Evening star., 1941-01-31

|
if the President ordered convoys?"
Senator Nye asked.
Certainly" Mr.. Knox replied
firmly.
Would you change your mind
about its being an act of WARP"
Senator Nye insisted.
Knox Obeys Commander in Chief.
I'm the Secretary of the Navy"
the witness replied. The Presi-
dent is my commander in chief. !
do what he tells me-"
Senator Nye asked whether, If
the aid provided in the bill were
insufficient" the United States
would have to 60 even further.
That's possible" the Navy Secre-
tary responded. But we do know
this. If we don't do what we propose
in this bill We will certainly have to
fight some time"
At another point he interrupted
a series of questions by Senator Nye
regarding future policy to remark
that this Nation would fight against
what the Nazis offer as long as there
is man left alive in America"
Senator Nye asked whether the
aid legislation would permit the
President to release secret military
equipment, such as the new bomb
signt, to Britain. After Mr.. Knox
said it would, Senator Nye asked
whether the bombsight had been re-
leased and the witness replied
negatively.
To further questions, Secretary
Knox said he would not like to see
the johnson Act, forbidding private
loans to war debt defaulters, de-
| stroyed or circumvented.
Says Z. S. Is Helping Herself.
MY attitude toward England in
her present crisis" Secretary Knox
continued, lis not due to any silly
| idea of sentiment. We are helping
ourselves-we are gaining time to
defend ourselves.
once we have a feet superior to
any combination on the high seas
then the Western Hemisphere will
be safe"
Secretary Knox added he believed
| the European war would be over be-
fore the United States could have an
adequate" defense. He said this
country should help Britain as long
as the war lasted, and said the cost
of such aid will be infinitely less
than the cost involved if the Nazis
win
( Mr.. Knox'S description of the i'm
minence of British crisis came when
Senator Gillette, Democrat, of Iowa
inquired why the bill was not offered
last fall, when, the IoWan contended,
the British situation was worse. He
recited British and Greek successes
on other war fronts in the mean
time.
Fears Use of Gas.
Secretary Knox said 1t is apparent
that the axis effort in the Mediter-
ranean has "bogged down." although
he is inclined to believe Germany
has the means to change the situa-
ton there if it saw fit to do so.
But Germany, he continued, has
not swerved from its major objective
of invading the British Isles. All
information reaching this Govern
ment, he said, indicates Hitler is
continuing to prepare for that at
tempt across the Channel. land we
fear they also are contemplating
use of gas"
Having failed to break British
morale by heavy bombing of Lon
don, the Secretary said the Germans
have turned recently to air attacks
on the industrial centers of Great
Britain.
While I cannot disclose figures, "
he continued, that has been more
effective than indiscriminate raids
on London"
Those industrial raids, coupled
with the increasing success OF Ger
man submarines against British
shipping he declared, form the basis
for the belief that England faces "a
very grave crisis within so or go
days"
Senator Gillette thanked him for
his statement, explaining it was the
first time during the hearings he has
been able to get an answer to why
the situation is more acute now than
last fall.
Senator Gillette asked Mr.. Knox
if he was frightened by that devils
mask" talk by Hitler yesterday, or
the earlier speech of German Ad-
miral Raeder.
Il was not frightened" replied
the Secretary. But we have heard
so many things come out of Ger
many that were thought to be be-
yond accomplishment, but which
came true When they invaded Nor
way, the British said, now they have
made their great mistake-they have
missed the bus. But they succeeded
We saw them 60 through the French
Army like a knife through fresh
cheese"
Wants U. S. to Get Ready.
For those reasons, he said, his
reaction is not to become fright
ened, but to move without delay to
make this country secure.
Senator Gillette listed four points
on which he suggested both the
advocates and the opponents of the
bill could agree. They are:
/. That no one wants to take this
, country to war;
2. That both sides sbhor the to-
talitarian philosophy of government;
3. That all believe this country
should make every effort to prepare
for any eventuality, and
4. Keep the war as far from these
shores as possible.
i Secretary Knox agreed to all fou,