Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 23 December 1940 — Page 4
.S. NOT
T0 PAY
RENTAL FOR BASES
99. Year Leases From Britain Are Without Cost, Simms Writes, Setting at Rest Rumor of $25,000,000 Payment.
By WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS Times Foreign Editor
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23.—There have been persistent
rumors that while the United
States “acquired the right to
lease” some perfectly good naval and air bases in British territory on this side of the Atlantic, Unele Sam would be charged a rental of $25,000,000 for each of the 99 years
the leases are to run.
I have learned on high authority that there is not one scintilla of truth in the rumor.
As stated at the time by Lord Lothian, late British Ambassador to Washington, the leases are free of all rent or charges other than what might have to be paid for ex-
propriated private property. This report is similar fo one that arose during the World War alleging that France made the United States pay rent on the front-line trenches occupied by the A. E. F. Though without foundationin fact, .that report is still widely believed in this country. The origin of the -$25,000,000-a-year-rental rumor is not known. It may have arisen, however, from the somewhat a m - biguous language of the President's message to Congress anhouncing the destroyers-for-bases deal.
No Charge Contemplated
Or it may have sprouted from-a purely local move in Bermuda to obtain some sort of compensation to offset the feared drop in tourist revenue—a move which has never been officially considered. The President, in his Sept. 3 message to Congress, said: “ . .. The Government has acquired the right to lease naval and air bases in Newfoundland, Bermuda, Bahamas, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Trinidad, Antigua and British Guiaha . . From this, one might infer that only the right to negotiate leases had been acquired and that, later on in the negotiations, the British could demand whatever rental they pleased. But in his letter of Sept. 2 to Secretary of State Cordell Hull —which letter became part of the President’s message—Lord Lothian made it perfectly clear that. no such charge was contemplated, said he: “ «+ . . His Majesty's Government will secure the grant to the Government of the United States, freely and without consideration, of the lease for immediate establishment and use of naval and air bases and facilities for entrance thereto and the operation and protection thereof” ' in Newfoundland and Bermuda. ... Lord Lothian Plain
“All these bases and facilities referred. to in the preceding paragraphs will be leased to the United States for a period of 99 years, free of all rent and charges other than such compensation to be mutually agreed on to be paid by the United States in order to compensate the owners of private property for loss arising out of the establishment of the bases and facilities in question.” This would seem to set at rest all rumors regarding the alleged rental charges. Like Lord Lothian, the President made ‘a distinction between the Newfoundland and Bermuda bases and the other six.* “The rights to bases ih Newfoundland and Bermuda,” the President said in his - message, “are gifts, generously given | =e and gladly received. The other bases have been acquired in exchange for 50 over-age destroyers.”
- 2 Possible Explanations
Neither the President nor the British Ambassador, however, threw any light on the distinction., Two explanations have been suggested: One is that Prime Minister Churchill wished to show Britain's good will to the United States by a gesture unprompted by any idea of a quid pro quo. The other is that Newfoundland and Bermuda are quite as definitely Canadian outposts .of defense as American. Thus the United States should not be required to “pay” for the privilege of mounting guard in such outposts. In all cases, however—save in une or two specified instances where exceptions were made for geographic
or other practical reasons—Ameri-|
can jurisdiction over actual sites, whether given or acquired, is to be as complete as if the areas were in the United States
ISLANDERS SAD AS WORK BEGINS
Old-Timers on St. Davids Give Up Homes for Better
Watch Over Bermuda.
By ALAN V. WATERS United Press Staff Correspondent
HAMILTON, Bermuda, Dec. 23— Forced to give up land on which their ancestors had lived for more than three centuries, Bermudians watch with mingled reelings today as U. S. Army engineers and surveyors lay the groundwork here for the first of a ring of Western Hemisphere defense bases on British island possessions in the Atlantic. United States defense construction here, by its size and importance, (Bermuda is only 666 miles from New York) was expected to affect a large part of the life of the colony, but few persons had realized that nearly two-thirds of St. David’s Island would be taken and much of the rest of Bermuda's East End would be requisitioned.
Tears in Faces
To St. David’s Islanders, descendants of the oldest inhabitants of Bermuda, news of the location of the United States” air and naval bases came as the biggest blow. Tears. ran down thelr faces when Lieut.-Gen. Sir Denis Bernard, Governor of Bermuda, advised them they would have to give up the greater part of their island. But the islanders, who only a few years ago put up the stiffest opposition to the erection of a bridge from St. George's to St. David's because they feared for their privacy, and because, as they said, “those damned Bermudians will be coming over here all the time,” accepted the news in a spirit of patriotic sacrifice. ’ Resolution Airs Feelings
They voiced their feelings in a simple resolution. “Resolved, that this meeting of people vitally affected by the establishment of the U. S. A. defense base on St, David's Island record their deep sense of remorse at losing their homes in which their families have lived for .centuries, but wish’ to express their loyalty to the British Empire by accepting the sacrifice in a spirit of support for the ultimate winning of the war against Germany and Italy.” Residents of St. David's, famous for its fine lily fields and rare Bermuda. arrowroat and known as the island of Tommy Fox, the ‘“uncrowned king of St. David's,” had kept almost entirely to themselves since the early founding of Bermuda back in the 1600's. Several Americans also will be affected by the exodus from St. David’s. These include Dr. William Beebe, noted scientist, and Mrs. Marshall Field of Chicago. Many of the familiar tourist sights at the East End of Bermuda will undergo marked changes.
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