Evening star., 1941-01-16

facturer to carry out all his dealings
with but one purchaser-a purchaser
with which, in many cases, he has
already been in contact over num-
ber of years. Much wasteful dupli-
cation of effort and conflict Of aims
will thus be avoided.
1t enables us to build O. we'll
ordered system of placing contracts
and to utilize and carry into effect
the studies which have been made
over a period of 20 years by our
Army and Navy officials in prepara-
toin for just such an emergency as
we now face.
Our Ordnance Department and
Quartermaster Corps, for example,
are composed of experienced officers
who have been in constant touch
with manufacturers in this country
who know the American system of
production and business methods,
and who, with the assistance of the
Office of Production Management,
are in position to deal effectively
with those manufacturers. The rep
resentetives of the foreign purchas-
ing commissions have no such ad-
vantage.
The proposed bill will permit such
q plan to be carried out inasmuch
as it will empower the President to
authorize existing Government de-
partments to procure munitions for
other countries.
Use of Arsenals Authorized.
The plan also authorizes the util-
ization of our existing Government
establishments for the general de-
fenSe. The Government of the
United States has in the past spent
many millions Of dollars in the erec-
ton and maintenance Of our ar
senalS, in the training of the men
who operate them, and in the estab-
lishment of inspection forces and
proving grounds. These establish
ments are designed for the produc-
ton Of munitions of war. In a
peaceful democracy such as ours,
they are the very spearhead Of an
armament production effort.
But under existing law it is. in
most cases, impossible to use thOs
facilities except for the particul2r
needs Of our own armed forces. The
proposed bill will enable these facili-
ties to be used for the benefit of the
countries which the President shall
designate. Thus, they may be used
to their fullest extent not only for
our own direct defense, but for our
indirect defense by making them
available TO others where our own
interests so require.
If we are to render material aid
to Great Britain, it would appear
that we should certainly be in posi-
ton to supplement the efforts of our
private industry by the special skill.
| knowledge and equipment of the
only existing American munitions
industry-namely, our Government
arsenals.
Full Control Of Disposition.
Finally. and perhaps most impor-
tant Of all, is the degree Of control
which, under the plan described
above, it is possible to retain in the
hands Of this Government with re-
spect to the distribution of the mu-
nitions Of defense. Not only will this
oil permit the authority of our Gov
ernment to be placed behind the
solution OF the problems Of our over
all defense production, but it like
wise enables us to control the dis
tribution of the products of this
program when they are ready for
delivery.
The munitions of defense can and
Will be distributed in accordance
with strategic conditions which OBJ
tain at the time of the distribution,
Those who are interested primarily
IN the defense of this country and
this hemisphere will be the ones who
Will make the plans for distribution
namely, members of the American
| Government.
Naturally, our conduct at such
times will be governed by the inter-
ests of the defense of this country.
Far from being a surrender of our
rights to other interests, however
worthy, the provisions of this bill
make 1t possible to place in Aneri-
can hands this important power and
responsibility.
Clarifies Existing Law.
wish to emphasize another
feature OF the bill. 1t gives author
ity to the commander in chief to
authorize the transfer. sale. lease. or
other disposition of defense articles
on such terms as he deems salts
factory. There are many existing
statutes which relate to the DISPOSE
ton of War Department material.
and authority to dispose of MANY
types of military equipment can now
De found in those statutes. But
these statutes have been passed
sporadically during a long period of
time and have never been codifed
or revised so as to form a reasonable
or workable program of action.
On rather short notice I have had
prepared compilation Of such
statutes, and that compilation is at
the disposition of this committee.
The terms and conditions imposed
on the transfer vary with the diff
ferent types of equipment in a way
which is haphazard and in many
cases totally unrelated to existing
conditions. In many cases any
efforts to dispose expeditiously of a
complete unit of military equipment
cannot be effected without enormous
delay. In many cases the conditions
imposed by the existing statutes
are virtually impossible of fulfill
ment, although other practicable
terms equally beneficial to the
United States could be easily sug-
gested.
Often the statute will authorize
the disposition of the component
parts of unit and yet it will not
authorize the disposition of the COM
plete unit equipped to function as
an effective weapon. In such
confused situation of the law you
can see how impossible it would be
hereunder to render the effective
(See STIMSON, Page A-21)