Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-09-04
Defense Fund
May Be Used 10
Start on Bases
s2oo,ooo,ooo Voted
President Available
To speed Work
BY JOHN C. HENRY.


devote part of 5000, 900 900 of dis
cretionary funds voted him for de-
tense purposes to finance initial
work on the eight naval and air
bases acquired from Great Britain
in exchange for so American de-
stroyers, 1t was declared after a
White House conference Of con-
gressional leaders today.
CIn Salt Lake City Secretary
fthe Navy Knox was quoted by
the Associated Press as saying
SOS, 000,000 will be spent at once
preparing the base sites. He
predicted "lot of noise over this
transaction, l." but added that Con-
gress knows where public opin-
ion ISL
With speed of action being the
keynote in completing this historic
international transaction, the Presi-
dent summoned the legislative
chieftains to his study this morning
to give them a complete fill-in Of
the negotiations and to discuss
plans for putting the deal into
actual effect.
Called to the White House we've
Speaker Bankhead, Senate Majority
Leader Barley, Senator Byrnes of
South Carolina, House Majority
Leader Rayburn and Chairman
Bloom of the House Foreign Affairs
Committee.
After the conference, Senator
Barley told reporters Congressional
appropriations may be needed to
complete construction of the bases,
but that the work probably will be
started with funds already avail
able to the President.
Adjournment May Be This Month.
At the present time. Senator
Barley said, no negotiations are
under way for more than eight
bases acquired from Great Britain.
He described congressional leaders
thoroughly enthusiastic" over the
deal.
Subsequently. Speaker Bankhead
was asked whether there was a
possibility more bases might be
acquired. y
NO sir" he replied. That's out
the window. There is nothing more
in sight about any more bases, I
am authorized to say"
Regarding the legislative situa-
ton, Senator Barley said adjourn
ment of Congress may be accom-
| plished by September 20.
The destroyer-base transaction
| precipitated a short, but sometimes
wrathful, round of House debate
today.
Representative Smith. Republican.
of Ohio, led of a series of one
minute speeches with the assertion
that transfer of so destroyers to
Britain was clearly an act of war;"
and Representative Sweeney, Dem
ocrat. of Ohio, declared that If the
people knew what was going on
behind the scenes in Washington
they would start revolution, not to
overthrow but to preserve democ-
racy"
On the other side, Representative
Johnson, Democrat, of Texas, said
that Mr.. Roosevelt did the same
thing President Jefferson did in pur-
chasing Louisiana in 1903 and you
cannot take the people into your
confidence when you are making
trade" To this Representative
Creel, Democrat. of Kentucky, added
that whoever did it, did blamed
good job
Willkie Position Disputed.
Representative johnson said he
wished to call attention of the Re
publicans to the fact that their
chosen leader" Wendell Willkie,
said the trade was all right and
would be approved by the American
people"
Representative Bender. Repub-
ican. of Ohio said that Mr.. john
son had not stated% the Republican
presidential nominees whole posi-
ton.
Mr.. Willkie, he added, said he
believed in turning over the destroy
ers but it had been done without
act of Congress.
st say" Mr.. Bender continued,
that this is in direct violation of
the law. The President took the law
into his own hands"
Representative Keefe. Republican,
of Wisconsin interjected that this
country needs a Chief Executive
who will "set his face sternly and
firmly against Executive usurpation
Of legislative functions.
Representative Cox, Democrat, of
Georgia. often an administration
critic, declared that he was glad to
see the Government acquire the
bases.
Questioned at his press conference
| this morning about reaction to the
| British american trade, Stephen T.
Early, secretary to the President,
(See BASES, Page A-3J