Evening star., 1941-04-11
Hemisphere Defense
Resolution Signed
By President
Army and Navy Expected
To Begin Work at Once
On Greenland Bases
BACKGROUND

For more than a century Amer
tcan foreign policy has rested
baStcdlly on the Monroe Doctrine
and its principle OF resisting en-
croachment OF any other foreign
pO1Uer into this hemisphere. Sup
plementing this policy today is
the declaration OF the HdDdnG
Conference OF last year, 1Uhich
expressly permitted extension OF
material protection By polDers of
this hemisphere to threatened
territories 1Uithin it. Authorities
said yesterdays Greenland agree
n1ent falls 1Uithin this program.
By the Associated Press.
One day after including Green
land within the American Hemi-
sphere defense system, President
Roosevelt today signed resolu-
ton affirming a policy of non.
recognition of any transfer of West
ern Hemisphere land from one non-
American power to another.
He acted as word circulated that
the Army and Navy would begin
work Immediately on construction
of air bases on Denmark's big
northern island without waiting fol
formal leases to sites.
The resolution, in accordance with
an agreement reached by the q
American republics at the Confer
ence of Havana, provides for con-
sultation among them in the event
a prospective change of sovereignty
over non-American territory in this
hemisphere.
Asked at his press conference
whether any consultation with the
other American nations was in pros
pect on Greenland, the President
said they all knew about it.
Status of Other Areas.
The fact that Greenland is con-
sidered very definitely part of the
Western Hemisphere, he said, gives
it the same status under the agree
ment between the American repub-
lies as such areas as Martinique
Guadeloupe, Trinidad and British
Guiana.
To an inquiry as to whether the
United States had taken any mill
tary steps to protect Greenland, the
Chief Executive remarked that the
War Department had said yesterday
there would be no news from now
on about details of any bases.
Prompt forging of this northern
most link in the chain of fortiflca-
tions to guard Atlantic approaches
to the Americas was reported to be
considered of utmost importance in
official quarters, especially since
German warplanes were said to have
flown over the big Danish island
within the last three weeks.
The German flights were disclosed
by Secretary of State Hull yesterday
in announcing an agreement for the
defense of Greenland signed by him
self and the Danish Minister here
The flights occurred on March q
and %, Mr.. Hull said.
Work Due to Be Pressed.
Because the flights raised the pos
sibility of significant German mill
tary interest in the island, indica-
tions were that the fortif1cation
work would be pressed as rapidly
as supplies and equipment could be
transported.
Speculation that there may be an
immediate skeleton garrisoning OF
the island and a quick start on the
necessary construction projects was
accompanied yesterday by War
Department announcement tn
henceforth all information about
strength of troops sent to American
overseas bases, their identity OF
other data, will be restricted.
The agreement made by Mr.. Hull
and Danish Minister Henrik de
Kaufman provided that this coun-
try could construct, maintain and
operate "such landing fields, sea-
plane facilities and radio and me-
neurological installations" as are
necessary to prevent Greenland
from becoming "a point of aggression
against nations of the American
continent"
Lease Negotiation Formality.
Negotiations of leases to specific
sites was considered but formality
which could easily be completed
while the work of fortification act
ually was under way.
From Berlin, the Associated
Press reported that the Danish
Foreign Office in Copenhagen
had no knowledge of the agree
ment. Rome reaction described
the Danish Minister here as an
"adventurer," accused President
Roosevelt as considering himself
kind of emperor of the world"
and suggested that Japan might
as logically acquire Hawaii for
protection of Asia.
In some authoritative quarters ii
was suggested that the Greenland
development could result in aiding
Britain to solve the problem of pro-
tecting her North Atlantic conveys,
Naval forces which the United
States presumably will operate be-
tween this country and the island