Reading Eagle (February 14, 1941)
F.R. SILENT ABOUT SHIPS
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U.S. considers proposal to transfer destroyers to British fleet
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Washington, Feb. 14 (AP) –
Whether the administration plans to transfer additional U.S. destroyers to Great Britain remained undetermined today, but the latest White House statement on the matter definitely did not rule out such a possibility.
Stephen Early, White House Press Secretary, told reporters last night:
The President is thoroughly informed concerning the question of British destroyer needs. Despite the differences of expression on this question, the President has reason to believe that this question will be under study for some time because of the many elements which enter into the picture.
Then, Early declared:
There is no controversy between the President and the Secretary of the Navy or Mr. Willkie.
Wendell Willkie, the 1940 Republican presidential nominee, had urged in testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that the United States send Britain five to ten destroyers a month, supplementing the 50 destroyers traded to the United Kingdom for Atlantic base rights.
Knox cites shortage
But Navy Secretary Knox declared the ships could not be spared by the fleet. Willkie followed with an assertion that, after appearing before the Senate committee, he had talked to high authorities and learned that America could dispatch more destroyers abroad.
Since the highest authority Willkie talked to was Mr. Roosevelt himself, considerable significance attached to his remark.
Early’s assertion that the destroyer question remains “under study” indicated the White House had not shut the door on the possibility of sending more fighting ships to Britain.
Knox, after lunching with Mr, Roosevelt yesterday, said his own opinion on the matter remained unchanged.
A possible quid pro quo in the event of such a transfer was seen today in an announcement by the Canadian government that a string of flying fields would be built in western Canada, between Edmonton, Alberta, and White Horse in the Yukon.
The $9,000,000 chain of airports, under proper agreement, could serve as a strategic route for U.S. military aircraft flying to Alaska.