Evening star., 1940-06-19

this program. For those who are
chosen the period Of training desig-
mated probably would be one year,
ne said.
Discussing the training program
today, Stephen T. Early. secretary
to the President, said Sidney Hill
man of the National Defense Com
mission will supervise most of the
contemplated project. Secretary of
Commerce Hopkins also is actively
interested, Mr.. Early said.
Mr.. Early said the questions of
age limits or degree of compulsion
are still undecided, indicating some
option may be recommended for the
age when training is to be under
taken.
With this phase OF national mobil-
ization still in most tentative form,
economic and military plans were
reaching more advanced stages.
From special cabinet group and
economic consultants the President
expected to receive tomorrow a re-
port and recommendations on Gre
alton of giant all-American COM
mercial cartel. BY this plan it is
hoped totalitarian trade efforts in
the New World will be met by
collective front of American repub-
lics-resistant to economic or politi-
cal penetration from abroad.
Even before drafting of this pro-
gram, the administration moved yes
terday to make its first concession
to commercial interests in South
America by reducing freight rates
on newsprint being shipped from
Canada or the United States to
countries south of the equator.
With Scandinavian supplies cut of,
these countries have found North
American neWsprint more costly. A
freight reduction of about "a per
cent will help to level off this cost.
Navy Request Rushed.
Perhaps most spectacular of the
defence developments of the last
"a hours, however, was a Navy re-
quest and quick Endorsement by
the House Naval Affairs Committee
for $4,O00,OOO,OOO fleet expansion
authorization.
Recommended early yesterday by
Admiral Harold r. Stark, chief of
Naval operations, the program was
| given unanimous committee ap-
proval and sent to the House. Con-
| templating addition of some 200 YES
sells to the Navy now on hand or
authorized, the new program would
| be largely in the authorization
category, both Admiral Stark and
President Roosevelt said.
1t was indicated, however, that
some money-perhaps as much as
5000 900, ,000-would be asked for an
immediate beginning If the pro-
gram is enacted
Naval Committee Chairman Vim
son said today the $4,000, 100000 bill
has President Roosevelt's approval.
Il am authorized to state" he
said, that the bill we approved
yesterday is in accordance with the
financial program of the President"
| At the same time the Associated
Press reported Senator Byrnes, Dem
ocrat, of South Carolina as saying
he understood a greatly expanded
Army program also is being pre-
pared for congressional considera-
ton.
Ford Funds Speeded.
Other defense developments yes
terday included:
/. A Senate committee took steps
to provide money to start the Ford
Motor Co. on the mass production
of airplane engines on Government
order.
2. Legislation to empower the
President to send Red Gross mercy
ships into the war zone was tenn
porarily blocked by Senator Holt
Democrat, of West Virginia. who &C
cused the administration of stirring
up hatred and said the ships might
provide an incident" which would
send the country to war.
3. The House passed the Senate
approved resolution which puts the
United States on record as opposed
to the transfer of foreign posses
sions in the Western Hemisphere
to any american power
4. The House completed congress
sional action on a bill authorizing
the Reconstruction Finance Corp
to help finance national defense
programs through loans to any
agencies it may create.
Opinion on Training Plan.
The Associated Press also re-
ported that most Democrats in
Congress gave either fiat or con-
ditional Endorsement and most Re-
publicans criticized the universal
training plan, but opinion did not
always follow party lines. Some
members. such as Senator Norris
Independent, of Nebraska, said they
would have to see the program in
more concrete form before COM
mitting themselves.
Representative Miller, Republican
of Connecticut, a World War aviator
said The plan seems like complete
! totalitarianism. We fought the