U.S.A. In Pacific

Significance of Guam Proposal

AS in the “Pacific Islands Monthly”, in February, the American plan to spend £1,250,000 sterling on the fortification of the island of Guam (in the Caroline Islands, near Japanese territory) has been having a rough passage in the American Congress.

On February 24, the House of Representatiyes, by 205 to 169 votes, rejected the plan to fortify the island on the grounds that it would be provocative to Japan; but it was announced on March 7, when the defence estimates were before the American Senate, that high uSent Ca nlea aV for °thp 6 rpi . maki f g ,J n , pl . ea f fo ?T remclusion of the poUcy y ’° n 8 s ° f Tf i ■ . , , , If the proposal is restored by the Senf£oV a fv, 1S c ° nsidere( J Ji kel y- is possible that the Representatives decision will be over-ridden and that the plan will u laW ’ as 18 esirec * by President Kooseven.

U.S.A., to an increasing degree, is displaying determination to stand by the democracies against the Berlin-Rome- Tokyo triangle: and, apparently, a part

of the new foreign policy of the United States is to lake all necessary steps to check the southward thrust of Japan The fortification of Guam Island and a slowing up of the programme of with drawal from the Philippines appear to be part of the new foreign policy.