The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-08-31

the navy.
I ish censorship. the English see
clear evidence Of a changed at
titude by the y. S. toward the
problems Of his majesty's gov
eminent. The embassy's= work
no longer emphasizes obtaining
American aid for England. They
are more than gratified that
President Roosevelt has under
taken that task. They know fun
well he can achieve their obiec-
tive far better than they can.
The Britishers do not like to
be reminded of Quincy Howe's
challenging book, England Ex-
poets Every American To Do His
Duty" They prefer to put it
THE U. S. expects every Eng
lishman to do his duty" in their
insistence that his majesty's
government is fighting for
America, too.
Sir Willmott Lewis, Washing
ton correspondent for the Lon
don Times and after-dinner
speaker par excellence, argues
against Quincy Howe's thesis. In
a debate with Howe. Lewis once
maintained that England did
not recruit Americans for the
English cause. He declared there
are always plenty of Ameri-
cans available" to handle the as
signments on their own. Lord
Lothian and Sir Willmott are be-
ing congratulated that Ameri-
can citizen No. 1, President
Roosevelt himself, is both avail
able and active.
Due to be announced soon
according to defense commission
condolences, is the missing link
In the chain to pull action out
of stagnation in Americas de-
Tense preparations. Compile
menting the steps calling for
rapid amortization for tax pur-
poses. suspension of the Vim
cent-Trammell act of 1894. and
provision for excess profits
taxes, a revised government
contract procedure will be in
troduced under the commissions
sponsorship.
The commission believes this
will break the jam that has pre-
vented wide scale contracting
Tor defense purposes. Not Incl
dental will be the concomitant
shot in the army of American
commerce which may or NAV
not have an effect on the Nov.
9th election results nine weeks
from next Tuesday. One pos
sible result of the week end
plan is delayed adjournment of
congress unless the proposed
legislation is quickly digested
congressionally.
Featuring the contract policy
VIII be provision for the govern
ment to receive the residual
value" of the privately con-
structed, owned and operated
emergency facilities, the con-
struction costs of which the
government will permit ENTIRE
preneurs to write off their books
in five years.
Here is an illustration of the
manner in which it is intended
the residual value provision will
operate. From the beginning.
II requires that the cost of pro-
auction of defense material be
Isolated from the cost of in
creased facilities necessitated by
me emergency production. IL
LOTT contracts to make a mil
ION guns with present facilities.
no cost for increased facilities
vii be involved. On the other
hand, If General Electric is ask
ID to establish a new plant to
make million guns, the cost
u the addition to their plant
Equipment - the emergency fa-
iilties required by the order
Vill be isolated from the cost of
reduction per Sc.
AT the end Of the five-year
'erlod, 1t is proposed that the
oVernment and the industrial
lrm each name an arbitrator.
'hese arbitrators will determine
mat residual value remains in
ne emergency facilities and the
overnment shall have the right
buy the plant at that figure.
-ccording to the commission.
ne government interests will
Jus be protected. They expect
usiness compliance with the
roposed plan.