Evening star., 1941-11-27

through McGraw-Hill and dis
tributed in Latin America. En-
Guardia con Guard emphasizes
the American strength in arms.
1t supplies pictures for South
American newspapers and dis
tributes motion pictures carrying
the American message. 1t is spend
ing s450,000 on a two-year project
for analyzing Axis propaganda in
the countries south Of us so that
it will be better prepared to combat
that propaganda.
On the economic front Mr. Rookie
feller moved President Roosevelt to
write a letter TO all American
bureau heads to this effect: The
latin American countries should
have sort of general priority on
all goods not required for defense
purposes here.
The Biggest Credit Agency.
Four blocks west of the Commerce
Building is the Federal Reserve
Building, marble, its sign an eagle
dipped in gold. Here is the Lend
Lease Administration, biggest credit
agency in the worlds history, estab-
lished to reinforce the war economy
of Great Britain and Allies. 1t Is
presided over by Edward Stettinius,
jr.. former head of the Priorities Di-
vision in the o. P. M Under him
the Priorities Division moved slowly,
and since he joined the lend-lease
project, its convolutions have re-
laXed their speed
The first administrative agency Of
lend-lease was the Division Of De-
fense Aid Reports. The title was
changed october %. Lend-Lease Ad-
ministration spends $4,000 900 this
year for administration, but the
number of its employees is defense
secret. 1t is stated by Army and
Navy officers, uses men from many
agencies and facilitates the flow of
war goods from America to England
in a manner which the high Off
Gals are forbidden to talk about.
Congress has appropriated $13,-
600 900, 900 for lend-lease Before
the program became effective, the
British received $4,000 .000,0 900 worth
of war goods from the United States
bought with British money. These
goods were exported over a period
of about Is months. During the
seven months of the lend-lease pro-
gram, less than $1,000 100000 worth
of goods has been exported to the
participating countries.
Mountain of Paper Work.
One reason for the slow motion
is the mountain of paper work and
hours OF conferring required be-
tween the moment when a govern
ment decides it wants some lend
lease goods and the moment when
clearance is at last obtained
The governments representative
submits requisition. Philip Young,
lend-lease assistant executive Off
Ger, scrutinizes it. He sends 1t to
the Army, the Navy, the o. P. M.
Maj. Gen. James H. Burns, execu-
tive officer, discusses the request
with Administrator Stettinius. He
talks about it from the viewpoint
of overall British American policy
with the secretaries of War and
Navy, and with Harry Hopkins, the
Presidents lend-lease adviser.
Then the requisition may be ap-
proved. Next step is obtaining the
articles needed, perhaps manufac-
turing them. 1t is slow work. No.
body at the Lend-Lease Administra-
ton tries to insist that it is fast.
The benefactors of lend-lease are
always in competition, essentially,
with our Army and Navy and our
civilian population and Latin Amer
lea for goods.
West of Federal Reserve, on q
hill at Twenty-fourth and E streets
NV, is an old red brick building,
former Offices of the Federal Secu-
rity AdminiAra ton. This is the
home Of the Office Of Co-ordinator
OF Information, Col. William j.
Donovan, who manages the Ameri-
can short-wave attack on Germany.
"A Freuoentlal Prer0TAttve.
The o. c. I. dormerly the COD
OF Col. Donovan is q presidential
creation which Congress officially
has never heard about, the agency
having been born only last July.
It operates for the present on a
small budget of $2,125 900, its quar-
terly share in the 500 ,000, 900 which
Congress, since the emergency
came along. has been appropriating
for the President to do with as he
wishes. The o. c. I. staff Is small,
and the Stairs pay is slim. But the
stah is growing, now about $50,
perhaps ultimately 1000 or more.
Col. Donovan performs two tasks.
To Europe, Asia and Africa he sends
short-wave broadcasts, through COM
mercial stations which issue the
messages as their own. They are
aimed at the countries which feel
the hot, consuming breath Of the
axis on their necks. The colonel