He said that if the U.S. decided to curtail shipments of hemp to Japan it would seriously affect Japan's military effort, although Japan doubtlessly has some reserves.
Likewise Sr. Elizalde pointed out that due to the nature of abaca production it would be impossible to produce large amounts of the highest quality hemp fibers without also producing large amounts of the lower grades, hence any attempt to mono-police high grade hemp supplies by Government purchase or export control, might also involve buying large amounts of secondary grades, Observers speculated that Japan took the initiative in new moves in the South Pacific, the U. S. might counter with economic restrictions, including Philippines exports, notably hemp.—United Press.
British and French purchases of U. S. war planes were primarily responsible for the present expanse of the American aircraft industry, Colonel Henry L. Stimson, Secretary of War, informed the Senate Foreign Relations committee by letter recently.
Colonel Stimson upheld the policy of furnishing fighting planes to Britain and said that he desired to make his position clear because of alleged misrepresentations concerning his views published recently in a Washington newspaper.
Had not British and French warplane orders given the U.S. aircraft industry a "head start" on production, Colonel Stimson said, the United States "at the present time would be in a ye grave situation as to the plants and facilities which we now need for the pending emergency."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.