Washington, Feb. 4.
A Group of Republican leaders have prepared a substitute "Aid to Britain" Bill providing a U.S.$10,000,000,000 export-import credit to Britain in exchange for Britain's western hemisphere possessions, except Canada, it was learned yesterday.
It was understood that Mr. Melvin J. Maas, Republican Representative of Minnesota, was sponsor of the bill, Which was expected to attract widespread Republican and some Democratic support.
Mr. Maas told the United Press the proposal would provide Britain with all the aid it needed and at the same time would give the United States solid assurances that in event of British defeat, the U.S. national defence would not be complicated by a hostile threat from nearby islands.
Mr. Samuel W. King, Hawaiian delegate, was reliably reported to have conferred with Mr. Mass regarding Pacific aspects of the proposal. which for the first time coupled Britain's Pacific islands with its Atlantic possessions as a desirable purchase for U.S. defence.
Mr. King recently urged the US. to acquire the Pacific islands, instead of Atlantic dependencies, in order to assure the invulnerability of Hawaii and Pearl Harbour. Mr. Maas said he considered that if Britain were defeated, Japan would obtain possession of Gilbert. Ellice and Union Islands, which would be a stepping stone between the Japan-mandated Caroline and Marshall Islands and Hawaii, thus providing bases for operations against the U.S.—United: Press.
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