Evening star., 1940-07-21
Britain Rejecting Hers Appeal Reason Deon invasion

gesture to the axis aims, making way for
material assistance to Great Britain, has-
tening the defense Of the United States
itself and enlistins the cooperation Of
the Latin American republics to keen
Hitlerian influence away from this hend-
sphere. Mr.. Roosevelt Is pledged in q
recent message to Congress against send
ing American soldiers to Europe. As for
aid to England, the Democratic platform
states:
I'm self-defense and IN good eon.
science. the worlds greatest democracy
cannot afford heartlessly or in spirit Of
appeasement to ignore the peace-lovins
and hberty-loving peoples wantonly at
lacked by ruthless aggressors. We
pledge to extend to these peoples all the
material aid at our command, consistent
with law and not inconsistent with the
interests of our national elf-defense."
In the matter Of arms for home. thu
Army disclosed that it has let an Sill.
100000 contract for 627 light. swift tanks.
Secretary Of War Stimson
parachute revealed that the Army
1roinino this month will begin q
. program Of experimental
training of parachute troops. A test
platoon of officers and 48 infantrymen
has been organized and will receive
training from July % to August 3 in
the parachute landing methods used by
Germany and Russia. Tanks and para
chutes have played an important part
IN the German continental victories.
Members of the test platoon will travel
by Army planes from Fort Bennine, Ca.
to Fort Dix, N. j., where they will be
temporarily housed. Members of the
experimental platoon are expected to
form the cadre for larger units, depend
ing on further studies and tests and les
sons yet to be learned from reliable re.
ports coming in from abroad.
The War Department signed a s25.-
100000 contract with z. I. du Pont de
Nemours & Co. for the construction of
smokeless powder plant near Charles
town. Ind. Secretary of the NAVY Knox
said the United States Fleet is working
out technique for improving its de-
1ense against air attack. Engineering
societies launched census of technical
experts who are jobless or who are hold
ing jobs different from those for which
they were trained. The census Is aimed
at expediting the national defense pro-
gram by making available to the Gov.
eminent list of men and women com.
petent as engineers, designers, drafts
men and surveyors.
Inc American. eye ranged far over the
world. Chief In its focus is the Western
Hemisphere On Thursday
hovona Secretary of State Hull and
poFley corps Of advisers took of
for Havana, Cuba, to par
ticipate In the conference of foreign
ministers of the American States. The
United States Government contoked the
conference. It's purposes was further
cementing the united front of the Amer
icas toward events in Europe and against
totalitarianism and considering American
problems arising out of the war. Prob
lem number l is the status Of Euro.
pean colonies in American areas, espe.
cially the colonies of countries like the
Netherlands and France which are un.
der German control.
A specific diplomatic issue involving
an American republic, Chile, and a
European neutral friendly to Germany,
Spain, attracted the attention of all the
delegates to the conference. Spain, q
Fascist nation, last week severed diplo.
matte relations with Chile, which has 4
popular front government. Relations
between the two have been strained
over Chiles refusal to surrender a group
OF Spanish Republican refugees sheltered
in the Chilean Embassy in Madrid. Gen,
Franco came to power by overthrowing
the Republican regime that preceded
him. The Madrid Foreign Once ex.
planned the Spanish action on the ground
that Chile has permitted an anti-Na.
tionalist (anti-Franco, in other words)
campaign Of "intolerable limits" A Chill.
can official said he could scarcely be.
ieve the rude and absurd news
What this meant in its ultimate
implication nobody knew. Would it
put a damper on the Fascist revolu.
tionaryism simmering in Chile, as joseph
Edgerton, The Stars correspondent in
South America, found it last week? or
would 1t cause redoubling of European
Fascist EFFORTS to attain q dominant DO.
sition In South American affairs?
While 1t looked with one eye toward
South America, the administration kept
its other on the Far East.
U. S. and The British action in regard
Jopon to the Burma road aroused
Mr.. Hull, who announced
that this Government has legitimate
interest In the keeping open of arteries
Of commerce in every part of the world"
Berlin seized on this statement and sug.
gested that If Mr.. Hull meant what ne
said. he must logically condemn tFis
British naval blockade against Germany
and Italy. The Burma road situation
put the United States at a CROSSROADS
In its policy. It is interested In keeping
the road open. not only in the interest
OF commerce, but also in the interest Or
its treaty commitments with regard to
China and its oft-repeated antipathy to.
ward the japanese policy Of aggression.
At the same time the United States h
pursuing . policy of friendship with
England. Here was the problem Of which
policy to follow.