The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-17
u. S. SEEKS NAVAL
AIR BASE SITES
Continued from Page One)

proval to a supplemental defense
fund of more than $4,000, 900, 900, in
GLIDING cash and contract AUTHORIZE
lions.
Chairman Adams (D-Colo) of the
subcommittee said figures were not
yet complete, but that the group
had boosted the house total of $685.
1919 by about $50, 600, 900 because
of supplemental requests which had
been sem by President Roosevelt.
The Presidents disclosure concern
ing naval bases recalled that military
authorities have repeatedly pointed
out that there is an n of pos
sible enemy approach to the Panama
canal some 500 to 600 miles wide in
the southern Caribbean which the
United States could protect only with
ships and planes operating at points
far distant from their bases.
In this area lies the Lesser Antilles,
the Leeward and Windward Islands,
stretching eastward and southwark
in a rough semi-circle from the Vlr-
gin islands (the United States pre-
sem most southerly naval and air
base) to the South American coast.
Owned By Britain
These islands are mostly owned by
Great Britain, although they include
the French possessions of Guada-
loupe and Martinique. The largest of
the British islands is Trinidad, just
off the coast of South America.
From the Virgin islands to Florida,
the island passage approaches to the
canal are considered we'll %protecteI,
by bases existing or under construc-
ton at st. Thomas, V. l.; San Juan.
Puerto Rico: Guantanamo Bay, Cuba,
and Key West. Most of these are now
bein. extensively improved.
But the southerly stretch with its
many channels between islands has
frankly been a worry to the defense
tacticians. What sites would be
chosen, should the deal go through,
probably would depend on where the
most suitable port facilities could be
obtained. One of the better harbors
in the area, some say, is at Port of
Spain, Trinidad. A French naval
base is already in existence at Marti-
nique.
Mr.. Roosevelt was In an obviously
buoyant mood when he - in white
shirt sleeves, and wearing a plaid
necktie and ~seersucker trousers, -
met the press today. He began at
once with an announcement that two
American generals and an admiral
were in Great Britain acting as OBJ
servers at the invitation of the Brit
matte reference to ~destroyers, he an
nounced the British and Canadian
negotiations, and proceeded to repeat
his statement, saying he might be
quoted directly.
1.-THE United States government is
holding conversations with the gov
eminent of the British Empire with
regard to the acquisition of naval and
air bases by the United States for
the American hemisphere defense
with special reference to the Panama
canal"
Pausing only to say that the Brit
ish and Canadian discussions were
separate, he added:
"The United States government is
carrying on c~onservations with the
Canadian government looking toward
defense of the American hemi-
sphere"
The question of delivering destroy.
ers to Great Britain is rapidly be-
coming one of the most controversial
to arise from the war abroad. Great
Britain has repeatedly appealed for
them and important administration
circles are known to favor such a
course. Moreover, the Presidents
policy has been to help Great Britain
by methods short of war;" on the
theory that what helps Britain helps
the United States. Only yesterday,
it was reliably reported in the senate
that the Washington and London
governments were discussing a DOS
sible exchange of destroyers for naval
and air base SITES.