Evening star., 1940-10-30
Greater u. S. Aid for Britain
Expected to Be Revealed by
Roosevelt in Speech Tonight
Release Of Large
Part Of WorpIone
Contracts Seen
BY JOHN c. HENRY,
Star Staff Correspondent.

HARTFORD, Conn, Oct. 80
New and greater American aid to
Great Britain is imminent, it was
learned today, as President
Roosevelt drove into New Eng
land for a quick stab at Is elec-
toral votes of Massachusetts and
Connecticut and a further de-
fense of the administrations
foreign and preparedness poll
cies.
Exact nature of this latest step
to assist the embattled empire
probably will be disclosed in the
Presidents speech tonight in
Boston. 1t was indicated, how
ever, that it probably will take
the form of releases of consider
able quantities of military air
planes now under construction.
Thousands of planes are now
under construction, many of
them nearly ready for delivery
and with at least half of the or
ders presently committed to the
United States Government. Part
Of this segment probably will be
released, it was believed.
At the same time, it was indicated
that no equipment now actually in
service with our armed forces is to
be transferred.
Final decision on this action was
believed to have been reached yes
terday in a conference of United
States and British procurement
officials.
Reporters Warned on "Fortresses."
Stephen Early, presidential secre-
tary, warned reporters not to "go
overheard" on releasing what he
called American flying fortresses"
to the British.
Mr. Early left an impression that
priorities on airplane contracts might
be involved, asserting that the new
aid would not take away any existing
equipment for the American armed
forces.
Met by a rain-soaked crowd of
several thousand persons at New
= Haven this morning, the President
set the pattern for his days pro-
nouncements by stressing anew his
determination to make America
strong and to keep it out of war.
Judging by the enthusiastic response
of the audience it was an assurance
which they wanted deeply.
Remarking that he had feared
yesterday he might be unable to
make the trip in the light of new
conflict abroad, Mr.. Roosevelt added
he had noticed that in spite of the
number and the extent of hoStili-
ties in other parts of the world this
Nation has managed ito keep clear"
Recalling then his service yester-
day in launching the conscription
program, the President emphasized
that the Nation needs trained people
to handle its mechanical armamentS.
"And so, he continued, I'VE have
W VI all lllClI-llOG Illol
we expect to have to use them.
ut is just for the same reason
that you have got umbrellas up today
so as not to get wet.
No Conforming to Facts.
"And, incidentally, I think you
realize that all this talk about send
ing American boys to Europe-weu,
1t does not conform with either the
facts of the past or the facts of the
future.
What a pity it is that there
should be, even in a national cam
paign, an injection of fear-fear
into the hearts of American citi-
zens-fears about things that do
not exist. What a pity it is. That
is something we should repeat to
ourselves over and over again. The
only thing We have to fear in Amer
lea is fear itself. If we had had
fear in the past seven years we
would not have passed the great
measures of social justice for the
workers of the land, measures that
are now on the statute books, meas
ures which the working people in
Connecticut appreciate because they
helped them in their lives and
in their homes.
II wish I could have driven
through New Haven and seen a
lot of places that have been to
many times before. Thanks very
much for coming out. Win or lose,
I hope to see you again"
Staying on his train, the President
rode slowly then through Walling-
ford, Meriden and Berlin before TAX
ing to automobile at Hartford. An
important center of the aviation in
(See ROOSEVELT, Page A-1O)