Evening star., 1940-08-26
Plans for Air Bases
May Be Revealed
On Bermuda S Action
Borkley Soys No Proposal
For Payment to British
Hos Been Advanced

BY the Associated Press.
Bermuda's announcement that
she was ready to place an air base
at the disposal of the United States
encouraged expectations today that
some official pronouncement would
be forthcoming tf.is week on the
status of negotiations for additional
defense outposts in other British
possessions.
Thus far neither the White House
nor the Navy Department has made
any comment on Saturdays dis
closure at Hamilton, Bermuda, that
the Great Sound of the resort
islands would be made available to
the United States on 99-year lease
for an air, and possibly navy, base.
Besides bermuda. Newfoundland,
Trinidad, Barbados and the Ba-
hamas have been mentioned as pos
sible base sites. President Roose-
welt, who has been conducting the
negotiations, has not hinted. how
ever, what locations are being dis
cuSsed.
Senator Barkley. Democrat, of
Kentucky, commenting on the Ber-
muda announcement, said yesterday
that the United States should ac-
quire "a whole string" of air and
fleet bases guarding approaches to
the Panama Canal.
Payment Is Undecided.
Apropos of the Bermuda base, he
said, Il think it's very fine indi-
cation of the spirit of those who con-
troll Bermuda to offer it to us" He
called such a base desirable, IF not
indispensable" for defense of the
Atlantic approaches to the United
States.
Asked how Britain should be paid
for bases leased. Senator Barkley
replied that no official plan had yet
been advanced. He noted, however.
that unofficial suggestions included
reduction or cancellation of the
British war debt, and the transfer
of so "overage' American destroy
ers to the Royal Navy.
The question OF the destroyer
transfer was aired last night in
radio debate in which Senators Nye.
Republican, of North Dakota. and
Danaher, Republican, of Connecti-
cut opposed Senator Pepper, Dem
crat, of Florida, and Col. Henry
Breckenridge, New York attorney.
and Assistant Secretary of War un-
der President Wilson.
Senators Nye and Danaher argued
that it would be an act of war to
make the fighting craft available to
Britain. Senator Pepper and Col.
Breckenridge urged such a transfer,
contending that it might turn the
tide of battle against "our declared
enemies" and thus avert war from
this country.
Called "Silly PaIaver."
Senator Nye characterized as silly
palaver" the contention that the
United States was dependent on the
British Navy, asserting that the best
of military authority has demon
strated how little force could be
moved against us by victorious
Hitler"
Senator Danaher said that the
United States was bound by domes-
tic and international law to refrain
from such a transfer.
Supplying destroyers to England
is recognized act of war and the
American people should fully realize
it, he asserted. ''' IF we make
available to England some of our
destroyers for use in the war, in
evitably We enter that war"
Expressing the view that addition
of so destroyers to the British fleet
might mean the difference between
victory and defeat for Britain, Sem
ator Pepper said:
These so World War destroyers
could be Of no higher service to
their country's safety than if, by
maintaining England's naval su-
premacy, they can keep England s
enemy and our own from the shores
Of the United States"
Col. Breckenridge said that 80
destroyers to England may be worth
800 to us five weeks from now" be-
cause they may turn the tide of
battle against our declared enemies. -