Evening star., 1941-01-16
Maintenance by U. 5.
OF British and Free
French Fleets Urged
Maj. Worburton Suggests
Plan to Roosevelt as
Form of Insurance.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
| PALM BEACH, Fla, Jan. 10
Maj Barclay H. WarblTton, mil
itary attache in Paris during the
World War, has suggested to Presi-
dent Roosevelt that the United
States pay the maintenance costs
of the British and Free French
Navies as a form of insurance"
against aggression during expansion
of this country's fleet.
Maj Warburton said he had asked
Presidential Secretary Stephen
Early to relay the proposal to the
President December 18, but had
received no acknowledgment.
Widespread discussion of the
Presidents lease-lend plan prompt
ed him to release his memorandum
now, Maj. Warburton added.
Maj. Warburton formerly pub
lished a newspaper in Philadelphia.
Conflict With Laws Doubted.
Maj. Warburton said he felt his
plan would not conflict with the
johnson or neutrality laws.
Some weeks ago" he continued,
Mrs. Roosevelt said, if correctly
interviewed that we should give
financial aid to Great Britain. /
thought then that she was right,
but 1 didn't believe that England
would accept an outright gift.
Moreover, there might be some OBJ
lection by the State Department
owing to the neutrality laws.
Therefore, this communication
was forwarded to the President,
covering plan I am convinced is
feasible and practical and of vital
interest at this time.
Naturally we are all in entire
accord with the Presidents desire to
assist Great Britain in every way
possible. I feel this way is practical
and will not meet with objections
voiced by critics of the lend-leaSe
plan.
Text Of Memorandum.
His memorandum, an addition
to one sent last summer about naval
matters and acknowledged, said:
1T is suggested: That, during the
expansion and construction of the
United States Navy and until its
completion, as form of insurance
against aggression the United
States Government assume the cost
of such insurance, by offering to
pay the total annual cost of main
tenance of both the navies of the
British and Free French govern
ments; the said insurance payments
shall include the use of all naval
bases not heretofore provided for
both England and Free France if
needed and their continued use,
until such time, when in the opin-
ion of the chief of naval operations,
the said insurance is no longer nee
essary.
These payments would automat-
ically release from the Treasury
budgets of those governments sum
equivalent to the insurance so paid,
for which amount an undertaking
should be entered into by the con-
tracing parties, that in exchange for
these premiums, like total sums
shall be expended by the British and
free French governments in the
United States for the purchase Of
supplies, cargo ships or war mate
rials, as they may be required, and
futher, that in the event of "ag-
gression" by any foreign power upon
the United States, the said under
taking should agree to render when
called upon to do, every assistance
in its power
1T would therefore seem that this
purchase of protection, during our
naval construction, could not pos
sibly conflict with either the john
son Act or our neutrality laws"