean. On the basis of advices
from the State and Navy Depart
mentS, the Chief Executive issued
a new definition of the combat zone
blanketing the entire Mediterranean
area and ending direct American
transport to Italy. In all Europe
only the western coast of Portugal
and Northern Spain are now open
to American ships.
But while he evaded direct an
swer on whether this Nation might
now be more properly considered
acknowledgement rather than
strict neutral, several other actions
and expressions by the Chief Execu-
tive in the last "a hours were con-
sistent with his previously indicated
sympathy with the Allied cause.
For example, he described as
great piece of work, educational and
mighty good thing, a full-page
advertisement appearing in yester-
terday's Evening Star and headed
stop Hitler NoW" The advertise
ment was sponsored by the Com
mittee to Defend America by Aid
ing the Allies.
Naval Supply Bill Signed.
From a defense standpoint, Mr..
Roosevelt yesterday signed the ST.
400, 100000 naval appropriation bill
and was ready to put his sigma
ture on two other supply meas
ures. Sent down from the House
was measure authorizing an IL
per cent expansion in the battle
| fleet and an increase in Navy air
strength. From the Senate was sent
the $1,821,853,222 Army appropria-
ton BILL
The device of trading in" mill
tary equipment for resale to the
Allies received Senate Endorsement
yesterday in approval of a provi-
sion by which the Government
would receive credit from manu-
facturerS for materiel turned in,
rather than cash, which would have
to go into general funds of the
Treasury.
The authority, voted by the Sem
ate by 81 to 18, was incorporated in
a defense bill providing for unlia-
tied expansion of the Army Air
Corps, Government construction or
leasing of munitions plants, a presi-
dental curb on the export of essen