American secretary of the Navy Edison: German planes no threat for British Royal Navy according to the Dutch newspaper Friesch Dagblad dated 9 May 1940

An item reported that the American Secretary of the Navy Edison (1) the naval commission of the Senate told that he could not believe that German planes could harm the British fleet seriously.

Note
1. Charles Edison (3 August 1890-31 July 1969) Assistant Secretary of the Navy since 18 January 1937, replacing Swanson since his death and Secretary of the Navy 2 January 1940-24 June 1940 and governor of New Jersey 21 January 1941-18 January 1944. He supported strongly the building of the Iowa-battleships and that one should be build at the Philadelphia navy yard.