Evening star., 1941-11-25
Senators Approve
u. 5. Occupation
OF Dutch Guiana
Possibility Of German
Move Into Adjacent
French Colony Roised

The dispatch OF a protective force
Of United States troops to Dutch
Guiana won commendation in the
Senate today and the general dis
position was to link the move with
the critical status of Franco-Amer-
lean relations.
Several Senators, speaking of the
Dutch colonyS rich bauXite mines,
said that President Roosevelt obvi-
ously intended to forestall any threat
to this vital supply source which
furnishes more than go per cent of
the bauXite ore required by this
country's rapidly expanding alum
mum industry.
Although none claimed to have
confidential information, some WELL
informed legislators thought that
Mr.. Roosevelt may have acted from
concern lest Germany occupy Dakar,
Frances strategic base on the west
ern hump of Africa. and then try
later to move into French Guiana,
which borders the Dutch colony in
the northeast coast of South
America.
The Far Eastern crisis also had a
bearing on the action, the White
House explaining that the present
situation in the Southwestern Pa
cific" made it inadvisable for the
Netherlands to draw on Dutch
armed forces in the East Indies to
strengthen Dutch Guianas defenses.
East Indies Action Possible.
Possibility of the United States
also sending troops to reinforce the
East Indies was seen in a London
statement by Prof. Pieter S. Ger
brandy. Netherlands premier, that
cooperation between Australia
Great Britain, North America and
the Netherlands will be complete
should there be aggression in that
part of the world"
Meanwhile, Secretary of State
Hull conferred for two hours late
yesterday with the ENJOYS here of
the four governments with which
this country is llaborating in the
Far East, presumably laying the
basis for further discussions with
Japanese representatives
There was no official comment
following the conference attended by
British Ambassador Viscount Hall
fax. Chinese Ambassador HUI Shih,
Australian Minister Richard G..
Casey and Netherlands Minister A.
Loudon except that further meet
tngs are contemplated.
The four diplomats were called
together by Mr.. Hull during a lull
in his discussions with Japanese
Ambassador Kichisaburo Nomura
and Saburo KuruSu, Tokio's special
peace emissary. There was no official
indication of what progress is being
made in the Japanese American
discussions toward a peaceful ad-
justment of the issues raised by
Japan's drive to dominate a new
order" in East Asia.
Lord Halifax conferred again for
an hour with Mr. Hull today. telling
reporters merely that he had
brought the Secretary some infor-
nation he had requested.
Hill Offers Theory.
Meanwhile, Senator Hill, Demo-
crat, of Alabama, the majority whip
expressed the opinion that the Presi-
dent sent armed forces to Dutch
Guiana because we know that there
is a projected conference between
Hitler and Petain regarding the
French colonial possessions, which
include French Guiana"
Diplomatic quarters have received
number of reports of Nazi activity
In French Guiana, and it is known
that citizens of the Dutch colony
have been uneasy about conditions
in the French penal colony ever
since the fall of France The cessa-
ton of French food shipments has
worsened the plight of some 10000
convicts there, and many of the
regular guards have deserted. An
easily forded river separates the two
colonies. and until the recent arrival
of Dutch relnforcements from Eng
land, only few hundred men could
be mustered in Dutch Guiana's de-
tense.
Apparently neither the French
colonial authorities nor the Vichy
government was consulted regarding
the United States decision to sup
YHnrf tho
ments with American troops, but
the step had the approval of both
the Netherlands government and of
Brazil, which adjoins both the Dutch
and French colonies.
Brazil showed her approval by
announcing the dispatch of a mill
tary mission to cooperate with
Dutch and United States troops in
guarding the bauxite mines and
simultaneously served notice last
night that she would not be neutral
II any other American nation be-
came involved in the war.
Reminder to Vichy.
The joint action of the United
States and Brazil, some diplomatic
sources thought. might be calcu-
lated to remind Vichy of the Havana
conference agreement after France s
fall which provided for -Ameri-
can trusteeship of any European
possession in the Western Hemi-
sphere which might be threatened
with a change of sovereignty or loss
Of autonomy because of war. 1t was
believed that any complete Vichy
surrender to Nazi collabora tior
would be interpreted as constituting
such a threat.
There was another yelled reminder
to Vichy in the publication of Presi.
dent Roosevelt's letter yesterday spe.
Cifically authorizing lease-lend aid t.
the Free French forces If Franc,
decides to cast her lot with the Axi
in the coming conversations, it wa
pointed out, bases in Dutch Guians
could effectively support a Free
French move on French Guiana.
U. S. Aiding Free French.
United States military supplies
It was officially revealed today, al
ready have been going to the Ere,
French forces in North Africa fo