Show ID 10 BILL BACKERS BACKERS' WIN HOUSE TEST T U. U S. S S British Warplanes Cant Can't Equal Nazi Power Lindbergh Lindberg Warns Senate Group Hears Colonel Caution Stretch Neck Nation Not Not- Notto to Over ver Atlantic to Form Br Bridgehead dg head By JACK VINCENT WASHINGTON Feb 6 6 INS INS INS Declaring that a British is doubtful Colonel Charles Char vic victory ory in Europe's war extremely A. A Lindbergh Thursday warned congress that regardless of rf how m much ch assistance we send to Engl England nd it will not be p possible for American and British aviation to equal the strength of the German air force Colonel Lindbergh testifying before the senate foreign relations committee in opposition t to Pr President side Roosevelt's lend lease bill to aid Britain stated that England was not in uin ina uina a position to win the war because the nazis have forged almost a semicircle round around the British Isles He cautioned against any attempt to stretch the American Can neck clear lear across the Atlantic He stated that this country should instead concentrate on In bui building dirig up national defense which he sa said d would be depleted de depleted depleted de- de by aid to England He pointed o out t that we have sent most of the planes produced in ip the U U. S. S abroad while our own air forces are in deplorable condition for lack of mod modern rn equipment nt The famous flier who appeared before the house foreign affairs committee two weeks ago again pleaded ded for fr negotiated ted peace peace in m Europe On the possibility of an attempted attempt attempt- ed ea invasion of the United States Lindbergh h had d the following to say I I believe that difficulty in transporting transporting transporting trans trans- porting large forces across the theo o ocean ean would be SQ so difficult that anac an en ac actual ual invasion would b be be- ble In that connection I believe aviation would be helpful be because us our planes could bomb the enemy fleet before It approached our shores If the attack was wes on South America we could harass the enemy enemy enemy en en- emy and if the enemy gained a foothold then we could throw them out An English victory if it it were possible at all would necessitate years of war and an invasion of the continent of Europe he said I Z believe this would create prostration prostration tion famine and disease in Europe and and probably in America America such as as- the world has never experienced before This is why I say I prefer prefer prefer pre pre- fer a negotiated peace to a com cam complete complete victory by either side He argued that there was no danger danger danger dan dan- ger of invasion from abro abroad but the danger is here at home by congress surrendering its powers to President Roosevelt How However ver he said I. I if the U. U S. S backs an England Eng Eng- England land that loses the war there may maybe maybe maybe be danger of ot invasion and the responsibility responsibility re re- re- re he said will lie he upon those who send our arms broad Explaining his warning not to stretch the American neck across the Atlantic he asserted that if it itI on OR ree u Four I Column live Five U. U S. S Britain Cant Can't Equal Germans u. In Air Strength Li Says Continued from Pane Page Ona On w we follow the policy represented In this bill we will find ourselves ourselves with England as a e. bridgehead In Europe If It we establish such a bridgehead bridgehead bridge bridge- head we must make every effort to maintain It he continued In that aa as AI I say cay I do not see how we can maintain it If It England is 11 able to hold out several everal years we can almost certainly certainty equal or exceed the air strength of Germany But then we would be confronted with the problem problem lem Of transporting that air strength to the British Isles hIes Planes might be flown across he said but oil and supplies would have tive to go by sea see thus placing ourselves in the position of having our I forces in England dependent dependent dependent de de- de- de pendent upon sea lanes within easy bombing range of our enemy's air air- craft Points to Philippines Then Lindbergh pointed out that we have another bridgehead e inthe in inthe inthe the Philippines Thus he argued if we follow out the policy represented in this bill blU we wilt will have to maintain and protect supply lines which stretch two-thirds two of the way around th world and end which end in positions exposed to attack by the most powerful nations of Europe and Asia This would be e an audacious undertaking undertaking undertaking un un- even if our nation were fully r p-r prepared pared for war But we weare weare weare are not prepared for war De Declaring that there must be no depletion of even th the small defense de de- defense lense forces that we have now I he charged that the bill bUl if p passed ed would make the United States responsible responsible responsible re for futilely Iy prolonging the war and adding to the bloodshed and devastation In Europe particularly particularly particularly among the democracies Doubts English Victory He flatly stated tat I oppose placing our security In Inan inan inan an English victory because I believe be- be lieve that such mIch a victory Is s extremely ex extremely ex- ex doubtful I I 1 am opposed to this bill bil because because because be be- cause J I believe e it Jt indorses a policy policy policy pol pol- icy that will lead to failure in war and to conditions in our own country country country coun coun- try as bad or worse than those we now desire desir to overthrow in nazi Germany Lindbergh explained he opposed opposed opposed op op- posed the bill for two reasons I J op oppose oppose e it first because I J believe believe believe be be- lieve that it Jt 1 is a step away from the system of government in which most of us in this country believe he stated ted Secondly I oppose it because I think it is a policy that will weaken rather than strengthen strength strength- en our nation States Brief Reason The first reason he dismissed in nine words It Jt is simply my opinion as an American citizen he said But he e went into great length to support sup his second conclusion He added adde that aviation made modern modem j war materialistic and end must be met with material measures And here he continued J I 1 would like Uke to say soy that I have never taken the stand that It t makes no difference to us who wins this war warm Jn In n Euro Europe It does make a dif dif- j ference A great difference But I Ido Ido j do not believe that It la is either possible possible possible pos pos- sible or desirable for tor us in America to control the outcome of Europen wars When I am asked which side I would like to win It would be very liMY easy easy for me to say the Engi English h Negotiated Peace It was at this point he said th that t the he preferred a negotiated peace He Ie e added The policy of depleting depicting our own forces to aid England is based on the assumption that England will win this war Personally Personally Personally Per Per- I do not believe that England Eng Eng- land Is in a position to win the war In that case the only easel advantage we can ga gain n by our action lies In whatever additional time we obtain to prepare ourselves our- our selves elves for defense But nut instead of of consolidating our pur own defensive position in America merica we are aresen sending ing a large portion of our armament production production production tion abroad In the case of aviation aviation aviation avia avia- tion for instance we have sent I most of it yet our own air forces I Iare are in deplorable condition for I Jack lack of modern equipment The majority of planes we now have are obsolescent on the standards of modern warfare S Sees es Security Weakened And nd this bill even authorizes the transfer of equipment that our air air forces now possess From the standpoint of aviation at least I believe that this policy weakens our security in America merica He recalled his study of European European European Euro Euro- aviation in 1936 1937 and 1938 He was forced to the conclusion conclusion conclusion con con- he said that Germany was the natural air power of Europe Europe Eu Eu- rope ope just as England is js the natural natural natural nat nat- ural sea power I uI concluded he Vi that the United St States w tes-w was th the only nation in the world capable of equaling or excelling Germany in aviation At the present moment he stated Germany controls air bases ases on the continent of Europe which extend in almost a semicircle semicircle semicircle semi semi- circle around the British Isles This fact tact alone gives the German German German Ger Ger- man air force great a advantage Even if U the British and German air forces were equal Germany would have the advantage geographically geo geo- graphically In support of these facts I cite the ease with which London pan Can an be bombed in fp comparison to the difficulty in bombing BerlinI Berlin I I believe that it is obvious that England cannot obtain an anair anair anair air strength equal to Germanys Germany's without great assistance from the United States and my personal opinion is that r regardless of how much assistance we send end to Eng Eng- land it will not be bo possible for American and British aviation concentrated in the small area of the British Isles to equal the strength of German aviation with unlimited bases throughout the continent of Europe We would have a a. disadvantageous disadvantageous vanta- vanta geographical position from which to fight and an ocean cean to cross with aircraft men fuel and supplies while our ships would be constantly subjected to the bombs and torpedoes of our enemy |