Evening star., 1941-10-23
White House Refuses
To Say What Ports
Move Russian Aid
Denial Closely Follows
Maritime Commission
Designation Of Boston

Speculation over the motive be-
hind public announcement of
change in shipping routes for Amer
ican aid to Russia received a new
Jolt today when a White House
spokesman repeated promises that
material will move but asserted
sternly that there will be no in
formation on time or ports of de-
parture.
Aid will 60 to Russia on schedule
and in the quantities promised by
the American mission in Moscow"
Stephen T. Early, press relations
secretary. told reporters.
But when, or how, or from what
ports, the White House will not say.
We'd just as soon send a telegram
to Hitler about it as to announce it."
Controversy over the manner of
moving aid shipments to Russia was
stirred last night by a surprise an
nouncement from the Maritime
Commission that henceforth mate
rials. will be moved out Of the port
of Boston via the North Atlantic to
Archangel. The apparent abandon
ment or de-emphasis on the Pacific
route to Vladivostok caused imme-
diate speculation that there had
been new developments in Japanese
American relations
The State Department said today,
however, that the Boston order had
no connection with the japanese
situation.
The Maritime Commission, in
making the announcement said the
step was taken because of the con-
stantly increasing volume of mate
rials essential to Russia's defense
efforts" The commission, apparent
ly needing seaboard protests that
New York is getting too much ship
ping business, made its decision in
order ito make greater use of the
facilities of various ports and to
prevent possible congestion"
The announcement was taken as
a concrete indication of the admin
istration's faith in the capacity of
Russia to defend not only the
greater part of Soviet soil from the
Germans, but to defend Moscow it.
self. The port of Archangel is con-
nected with Central Russia by a
6O0-mile railroad that runs into
Moscow.
Discount japanese Factor.
Authorities discounted the sugges-
tions that the designation of the
ports was a reflection of some indi-
cation to this Government by the
new japanese cabinet, headed by
Gen. Eiki Tojo, that Japan might
interfere hereafter with shipments
across the Pacific to the Siberian
port of Vladivostok.
In the first place, Archangel has
been the chief port OF entry for
goods shipped from America pre-
viously, but Boston has not been
the port of embarkation. Archangel
can be approached from the Pacific
or the Atlantic. Oil has been sent
to Vladivostok, but little else.
Shipment via Archangel is much
more practical. as long as Moscow
holds out. Goods unloaded at Vladi-
voStok must be moved over almost
5000 miles of railway, much of it
single track. For aid to Russia,
speed in delivery is the paramount
consideration now.
There were stout denials from
American foreign policy sources that
the administration would recognize
any japanese threat to halt Ameri-
can shipping headed for Vladivostok,
which can be approached only by
vessels that pass through Japanese
waters. The administration, one
informant said, is not going to
preach freedom of the seas for the
Atlantic and ignore the doctrine in
the Pacific,
1t was recalled that Secretary of
State Hull himself said several