Evening star., 1941-08-20
Hopkins Likely
ToHeadU.S.Unit
In Moscow Talks
American Planes
May Be Flown to
Soviet Via Siberia

By the Associated Press.
Capitol Hill heard forecasts today
that Harry Hopkins, lease-lend ad-
ministrator, probably would head
the American delegation to the
joint meeting in Moscow of United
States and British officials with
Premier Stain of Russia.
At the same time, there were ap-
parently authentic reports that ar
rangements had been made to fly
American manufactured bombing
and fighting planes to the Soviets
both by way of Siberia and over an
extension of the newly-designated
South Atlantic ferry route to the
British forces in the Middle East.
The details of this arrangement,
said to involve transport and mill
tary plane operations over both
routes by Pan-American Airways.
were expected to be worked out
finally in the Moscow conferences.
An apportionment of American
military production to Russia. par
ticularlv as to warplanes, also was
reported listed for discussion.
Chain Of AirpOrts Held Prepared.
A well-informed legislator. who
asked that he remain anonymous
said he understood the Russians had
prepared chain OF landing fields
across Siberia so that not only
bombers but the relatively shorter
ranged fighting planes could be
flown TO the front.
Although the Russians were said
TO be willing TO assume the response
bility of delivering the planes, this
legislator said it was likely that
Pan-American would be asked to
establish a line similar to the route
which President Roosevelt disclosed
Monday would be set up to West
Africa and thence to the Mediter-
ranean area. This line also would
be utilized. it was said. to take
planes through the Near East to
Russia.
There seemed little disposition
among administration supporters
meanwhile, to link the projected
Hopkins trip to Moscow with the
possible extension OF lease-lend
credits to the Soviet.
Russia Held Able to Pay.
Remarking that Mr.. Hopkins ap-
peared to be better qualified than
any one else to undertake the task
of determining Russia's need for
supplies. Senator Pepper. Democrat.
of Florida said it was his under
standing that the Soyiets had the
resources to finance cash purchases
for long time to come
All that might be needed, the
Florida Senator said. would be for
the r. F. c. to make dollar ex-
change available on Russian gold or
collateral holdings. The big prob
lem. he went on, was deciding what
share of production should go to
the Soviet and what to the British.
Anybody who would deny the
Russians the right to buy-for good
American dollars that will give a
profit to the manufacturers-the
supplies they need to fight Hitler,
certainly must be very biased in
deed" he told reporters.
On two occasions, President Roose-
velt has told press conferences that
lease-lend aid will not be extended
to the Russians since they have ade-
quate cash resources for outright
purchasing.
Mo. Roosevelt told his press con-
ference yesterday that Great Britain
and the United States would make
survey of production and needs
through 1943 because the war would
continue through that year if it was
necessary. A similar canvass would
be necessary, he said, for certain
Chinese and Russian requirements
The President said he had dis
cussed that subject with Lord Bea-
verbrook British Minister of Sup
'See SOVIET AID, Page ABB