Evening star., 1941-09-25
Admiral Stark Paints
Gloomy Picture Of
Shipping Losses
Navy Conveying Has Cut
Sinkings in Lost 90 Days,
leose-Lend Hearing Told
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
A House Appropriations Subcom-
nittee got glimpse of the battle of
the Atlantic, it was learned today,
in the testimony of Admiral Harold
r. Stark, Chief of Naval Operations,
on the new $685., 100000 lease-lend
appropriation bill.
Admiral Stark appeared before
the committee in executive session
to testify on naval phases of the
measure and some committee men,
bers, who declined to be quoted by
name, said he gave a rather gloomy
picture of shipping losses.
His report, they said, included
these details:
The Navy is now conveying as
many ships as necessary to waters
somewhere in the vicinity of Iceland
where the Royal Navy picks them up
for the final lap of their voyage to
British ports.
The sinking of conveyed ships has
dropped materially in the last 80
DAYS. but the rate is still more than
the total replacement capacity of
American ShlpyardS.
Shooting Policy Not Enough.
Shipping losses, however, indicate
that the Nays new shoot -on- sight
policy will not. of itself, be sufficient
to keep the sea lanes open to Britain.
The United States at present has
several battleships, a sizable fleet
of destroyers and number" of
cruisers in the North Atlantic and
countless miscellaneous naval craft
based at Iceland.
Still greater expenditures under
the lease-lend program will be nee
essary for both merchant ships to
replace losses and for corvettes, tor
pedo boats and similar anti-sub-
marine vessels to help Britain cope
with the U-boat menace.
At the end of yesterdays session
eome members of the committee
manifested diSpleaSure over Secre-
tary of the Navy Knox's failure to
appear for testimony on the Navys
share of the pending appropriations.
They complained that he was out
making speeches instead.
Too Much miscellaneous"
A few members also said that
there was too much miscellaneous"
among the naval items and that
unless specific explanation was
forthcoming, the miscellaneous"
might be eliminated.
Meanwhile, Representative Day,
Republican, of Illinois, disclosed
that he would sponsor an amend
ment which would prohibit the use
of any of the appropriation for aid
to Russia.
Democratic leaders have said they
anticipated that such limitation
would become the major fight when
the measure reaches the floor in
about two weeks. Expressing belief
that such proposal could be de-
feated easily, Speaker Rayburn said
it would be unfortunate" to make
"any change at all' in President
Roosevelt's request.
Passage of Ban Predicted.
But Representative Day expressed
the opinion that enough Democrats
would join the almost solid Repub-
lican ranks to write in the Russian
limitation. .r.
Were against the idea of gifts
to Russia" Representative Day
said, I'VE have enough danger here
already from Communist influences" !"
Meanwhile, lease-lend officials
said yesterday they we're negotiating
with Great Britain and other coun-
tries to determine the how and
when Of repayments for lease-lend
aid. but no specific arrangements
had been completed
Saying that the Lease-Lend Act
permits repayment by return of the
lease-lend articles themselves or of
similar articles or anything else of
value. one official questioned the
wisdom of making any definite ar
rangements at the present time.
Military Secrets Held Payment.
Another said that, in the case of
Britain. the United States already
Is getting type of payment when
the British pass on their military
secrets.
Neither official desired to be
quoted by name at this time. They
agreed, however, that there was no
intention to negotiate payment for
each batch of alrplanes or rifles.
Instead, some overall agreement
may be reached with each country
some day.