Evening star., 1944-08-19
Britain Would Profit
by Island Transfers,
Mcclellan Declares
Py the Associated Press.

Senator McKeller, Democrat. Of
Tennessee, who wants the United
States to have permanent possession
of British and French islands in
the Caribbean, says he hasn't for
gotten Prime Minister Churchill's
pointed statement that he had not
been chosen as the Kings first min
lister to preside over the liquidation
Of the British Empire.
But Senator McKeller says that
Mr.. Churchill and the British would
be making a good bargain II they
decided Bermuda to us, along with
the Bahamas and other West In
dies islands guarding the approaches
to the Panama Canal.
Why" he told a reporter today.
1T would be to the greatest ad-
vantage to the British If we took
over and fortified those islands.
Look at the map-the direct route
from England to Australia is
through the Panama Canal. The
British ought to be delighted to
have us take over the job of per-
manent protection"
Waging One Man Campaign.
So far, the 75-year- old Senator
has been waging pretty much of a
one-man campaign to put the Sem
ate on record, by formal resolution,
as favoring the postwar acquisition
not only of the islands in the South
Atlantic but also the Japanese man.
dated islands in the Pacific, and
Formosa, which the Japanese took
from China.
In the case OF the Japanese is
lands, Senator McKellar says: I'VE
are entitled to them under the rules
OF war With the British, he adds,
1T would have to be by agreement,
Of course"
Most Senators on the Foreign Re-
lations Committee were wary about
public comment on Senator Nc
Kellar's move, but there was a dis
position to treat it as too ambitious
and involving vast complications.
Connally NoncommittaI.
The Senate's foreign relations
chairman. Senator Connally, said:
| MY position has been that we
are going to have to have bases both
IN the Atlantic and the Pacific for
our own safety, but I say that as a
general proposition, and not as a
committal of support of the Nc
Kellar resolution"
Senator McKellar saA he would
ask to be heard soon before the
Foreign Relations Committee. to
which his resolution was referred.
He also plans to talk with President
Roosevelt about the resolution las
soon as can," saying he thought
: its success or failure would depend
on the Presidents attitude. And he
emphasized he hadn't consulted Mr..
Roosevelt.
He said he didn't regard the At
. lantic Charter or public statements
OF the President as ruling out the
acquisition by this country of any
island outposts it deems necessary
for our future security.
Warns Against Grab
; warning against an "imperialistic
Grab Representative Glare Boothe
Luce, Republican, of Connecticut
said last night that America should
not attempt the acquisition of is
lands other than those inundated by
Japan.
l Il believe the British will allow us
what military. naval and aviation
l facilities We need to keep the peace
r in the Atlantic and Pacific" she
S said adding that demands for
anything more would be interpreted
: as an imperialistic grab, and in my
opinion would be precisely that"
Mrs. Luce said the historic policy
OF the United States was to free
lands with large native populations
! and she asked, why take them over
: since We are going to free them
anyway" The japanese inundated
islands in the Pacific. she told in
terviewers. should come to us for
military purposes.
: Acquisition Of populated islands
/ not militarily necessary would give
: America racial problems, she said.