The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-04
ROOSEVELT TRADES
so D%ESTROYERS TO
BRITAIN FOR BASES
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proving the exchange.
But with the group that has
urged strict aloofness from the Eu-
ropean conflict, it was a different
matter. It's members denounced
the transaction as an "act of war;"
which, some said, would justify
Adolf Hitler in declaring war on
the United States.
Members of this group contend
ed that congress should have been
given the opportunity to pass upon
the transaction. They called it the
act of a dictator" and asserted
that the transfer of the destroy
ers was forbidden by law.
On the latter point, Mr.. Roose-
welt attached to his congressional
message the opinion by Attorney
General Jackson holding that no
legal obstacle existed. Jackson's
argument dealt among other things
with the 1917 law providing that:
During a war in which the
United States is a neutral nation,
it shall be unlawful to send out
of the jurisdiction Of the United
States any vessel, built, armed, or
equipped as a vessel of war, or
converted from a private vessel
into a vessel of war, with any in
tent or under any agreement or
contract, written or oral, that such
vessel shall be delivered to a bel
ligerent nation. ..."
The leverage" ~destroyers,
Jackson said, clearly were not
built, armed, or equipped with any
such intent or with reasonable,
cause to believe that they would
ever enter the service of a belli-
gerent.
"Mosquito Boats" Out
AS to mosquito boats" n o w
nearing completion, whose pro-
posed transfer to the British was
stopped recently when the attor-
ney general said that it would
seem to violate the 1917 law, Jack
son said he was still of the opinion
that their transfer was prohibited.
If they were turned over to the
British, he ruled, they would have
been built for the British to the
extent of the work done in com.
pleting them.
Acting swiftly to put into opera
ton the agreement concerning air
and naval bases, the army and ma
Wy announced that a 10 man
board representing both services
left by plane today for Bermuda
to examine sites for defense out
posts there. Officials said tn
group would fly to Norfolk, Va,
and there board a navy cruiser
bound for Bermuda, where 1t
would meet British experts.
Whether congress would have to
act on authorizing legislation and
appropriation bills before base con-
struction could begin was a mat
ter of conjecture. ,a-
Chairman VinSon D-Ga) OF the
House Naval committee said the
navy already had $40, O00, 900 for
use in construction of auxiliary air
bases which might be used in con-
nection with the new program.
He expressed belief, however,
that both authorizing legislation
and appropriations would be need
ed to establish naval bases on Brit
ish territory. 2
vinson suggested also that the
President might use some of the
5000, 600, 900 defense fund over
which congress has given the Pres
ident wide discretionary authority.
The Navy department, preparing
to 60 through with the deal as
quick as possible, announced that
the destroyers involved were Of
the 1,200-ton type, carrying four
inch guns and 2l-inch torpedo
tubes-the exact size used by Brit
ain.
All beverage"
Ali were completed in 1922 OF
prior to that time, the navy said
and thus were leverage" T
navy figures that a destroyer ne
longer retains maximum effective
ness after it is 16 years old.
In tie interest of the safety O.
the ships, their names were no
disclc-ed.
But all were on the eastern sea
board, it was said, and many G.
them had been in service as par
of the neutrality patrol" and siz
of them were in Boston and Woule
be delivered by September 6. The.
will +, sailed to Canadian port
by their present crews and Their
turned over to British crews.
The naval and air bases to b
acquired by the United States ar
in Newfoundland, Bermuda, tn
BAHIA as, Jamaica, st. Lucia, An
tieua, Trinidad and British Guiana
the last situated on the Sout
American mainland.
The Newfoundls nd and Bermud;
bases Mr.. Roosevelt said In hi
message. we're gifts "generousl,
given and gladly received" whil'
the others were in exchange 10
the d~estroyers.
This is not inconsistent In an.
sense with our status OF peace,
the chief executive said. Still les
lis it a threat against any nation
It is an epochal and far-reaching
" " E. ---S-@-&.