Evening star., 1942-01-27
Aid Being Sent
ToA|| Fronts,
Conference Told
Southwest Pacific
Is Getting Help,
Roosevelt Reveals
Earlier A. e. F. Story on
Page AID
BY JOHN c. HENRY.

fIeSlQeQC hOOSeVelC QlSClOSeQ
today that from 6 to 10 American
Expeditionary Forces already are
spotted or are on their way to
fighting fronts throughout the
world.
1t is rather silly to call the
force landed in Northern Ireland
yesterday the A. E. F., he added,
because we have 6, or 10 forces
outside the United States which
might be called by various
names. You can pay your
money and take your choice, he
added.
The President told his press con-
ference at the same time. that this
country was sending all the help it
could as fast as it could to the whole
Southwest Pacific area.
Mr.. Roosevelt asserted also that
very good progress was being made
on getting aid to the Western Pa
cific.
Silent on Garrisons.
The Commander in Chief refused
fatty to tell where such forces are
garrisoned or whether all have al
ready taken up their positions.
The North Ireland force, he ex-
planned during persistent question:
ing, was dispatched there for de-
veloping and carrying on the war
toward eventual victory.
Mr.. Roosevelt professed surprise
when informed Prime Minister De
Valera of Fire had protested the
landing of American troops in Ul-
ster. Informed that the protest was
based on grounds that the Fire gov
eminent was not consulted in ad-
vance, Mr.. Roosevelt expressed fur
ther surprise.
The President added at this point
that he did not believe the Irish
| government mas any cause for con-
Germ over anything except the safety
of their territory.
Reports Progress In Pacific.
AS questioners attempted to local
ize the points to which expeditionary
forces already have been assigned,
questioning turned several times to
the steps being taken for reinforcing
the United Nations in the Southwest
Pacific area.
The President said very fine
progress was being made in moving
supplies to that theater. When asked
about men. he suggested the term
supplies" might be amended to use
the word help That term, he
then explained, is a very broad one,
its implication being that it included
men as well as material.
In any event, he said all possible
assistance is being sent as fast as
it can be moved.
The Chief Executive also disclosed
that important steps toward unfit
cation of command of various Amer
ican fighting arms have been taken
in the past two months. He said
this concentration of control is not
directly a result of the Pearl Har-
Dor disaster and the finding of the
special investigating commission,
but there was an implication that
the reforms are designed to prevent
a recurrence of faulty haison which
prevailed in the Hawaiian command
prior to December 7.
Studying Pearl Harbor.
AS for the commission report on
the Pearl Harbor incident. Mr..
Roosevelt said he already had talked
by telephone to Secretary of War
Stimson and Secretary of Navy
Knox and that he was expecting
to confer with them very shortly
for consideration of possible steps
Questioned about the joint
British American supply committees
that were disclosed today, the Presi-
dent said they already were and
would continue to work closely with
the Committee on Economic War
fare, headed by Vice President WAL
lace In addition, he said that es-
tablishment of other Allied coun-
cils, evidently including others of
the United Nations, were shaping
up.
Mr.. Roosevelt said he expected
to have his first meeting with the
new c. I. O.-A F. L. committee on
February 5. He indicated great
hopes for this group as an instru-
ment for maintaining labor peace
referring with pleasure to the per-
sonnel of the six-man body and the
informality with which it expected
to function.
Just before his press conference
Mr.. Roosevelt had long consulta-
tion withsLord Halifax, British Am
bassador.