Evening star., 1941-07-02
Speedier Flow Of Aid
To China Foreseen
In Proclamation
President Still CIines
To Hope War Can Be
Averted; Signs D. c. Bill
BY JOHN c. HENRY,
Cfor StaH rarreer1r 1a,t

SNdA StoA correspondent.
HYDE PARK, N. Y, July Ar
expedited flow of American aid Il
China on the Asiatic anti-Axis wal
front was foreseen today as recip.
rocal removal of tonnage duties anc
tmposts on ships and cargoes be.
tween Burma and the United States
became fully effective
Removal of the levies was accom-
plished by proclamation, signed ano
issued by President Roosevelt here
last night, containing notice that
satisfactory proof was received by
me from the government of Burma
on June 10, 194l, that no discrimi-
mating duties" would henceforth be
imposed in Burmese ports on Amer
lean vessels or cargoeS. The recip-
rocal action on the part of this
Government is retroactive to June 10
For months past. since japanese
forces cut off the China Sea ports
of China and French Indo-China
fell under Axis domination, the
famed highway from Burma to
Chungking has been the lifeline
of the Chinese Armies.
Invariably, in his declarations of
intent to furnish all possible aid to
the nations whose defense is con-
sldered vital to that of the United
States, the President has promised
assistance to China. At times, how
ever, the flow of such aid has been
dangerously reduced. either because
of unavailability of supplies here or
difficulties of transport in the last
portion of the long haul to the
fighting front.
Experts Sent for u. S.
To help overcome the second OBJ
stacle, this Government sent two
transport and traffic experts to
Burma last month-their task to
be that of supervising the clearance
of supplies through Burma and ad-
vising on means of keeping the
highway open too Chungking.
Both before and after his sign
ing of the proclamation last night,
Mr.. Roosevelt conferred by tele-
phone with Undersecretary of State
Welles in Washington. Initial Rus
sian needs we're communicated
formally to the State Department
yesterday, and we're discussed by the
President and Undersecretary WellC>
in the telephone conversations. All
possible assistance to Russia has
All possible assistance to Russia has
been promised by the President and
the Pacific port of Vladivostok, from
which runs The Trans-Siberian
Railway, has been carefully left
open 10 American shipping.
With these developments reflect
ing no slackening on the part of
this Governments effort to aid
fighting foes of the Axis. Mr.. Roose-
welt told press conference late
yesterday that he is still clinging to
his hopes" that the United States
can avoid actual participation in
the current World War.
Views Possibly Modified.
The President made this known
by saying he had consistently ex-
pressed such hopes since beginning
of the conflict in September. 1885,
and that his position today is un-
changed. Actually, however, Mr..
Roosevelt on previous occasions has
expressed not only hopes but the
belief that this Nation could remain
at peace-and the exact wording of
his remarks yesterday leaves some
uncertainty as to whether or not his
original views have been modified
Mr.. Roosevelt spoke somewhat
dlsparagingly yesterday of polls be-
Ing made in New York State for
or-against-war by Representative
Fish, Republican, and by the New
York Daily News. Obviously, the
President said, anybody would vote
against war, implying clearly that
he did not consider this a measure
OF popular Judgment as to whether
1t might eventually be advisable for
us to enter the conflict.
In addition to signing the Burma
proclamation last night, the Presi-
dent also affixed his signature to
't'S HAaJOA dPp1OpIidCl Oils, IN
Guiding that for the District of Co.
lumbia, and to legislation extend
Ing for two years the authority of
the Commodity Credit Corp. This
latter measure also increases from
s1,4o0 100000 to s2,650 100000 the
amount of bonds the corporation
may have outstanding at one time.
Bills Flown From Washington.
The supply bills, with the second
deficiency still to receive presiden-
tial approval, bring to a record of
more than s33,31O,87o,0O 900 the appro-
priations of the present Congress.
The enrolled bills and the Burma
proclamation were flown here late
yesterday from Washington.
The bills signed and their
amounts follow:
District of Columbia, S54 4,183 LOG;
nooo yfy,,ont af Johoy EoJoro1 Co