Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-06-11
Text of Leose-Lend Letter
President Details Progress in Aid
To Democrocies; Pledges More Yet

lion, and aircraft in value of more
than SAB 100000. This was equipment
that would have taken months and
months to produce and which, with
the exception of aircraft. cost about
$500 900, 900 dollars to produce dur
ing the World War period. Most of
, this material would not have been
disable if we had kept it much longer.
This equipment arrived in Britain
after the retreat from Dunkerque,
where the British had lost great
quantities of guns and other mill
| tary supplies. No one can appraise
what effect the delivery of these
supplies had upon the successful
British resistance in the summer
and fall of 1910 when they were
fighting against such terrific odds.
British Reach Limit.
Since June, 1910, this Govern
ment has continued TO supply war
materiel from its surplus stocks. in
addition to the materiel produced by
private manufacturers. The so over
age oestroverS, which Britain re-
ceived in exchange for the defense
| bases, were a part of the aid sup
piled by the Government.
BY the turn of the year l94l. the
British commitments in this country
for defense articles had reached the
limit OF their future dollar resources.
Their striking power required the
assurance that their munitions and
equipment would steadily and GER
talnly be augmented, not curtailed
The will of our people. as ex-
pressed through the Congress. was
to meet this problem, not only by
| the passage of the Lend lease Act.
but by the appropriat alton of 81 ,O0O.-
100000 made on March q OF this
year 10 carry out this task.
In the 90 days since the Lend
lease Act was passed. and in the
! "A DAYS since the funds were an
propriated. We have started in mo-
ton the vast supply program which
is essential to the defeat of the
Axis powers.
ALLEGATIONS TwO-Thirds Made.
In these "A days, more than A..
billion dollars out of the 7 billion
dollars have been sllocated to the
War, Navy, Agriculture AND Treas
ury Departments and to the Mari
time Commission to procure the aid
authorized. Contracts have been
let for long range bombers. ships.
! tanes and other sinews of war that
Will be needed for the defense of the
democracies. The balance of less
Than "a billion is being rapidly allo-
Gated.
To be effective. the aid, rendered
by us must be many-sided. Ships
are necessary to carry the munitions
and the food. We are Immediately
making available to Britain million
gross tons of cargo ships and oil
tankers
But this is not enough. Adequate
shipping for every day to come must
be reasonably assured. Since the
Appropriations Act was passed. $50
million dollars has been allocated for
the construction of new ships under
the Lend-Lease Act. Contracts have
oeen let and the new ways REQUIRED
TO build these ships are now nearing
completion. Allied ships are being
repaired by us. Allied ships are be-
ing equipped by us to protect them
from mines, and are being armed by
us to protect them as much as pos-
slble against raiders. Naval vessels
OF Britain are being repaired by us so
mat they can return quickly to their
naval tasks.
British Pilots Trained Here.
The training program of 1000
brush pilots in our schools in this
country is under way. Valuable in
formation is being communicated
and other material assistance is be-
ing rendered in mounting benefit
TO the democracies.
Millions of pounds of food are
oelng and will be sent. Iron and
steel, machine tools. and the other
essentials to maintain and increase
the production of war materials in
brltan are being sent and received
IN larger quantities day by day.
Since September. 1899. the war
goods sent to Britain have risen
steadily. The overall total exports
20 the British empire have greatly
increased in 1941 over 1910. What
is more important, the increase of
those things which are necessary for
f1shting have increased far beyond
our other experts. In the first five
months of this year, we have sent
more than IL times as r,err o'"-
planes to Britain as we did in the
nrst five months OF 194u. 40. vac
hrst four months of this year. the
dollar value of explosives sent to the
British empire was about II times
as much as for the first four months
OF 1910. Ninety times as much in
dollar value of firearms and am
munltion was sent to Britain dur
ing the first months of this wear
as for the first four months of 1910
Axis TO Be Outstripped.
With our natural resources. our
productive capacity and the genius
of our people for mass productiop