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Show ARM AMERICAS PLANJAVORED Diplomatic, Army, Navy - Chiefs Back Move WASHINGTON. March 22 (INS) America's diplomatic, army and navy chiefs Joined today to indorse the Pittmsn reeolution designed to arm other American republics with United States-mads warships and munitions. Appearing before the senate foreign for-eign relations committee, the spokesman approved without reservation res-ervation the plan to provide all the western hemisphere with defenses against aggression. Acting Secretary of State Sumner Welles, who Friday had branded the seizure of Cxecho-Slovakia by Hitler as "wanton lawlessness" told the committee that the Ptttman resolution res-olution meets "with the fuH approval ap-proval of the- department of state." Later, Welles, in a press conference, confer-ence, refused to comment on Germany's Ger-many's acquition of Memel. The spokesman for the navy. Admiral Ad-miral William D. Leahy, chief of operations, declared that adoption of the Pittman resolution would bring a- close relattonahip that would discourses and maka more difficult any aggression against this continent Brigadier General Geofge Marshall, Mar-shall, deputy chief of staff of the army, want even further and urged minor modifications extending to (CoeUmiMl on Pare Two) t Column Bi) ARM AMERICAS PLANjAVORED (Csetlel ma Psse Om) southern neighbors of the United States every facility of the government's govern-ment's expert Inspection and testing test-ing service, along with neceaaary instructions for operating some of the highly complicated confidential military apparatus of the army and navy. Wellea wej the first of the witnesses wit-nesses to testify today. The proposed joint resolution," he said; meets with the full approval ap-proval of the department of state. Threat to All Through official declarations unanimously adopted by the 21 American republics. . . . The American Amer-ican republics have announced that a threat ta the peace of any one of them would be regarded aa a threat to the peace of all and would justify the procedure of consultation. consulta-tion. . . . It would seem to be clear that In the event that the peace of any American republic should be threatened by an act of aggression committed by a non-American non-American power . . . close cooperation cooper-ation between the American republics repub-lics would be desirable. . . . "No reason is . . . perceived why the proposed joint resolution should bo regarded as stimulating armament arma-ment programs in the other American Ameri-can republics. . . ." Corroborating WeDaa" testimony Marehali alee told taw committee that the policy proposed In the resolution reso-lution would in no way Impede America's defense program, but rather, would help It in the matter of "educating" industry In the United States for production of war materiala in case of an emergency. Explains Plaa Leahy explained under questioning question-ing that no orders from other west ern nemlspflere republics would be permitted to go into production in thia country when such a step interfered in-terfered with navy programs. He pointed out that the navy itself would probably be able, usually to turn out certain secret products which Industry might not be able to supply. Three Republicans , Senators Borah, Idaho; Vandenbcrg, Michigan, Michi-gan, and Johnson, California apparently ap-parently led critical opposition to the resolution in the hearing today. Most of their questions sought to make certain that the proposed program would cost this government govern-ment nothing, and Johnson asked whether the witnesses thought it would create misunderstandings among South American republics. All three witneaaea said It would not, and Welles revealed that Introduction Intro-duction of the resolution by the foreign relations committee chairman. chair-man. Senator Pittmaa D., Nov.), had brought neither protests nor meaaages of approval from other countries. Hearings were ooncluded at today's to-day's session, and the resolution went on the calendar for action at a lata date. Senator Pittmaa said it waa hia "personal opinion" that it would be approved. Discussion of the new cash-and-carry neutrality resolution introduced intro-duced by Pittman waa limited to fixing next Wednesdsy for closed discussion. |