The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-05-08
Great Battle Starts Today Over Convoy Of Munitions To England

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 3. Addressing the American book sellers convention here, Knox warned that failure to save Great Britain would confront the United States with the combined fleets of Germany, Italy, France and Japan.
 3. The United States under terms of the lend-lease bill is arm- ing Norwegian merchant vessels op- erating between this country and British ports. The armament in- cludes 50 caliber anti-aircraft bat teries and heavier guns for use against submarines.
 4. Nelson A. Rockefeller, coordi- nator of inter-American relations, told 8 Chicago audience last night: This IS no time for halfway meas ures. We must produce the goods needed for defense of the free way of life We must see that these goods reach the armies of the Dem- ocracies."
 5. Willlie told an audience of 25,000 in Madison Square Garden, New York, that we are next on the Axis list if Great Britain falls and added: T care not whether you call safe delivery conveying, patroling, arplane accompaniment or what not. Give Britain destroyers and see that those ships loaded with the ever-increasing production of Amer lea deliver their cargoes safely to the ports of western and northern England"
 6. British Ambassador Lord Hali- fax said 1t was Impossible to ex- aggerate the urgency of all possible action to hold the life line intact. We are confident we can hold it with your help"
 '. From Rome came dual warn- ing that American vessels entering the Axis blockade zone would be sunk and that the Panama and SueZ canals will become "roads of a war to the death."
 Reference to Canals
 The reference to the two great canals was contained in the Leg horn Telegrapho, newspaper be- longing to the family of Italian Foreign Minister Count Galeazzo Ciano. It said: "These canals which might have been roads of tri- umph for the western civilization will become roads of . war to the death"
 There was no backing down here Instead, the navy moved to aug ment its Atlantic patrol by taking over the deep sea operations of the coast guard, involving about 20 ves- sells. They are ideally suited" for patrol work and those now in the Atlantic are expected to supplement naval operations already underway to protect the movements of ships in the British life line.
 On another front MT. Roosevelt imposed what appeared to be a semi blockade against the Axis with ar order evidently designed to mini nni2e leakage of western hemisphere produce to Germany, Italy or Japan He imposed upon goods passing 1T transit through the United State! or coming into Its ports for transfer from one vessel to another the same export license restrictions applying to goods originating in the United States. Hereafter the United States will determine whether sucl, goods shall continue to their destina. tions and If they are kept here they will be sold at 8 price to be fixed and probably paid by the govern ment.
 No Time Fixed
 No time has been fixed for the senate commerce committee to re- port the ship seizure bill for floor debate. Senator Charles w. Tobey R., N. H., has announced his de- termination to offer as rider to 1t, his resolution which would for bid use of the navy in convoy ser- vice. But trial tests of sentiment practically assure defeat of that resolution and, under those circum- stances, administration leaders ap- parently are willing to permit a vote Non-interventionlsts, however, well come the opportunity for formal debate of Conveys, the extended Atlantic. patrol and, especially, the recent burst of administration speeches in which cabinet officers and other responsible officials have all but committed MT. Roosevelt to seein gour munitions safely to Bri- tish ports.
 Sen. Gerald P. Nye, R., N. D., N. D., charged in a radio address last night that administration speakers were attempting to whip up popular support for conveys which the American people actually do not desire to undertake. He said MT. Roosevelt's statement last month that Germans may have been in Greenland, was brought about be- cause "the apathy of the people had to be met by frightening them into doing the thing against which their sober judgment dictated" He denounced the administration's verbal blitzkrieg," and said:
 "All possible pressure, accom- panied by deception, is being brought Into play to cause the great major ity of the people opposed to wal to be fearful, and quiet, while the organized interventoinist minrity strives to give the President req son to believe that there is over- whelming public sentiment favor able to our getting into Europe's war. at least with our navy, at once.
 Brazil's aircraft factories expect to produce this year 100 light air. planes for aeronautical clubs, tho l