The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-07-10

 to the Atlantic patrol.
 Discussing the occupation of Ice IanA he seemed to imply that the navy may have to shoot to carry out President Roogevelt's new or. ders that Gall necessary steps be taken to insure the safety of conn between Island and the United States, as well as on the seas between the United States and all other strategic outposts." "
 Area Tt Would Cover
 At their minimum, those orders would cover the area lying west of ! 1000 mile lire drawn from Iceland to British Guiana. Their actual limits depend entirely upon what may specifically be determined upon as strategic outpoSts."
 After @ luncheon conference with MT. Roosevelt, Wendell l.. Willkie, 1o40 Republican presidential candi- date, suggested establishment of United States bases in northern Ire land and Scotland if they are need- ed to make our aid to Great Britain effective.
 Wlllkie returned to New York last night and shortly will leave for the West coast. It is understood MT. Roosevelt discussed the interna- tional situation with him at length, especially the occupation of Iceland and its implications. Wlllkie now Is fortified with facts on which he probably will draw to support ad- m1nistration foreign policies in Pa. citlc coast speeches.
 Knox's hour-long press conference began ct 3 D. m., and reporters sought repeatedly to learn how fer the navy had been authorized to go to insure the safety of strategic communications which MT. RooSe- velt informed Congress July 8 had become the navy's responsibility.
 "As commander in chief" he said then, T have consequently issued orders to the navy that all neceS- sary steps be taken"-to that end.
 Tn response to repeated inquiries whether the navy would shoot" Knox replied that MT. Roosevelt's message to congress announcing the occupation of Iceland left mo room for any doubt what may be done." But at no time during the conference did the secretary use the words shoot" or shooting"
 Guard Imperative
 He recalled the presidents state- rlent that 1t Is Imperative" to guard these approaches and defend them so they "shall remain free from all hostile activity" He stress ed also that the president has Issued orders to the navy to in. sure safety of approaches from Ice- land to America" and elsewhere.
 At no point in the hour-long con- ference did Knox say the navy had specifically been given shooting" orders, although 1t seemed to imply 1t. The nearest to that was after Q direct question whether the navy would shoot.
 "The presidents statement covers it," Knox said.
 He was asked If MT. Roosevelt's statement went further than the original Atlantic patrol policy of radioing to the White House reports of movements of belligerent ships within the western hemisphere zone.
 Yes" he said, T should say that 1t does. I think that the language indicates that the policy goes fur- ther than the original orders to the navy to report sightings of hos tile craft to the White House."
 A reporter asked If he had any comment on Sen. Wheeiers state- ment that he would reveal any troop movements outside the vest ern hemisphere as in the case of Iceland.
 No Additional News
 Pressed again for clarification of what the presidents instructions to the Navy were, Knox replied mere- ly that he could not Supplement what are my orders" aside from what was revealed in the message to congress.
 He said the occupation force in Iceland was purely a naval task" force, including Marines, but that the army will ultimately supple ment them. He declined to reveal the name of the commander of the occupation force or the units, but said all Atlantic operations are un- der direction of Vice Admiral Er. nest J. King.
 He added that if our forces find it necessary, they will enlarge air fields and other wise improve de- fense facilities because i've are pledged to maintain the freedom of Iceland"
 He said it was conceivable" that American and British forces there would work together under certain circumstances, explaining that he believed that the American forces would gradually replace the Britt ish, which Prime Minister Winston Churchill estimated at 80,OO0.
 Informed that Churchill told commons that the British would be left there also, Knox smiled and replied:
 T am not going to correct the British Prime Minister"
 DcrAhu OpAHl0n
 Berlin, July 10-UP)-An au- thorized source charged today that the United States and Great Brit ain together are evidently building up an aggressive and offensive tac- tical position" on Iceland.
 Commenting on the American oc- cupation of Iceland and British Prime Minister Winston Church. Ills statement that British forces would remain there, the Nazl spokesman feid that the action could not be viewed as merely ex- changing forces for defensive pur- poses"
 The "olny conclusion one can draw from the fact that the Brit- ish troops are remaining In Ice- land" is that the two nations are establishing an offensive position. he said.