Evening star., 1941-08-19
Plane Ferry Service
To Africa May Open
New Fronts in War
British Positions Seen
Improved at Dokor
And in Asia Minor

Development of further fighting
fronts" against the Axis seemed to
be closer to reality today as this
Government completed arrange
ments for speeding military airplane
deliveries by way of Africa to the
British command in the Middle East.
Announced late yesterday by the
White House, the plan calls for es-
tablishment of a ferry service to be
operated by Pam American Anyways
between the Western Hemisphere
and West Africa, and thence east
ward to wherever British fighting
needs demand.
While the first guess is that these
reinforcements might be employed
principally in the Mediterranean
area, it would be feasible to fly the
new fighters onward to battle fronts
in the Caucasus, Iran, or even into
the Far East.
Stronger British Position.
In addition, development of a
West African terminal will give the
British a strengthened counter-po-
sition to French owned Dakar, which
may soon fall into German hands.
Meanwhile, further Immediate
steps in speeding assistance to Brit
ain we're to be discussed by Presi-
dent Roosevelt and Lord Beaver
brook, British Minister of Supply,
in White House luncheon confer
ence today. 1t was expected that
Lease-Lend Administrator Harry L.
Hopkins, who has been comforting
frequently both here and in England
with the British official. also would
participate in today's discussion.
Lord Beaverbrook was to meet
with Office of Production Manage
ment officials later. william S.
Knudsen and Sidney Hillman, o. P.
M. co-directors, and Secretary of
War Stimson and Secretary of the
Navy Knox were scheduled to be
present.
In its announcement of the ferry
program yesterday, the White House
concluded pointedly:
The ferry system and the trans
port services provide direct and
speedy delivery of aircraft from the
arsenal of democracy to a criti-
cal point in the front against ag-
gression. The Importance of this
direct line of communication be-
tween our country and strategic out
posts in Africa cannot be overes-
timated."
To supplement the ferry service,
President Roosevelt disclosed, Pan
American also was establishing a
transport service covering the same
routes. This will carry spare air.
craft parts or other essential items
and also will be used for returning
ferry personnel. The service, he
added, likewise will be available for
general commercial use between the
United States and Africa.
Avoids Active Zones.
The exact routes were not speci-
fed, but it was said that they were
so arranged that they would not pass
through any zone of actual warfare.
Both Freetown, in British Sierra
Leone, and Bathurst, in British
Gambia, we're mentioned unoffcially
as likely West African terminals for
the South Atlantic service. The
British are reported to have i'm
proved their air facilities at both
places.
Bombers might be flown from
Trinidad or some other nearby
United States base, but shorter
range warplanes would require a
closer hopoff point, preferably on
the bulge of Brazil. In this connec-
ton congressional sources only re-
Gently reported that negotiations
were in progress with Brazil for the
use of bases in that section.
From Trinidad to Freetown the
distance is slightly more than 1900
miles. The use of Bathurst as
terminus would make the trip sew
eral hundred miles shorter. From
the bulge of Brazil the run to either
point would be about 1,700 miles.
100 Miles From Dakar.
Bathurst is about 100 miles south
of Dakar and Freetown is 500 miles
south of the French base. Military
men are of the opinion that a
strong air force based within strik-
ing range of Dakar could sharply
reduce the effectiveness of the base
for naval operations if Germany
should succeed in obtaining its use
from the Vichy government.
For the present. however, the indi-
cations were that the ferried planes
would be destined for operations in
North Africa and perhaps Asia
Minor. A considerable number of