Evening star., 1940-07-02
Stimson
Continued From First Page.)

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modern conqueror when once he
gets into power will last for long
time"
At the committee table as he read
were three Senators who unsuc-
cessfully sought the Republican
presidential nomination at last
weeks OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of New
Hampshire, Vandenberg of Michigan
and Taft of Ohio. Senator Taft
entered late and had difficulty find
ing a seat.
Woodring Discussed.
A brief discussion of the resigna-
tion of Secretary Woodring crept
into the hearing when Senator
johnson inquired "in what respects
would your administration of the
War Department differ from that
of your predecessor"
That is not a fair question:" Mr..
Stimson responded, explaining that
he knew nothing of the department
administration under Secretary
Woodring, but naturally supposed
it aimed at the utmost efficiency.
You do not know the reason for
| his dismissal?" the Senator pressed.
Il do not" the witness responded.
Senator johnson then began to
read newspaper statement by Mr..
Woodring, in which the former Sec
retary was quoted as saying "a
clique of international financiers
who want to get us into the war"
were responsible for his troubles at
the War Department.
Senator Schwartz, Democrat, of
Wyoming asked if the Senator was
reading something Mr.. Woodring
said or something some one said
he said"
The Colorado Senator replied that
the Woodring statement had never
been denied.
| Questioned on Sending Arms.
Senator johnson then took up the
subject of furnishing American mu-
nitlons to the Allies and wanted to
know If Mr.. Stimson would favor
stripping" the American forces to
help overseas nations.
! Il object to the word Strip" said
Mr.. Stimson. II have never heard
advanced, and I'm quite certain
there never has been a proposal
advanced to strip the defenses Of
the United States for any one else -
he said. I'm every case that came
up I should consider whether or
not munitions would be more useful
here than there" he said.
Senator johnson also questioned
Mr.. Stimson sharply about an ar
ticle in the New York Times March
Z in which he described himself as
out of sympathy with the domestic
policies of the Government.
"Are you still out of harmony
with the domestic policies of the
administration you are about to
serve? he asked.
Mr.. Stimson replied that his views
on domestic issues were beside the
question now that he was concerned
solely with national defense matters.
Calls Question Unfair.
"I think it rather unfair to cross
examine on that point when I have
made my position so clear" he in
sisted, and added that II am con-
fining my duties here to the duty OF
a soldier"
Senator johnson recalled that in
the same article, Mr.. Stirson voiced
different views on war developments
than he now expresses, and Mr..
Stimson said that he had not been
acquainted then with the. full
| potentialities" of air attack.
In his prepared statement, In
which he repeated his earlier ex-
pressed belief that Congress should
at once enact compulsory mill
tary training act, Mr.. Stimson said
that "the United States is very vul-
nerable to hostile attack coming
from the East and Northeast" add
ing that "the crowded cities and
skyscrapers of the States on our
Eastern seaboard are in many re-
spects the most vulnerable targets
in the world.
New York Very Vulnerable.
'rIn the metropolitan area of New
York" he continued, lover 1000, ,000
people are mainly dependent on a
single water supply 100 miles In
length. The cities of New England
are key points for the munitions in
dustry of the whole country. So the
Nazi attack on Great Britain and
the consequent danger to Canada
and New Foundland has brought the
hazards of war close to what may
be called the heart Of Americas
industrial defense. All these things
are fully known to the general stats
of foreign nations" Mr.. Stimson
said that the growth in the range OF
modern weapons "has made it neces-
sary to continually increase the dis
tance which must intervene between
our shores and a possible enemy"
Our line of defense now. he con.
tinued, embraces Puerto Rico, Ber.
muda, Newfoundland and North.
eastern Canada, because it Is rec.
ognlzed that if a powerful enemy Sc.
cured a base at any of these places
it could launch a devastating all
attack upon our Eastern seaboard
These Places Affected by War.
cat the present moment" he
warned, this line of defense *
critically affected by the fact that
all of these places except Puerto
Rico are involved in the present
war and may be subjected to the
hazard of a victory by the German
Dictator"
II Meanwhile, Senator Smathers
Democrat, Of New Jersey described
the hearing On Mr.. stimson's uomi'