Washington, June 26. "With movements of the United States fleet shrouded in official secrecy, naval experts here today presented theories for the unusual activity, all indicating that the Navy was prepared for any eventuality.
The United States naval dispositions at present were intended to emphasize American's readiness to fulfill its obligations under the Monroe Doctrine if challenged by any quarter, either overtly or through an attempted transfer of belligerents territories within the western hemisphere area.
The maintenance of powerful units of the U.S. Fleet in proximity to the Panama Canal was taken as evidence that the United States was fully determined and prepared to defend the canal and intercoastal shipping routes.
The secrecy regarding the fleet's movements showed that the naval authorities desired to have the fleet in a central position for an alternative movement, either toward the Pacific or the Atlantic, in the event of an urgent emergency arising in either ocean.
From the political standpoint it was speculated here that in the event of a successful German blitzkrieg against Britain, many European authorities in the western hemisphere, include British and French naval stati would be placed on an unprecedented and indefinite status, This might constrain the movements of United States naval units in accordance with the national defense policy, it was pointed out.
Unofficial opinion apparently estimates Britains ability to sun Germany's threatened blitzkrieg. the major and gravest que: fronting the United Sta future, the jeopardy of British sea-power would outweigh all other matters in extent to repercussions of United States policy.
President Roosevelt yesterday declined to clarify the whereabouts of the United States Fleet, stating that he had ro news of its movements.
Before the Presidents press conference, however, some officials speculated on whether the Fleet might be bound for Far Eastern waters, in view of Japan's decision to send a flotilla to French Indo-China.
The Secretary of State, Mr. Cordell Hull, said tha so far as he has been officially netied, the Fleet remains at Hawaii. declined to answer questions on Whether Japanese pressure on Indo-China would affect the policy of the United States in regard to the maintenance of the status quo in the Pacific. He said he only knew what he had seen in the newspapers regarding Japanese actions in connection with Indo-China—United Washington, June 26.
Administration officials here yesterday closely watched Japanese moves in southern Asia, but declined to give any indication of what the United States would do, if anything, should Japan attempt to occupy French Indo-China.
No official statement was issued regarding Japanese hints that she might be preparing to occupy some Indo-Chinese ports, or the announcement that part of the Japanese Fleet was en route to Haiphong "to supervise the transportation of commodities through Indo-China."
Although the United States never has defined its attitude toward French Indo-China specifically, it is on record in unequivocal language regarding the Dutch East Indies, only a short distance south of the French colony. rhe United States, the Secretary of State, Mr, Cordell Hull, announced in a recent statement, would be seriously concerned over any effort to interfere with the sovereignty or me status quo of the East Indies—United Press,
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