“Uncle Sam" Means Business

Huge Amounts Being Spent on Hawaiian Air Bases

From Our Own Correspondent

Honolulu, Aug. 16.

OECAUSE it is determined to control rigidly all the incoming and outgoing trans-Pacific aviation in Hawaii, the U.S.

Federal Government has set aside a large harbour and land area five miles from Honolulu as an international land and seaplane base.

Undoubtedly first to use it will be the cl.ppers of Pan-American Airways Sys tem, although it probably will be avail able to Australasian planes on the pro posed service to Vancouver. This Kalihi Harbour base runs into Honolulu Har bour proper, and it will be approximately half way between the city and Pearl Harbour navy base and the 18,000,000 dollar Hickam army aviation field now under construction, Hickam will be easily the largest mili tary airfield in the world. The runway alone, one mile long and 600 yards wide, is costing 1,000,000 dollars to construct.

It is designed especialy for heavily loaded long range military planes.

Further signs of the times that “Uncle Sam” means business within the Pacific is to be found in President Roosevelt’s approval of a new U.S. naval air station to be built at Alameda, across the San

Francisco harbour at the site of the pre sent Pan-American Airways System’s headquarters for the trans-Pacific route.

Initial cost will be 13,000,000 dollars.

P.A. Airways will shift to facilities al ready leased at San Francisco municipal airport.

The Hawaiian Territorial Government, also, acting under Washington approval, immediately will set about improving ex isting commercial airports in the islands at a total cost of 600,000 dollars. On the army side, a sum of 3,300,000 dollars has been approved to be spent this year in improving army facilities on Oahu, the most heavily defended spot in the stra tegic islands, which are called the key stone of America’s defence against the Orient.

At the same time, Japan, through spokesman Foreign Minister Naotake Sato, has emphatically declared that she has not nor does intend to fortify her mandated islands in the Pacific.

Said Mr. Sato, however: “It is true Japan is widening and improving har bour facilities at Saipan Island in order to admit vessels of 3,000 tons and to cheapen and expedite the movement of sugar and other increasing Islands pro ducts.’’ Saipan is 100 miles north of Guam, the U.S. navy possession which is a closed port.

America is improving harbour facilities at Wake and Midway Islands between Guam and the Hawaiian Group. They are stops on the American trans-Pacific air route.