Evening star., 1940-08-16
Canal Defense
Bases Sought
From British
Roosevelt Reveals
ToIks With England
And Canada
By BLAIR BOLLES.

negotiating with the British gov
eminent for the acquisition of naval
air bases in the Western Hemisphere
in the interest of defending the
Panama Canal and with the Ca
madam government on matters for
the general defense of the Western
Hemisphere, President Roosevelt an
nounced at his press conference to-
day.
Mr.. Roosevelt said he considered
this a most important piece of news
and on his own initiative authorized
correspondents to put his remarks
in quotation.
The United States would give
Great Britain something in return
for the bases, the President said,
but he does not know what it is
going to be. Three times he en-
phasized that destroyers are in no
way envolved in the prospective
deal
During the past two days stories
have been printed that the United
States is negotiating to sell so de-
stroyers to England in return for
the use of island bases.
I'm London, where Foreign
Office spokesman likewise dis
closed that negotiations were
under way for acquisition by the
United States of bases, it was en-
phasized the Associated Press
reported, that such proposals are
not linked with British requests
for over-age destroyers)
United States Observers in London.
The President withheld the details
of the American desire and gave no
indication how far the conversations
have proceeded.
The complete secrecy surrounding
the British negotiations was made
clear by the reply Of Acting Secre-.
tary of State Welles to question
on the matter at his press confer
ence two hours after the President
disclosed the fact that the CONVEX
sations are in progress.
Mr.. Welles said that he could not
undertake to discuss any phase of
the matter and could add nothing
to what the President had said
The President also announced that
at the request of the British govern
ment two high ranking United
States Army officers are now in
London as observers. They are Maj
Gen. Delos Emmons, commander of
the general headquarters air force,
and Brig. Gen. George V. Strong,
assistant chief of staff in charge of
the War Plans Division of the War
Department. 1t had already been
disclosed that Rear Admiral Robert
Lee Ghormley, former assistant chief
of the Bureau of Naval Operations,
is in London as a naval observer.
The President said Admiral
Ghormley went to London also at
British invitation. He took with him
several members of his staff.
Presidents Statement.
After making the announcement
about the military observers, Mr..
Roosevelt said he himself was ne
gotiating with the British Govern
ment for the acquisition of the
bases. Then he said for direct quo
tation:
The United States Government
is holding conversations with the
government of the British Empire
in regard to acquisition of naval and
air bases by the United States for
American Hemisphere defense, with
special reference to the Panama
Canal.
Furthermore, the United States
Government is carrying on CONVEX
sations with the Canadian govern
ment toward the defense of the
American Hemisphere"
1n Ottawa Prime Minister w.
L. Mackenzie King gave out a
similar statement on the United
States Canadian negotiations,
the Associated Press reportedD
Conversations Separate.
These conversations, the Presi-
dent said, are two separate things.
Then he offered the correspondents
what he called little private tip.
He said he wouldn't use it on de-
stroyers-meaning as he made clear
later, that the negotiations were
unrelated to the proposal for the
transfer to Britain of so American
destroyers.
In response to further prodding
from correspondents on the de-
stroyer question, the President said
he was not discussing destroyers.
Subsequently the President said
In response to question that he
had had nothing from Attorney
General jackson regarding his .e-
gal authority concerning DISPOSE
tion of the destroyers. Mr.. Roose-
welt has never expressed himself
about the destroyer disposal sugges-
ton.
Mr.. Jackson had interrupted his
vacation to return to the Justice
Department today, where he held a
breakfast conference with Solicitor
General Francis Biddle and N. A.
Townsend, assistant solicitor gen.
eral. 1t was reported the destroyer
question was discussed, but none
would comment.
1t is thought that the bases under
discussion with England are certain
of the British island possessions in
the West Indies, the largest of which
is Jamaica, about 600 miles of Colon
at the Caribbean terminus of the
Canal
In that general area the British
(See DESTROYERS, Page A-5)