London, May 20.
As an example of the heroic stand made by the Belgian forces, it is pointed out they are still holding the forts of Liege and Namur.
These are extremely important points for practically every railway leading forward to the present German front has to run through Liege or Namur and it is on these railways that the Germans are dependent to a great extent for their supplies.
Expert opinion in London suggests that if the Belgians are doing nothing more than holding on to these two important points they are doing their full share in the Allied effort.
The British who also are fighting on the Belgian front are giving the Germans a particularly hot time, it is stated. They have never been driven back by actual forces, On the contrary, every time the Germans have attacked British troops they have received "bloody noses."
The mere physical effect put forward by the British in the last ten days would in itself be a very trying performance for trained troops, quite apart from the fighting in which they have engaged. British and Belgian troops in Belgium are becoming accustomed to bombing from the air it is becoming evident that with reasonable precautions there is no occasion to expect heavy losses, in fact British losses have not been on a large scale.—Reuter, Seattle, May 20.
Mr, Paul V, McNutt, Federal Security Administrator, last night warned that only a fully prepared United States could meet the threat that would arise if Herr Hitler wins the war in Europe, At the same time, the former U.S. High Commissioner to the Philippines, suggested that the United States cease selling petroleum and scrap iron to Japan, Mr, McNutt was to have talked on the re-examination of the Philippines independence legislation, but abandoned his original plan to give instead his personal opinions regarding the defence of the United States. He strongly urged a vast armament preparedness programme, advocating that the Navy be doubled and the Army air force be tripled, Mr, McNutt suggested the establishment of additional defence works in the Panama Canal, He said that the United States should launch immediate work on additional submarine and air bases in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.
He also said he favoured an embargo against the sale of petroleum and serap iron to Japan, If Hitler wins, only vast armaments preparedness by the United States could avert a United States war against the Totalitarians, he said, "There is only a vague realization that a working agreement among the three Totaliarian Powers in the west and one in the east would mean our safety," he asserted, Unless the measures he suggested were followed, Mr, McNutt warned of the imminent danger of enemy men-of-war "steaming into Manila harbour and into Guam, Hawaii and San Diego through the Pa Canal,"—United Press, Allies Want U.S, Army's Planes Washington, May 20.
Allied representatives in Washington, seeking to speed up deliveries of American-made planes to Europe, have inquired from United States Army authorities regarding the possibility of taking delivery of planes now in use by the American Army, it was learned today. Army officials said American law prohibits the sale or transfer of any Army property to a foreign nation unless there is a declared surplus. With only 200 combat planes now available to the American Army, observers believed there was small likelihood of any Army aircraft being declared a surplus.—United Press,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.