Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-08
Stinson Denies
British Aid Saps
u s. Air Corps
Ry STANLEY CARROLL
Init News service stan CorrrsIsondsn

dlu- To- ~ lidiN IfoSl tlI - - it'f'i ,
the United States Air Corps.
In a letter to the Senate foreign
relations committee. The secretary
emphatically denied that airplane
deliveries TO England have depleted
the United States air force and
declared that on the contrary,
this aid to Britain is responsible
for the expansion Of the American
aircraft industry" 20 point Of I'M
measurable benefit 10 this coun-
try'S defense program.
Stimsons letter reached tho
committee shortly after Major
Williams warned that group that
the 'lend-leaSe' bill for even
greater aid "a nations fighting
acgresSors would strip United
States defcnScS and grant PrcSi-
dent Roosevelt dictatoriai powers.
BACKS Up LINDBERGH
Williams statements followed
closely the views presented 10 the
committee Thursday by Colonel
Lindbereh. The latter said he did
not see how Britain could win the
European war. Williams went even
further and declared England has
no chance" of defeating Germany
Stimson cited a news story based
upon testimony he presented last
week at a secret session of the
! committee representing him as
saving or intimatlng that plane
deliveries 10 Britain have impaired
1.-THE safety of the United States.
"Such an implication Is quite
untrue. the secretary wrote 10
committee chairman George 1T
disregards completely the funda-
mental fact that air power de-
ponds on productive capacity and
not merely on number of planes.
EXPANSION OF OUTPUT
.Ear-from- constituting an
Interference with the purchase
of planes by our air corps, the
purchases made in this country
by BritaiB=aBd France. i'm par
tieular over the past two years,
have been primarily responsible
r for the expansion that has taken
place in the aircraft industry in
this country.
AS a result of these foreign
orders, the American airplane
industry i'm the latter part of
1899 and in 1910 has expanded
approximately 100 per cent.
AS early as 1888 foreign
countries made available to our
manufacturers money for doub-
ling the productive capacity Of
aircraft engines OF the type
currently used by our own air
corps.
by helping the British build
up an air force which Is now
reasonably expected to success
fully meet the crisis of this
year, we have not only strength
ened our own security through
Britain's increased defensive
power. but we have put our
selves into a productive position
which will make us immensely
more powerful than we would
otherwise have been at the time
when, If Britain falls. the first
blow could fall on us"
LACKS AIR POWER
Williams. on the other hand.
old the committee that American
iirpower is "a myth and that
passage of the "lend-lcase" bill
would permit the President TO
strip this nation of urgently
needed defenSes.
america Is woefully deficient
in air power" he said. THE
neglect to provide that vital
+ arm for Americas national de-
Tense system y nothing short
"This bin negatives all chances
OF developier American air
power. sinceft will further strip
! us of existing aircraft and di-
vert future production. II car
AlfT n w dhiN INV NJ w
American liberty. TO the Ameri-
can way of life and to our repre-
sentative form of government"
Williams described 2"hnilol
tories reports that this nation j,
danger OF invasion. lie BRANDED
UGH fears as pure nonsense "a
hysical and mechanical imposSi
ilIty now and for a considerable
ireich of years"
Charles c. Morrison Of Chicago
or 80 years editor Of The CHRIS
ian Century pleaded for uncom
romising rejection Of the LEND
Ease" bill
FEARS DICTATORSHIP
'1n reality" he said. "it is
blueprint for the surrender Of
American democracy TO a die
country into war by subterfuge.
II Is the equivalent ola declara-
don of war without the declara-
sioh.
Il do not believe that any al
The proposed amendments. or att
" them together. would restrict
he dietatorial power of the
President which this bill will
1--WE him. The time limit Of Two
years, or one year or even 80
LAYS, will he quite sufficient for
pur resourceful President TO ere
ite "A situation. a fait accompli,
rom which there will be no exit