Evening star., 1941-09-15

The Speaker of the House of Rep
resentatives.
I am submitting this report pur-
suant to Section (b) of the Lend
Lease Act of March II, 1e4I, which
provides that the President report
to the Congress every 80 days on the
operations under that act.
The Lend-Lease Act was passed
by the Congress just 1873 days ago.
One hundred and sixty-seven days
ago, the Congress appropriated
seven billion dollars to carry out our
national policy of giving every pos
sible material assistance to the coun-
tries resisting aggression.
The effective expenditure of this
large sum in furtherance of our an
nounced policy has presented tasks
of large proportions. We have sur
veyed the needs of the countries we
are aiding. We have correlated this
program of aid with the procure
ment programs of our own Army
and Navy. We have arranged with
our industries for the production of
the great quantities of material in
volved.
Far Along With Task"
The War Department, the Navy
Department, the Treasury Depart
ment. the Agriculture Department
and the Maritime Commission are
the agencies principally charged
with the actual procurement of the
| Strr,n1inc Tl1ayy 70 oil nv
with their task.
Over six and three-quarters Of the
seven billion dollars appropriate ted
have now been allocated, upon the
recommendation of these agencies,
for specific materials and services.
Their procurement machinery has
been constantly at work, locating
producers and placing contracts.
Over three and a half billion dollars
of legal commitments have already
been made. Contracts will soon be
placed for the entire billion
dollar appropriation.
Contracts have been placed and
work has started on nearly billion
dollars of bombardment aircraft
New ways have been started and
work is in progress for about one
half billion dollars Of new mer-
chant shipping. New facilities to
speed the production of guns, am
munition, and other defense articles
have been started under contracts
totaling about $3.50 10000. Over
S430 900 900 has been allocated, and
over S250,000 900 has been obligated
for the purchase of milk. eggs and
other agricultural products.
Daily the aid being rendered is
growing. Through the month of
August the total dollar value of de-
fense articles transferred and de-
fense services rendered, plus ex-
penditures for other lend-lease pur-
poses. amounted to S486, ,721 1893.
Food, Steel and Machinery.
Food and steel and machinery and
guns and planes have been supplied
in increasing quantities. Agricul-
tural commodities worth S110 sos $50
have been transferred to the coun-
tries We are aiding. We have trans
ferred to the United Kingdom more
than 100000 pounds of cheese
more than 540OO,0O0 pounds of eggs
more than 100000 pounds of cured
pork, more than 100000 pounds
of dried beans, and more than ia
100000 pounds of lard. We have
transferred to them more than three
million barrels of gasoline and Oil.
We have sent them many tanks.
Merchant and naval ships and other
transportation equipment are being
transferred in growing amounts.
A substantial number of cargo
ships and tankers have been char.
tered to the use of those countries
whose defense is vital to our own
Our yards are repairing Allied mer-
chant ships. We are equipping Allied
ships to protect them from mines;
and we are arming them, as much
as possible, against aircraft, SUBJ
marines and raiders.
We have also, by repairing and
outfitting their warships, helped the
British and Allied navies keep clear
the vital sea lanes upon which de.
pends continued resistance to Axis
piracy. The repair of the battleship
Malaga and the aircraft carrier
Illustrious are outstanding examples
Of this naval assistance.
Over the whole range of technical
and material assistance required by
modern warfare, we are. under the
lease-lend program. rendering effec-
tive help. Important defense in
formation is being supplied to
Britain and the other nations fight
ing the Axis powers. Our technicians
are instructing the Allies in the
assembly, operation, and main
tenance of the tools coming from
our factories. Across the United
States and across Africa, our plane
ferry service is linking the arsenals
OF America with democracv's out
posts in the Middle East. On our
airf1elds, thousands of British pilots
are being. and will continue to be.
trained, and already we are prepar-
ing a similar program to help the
Chinese.
Help for Chinese People.
We have supplied equipment for
the Yunnan-Burma Railroad and
for the Burma Road in order to
speed the flow of arms and ma.
terials to the heroic Chinese people.
In addition to materials of war. we
are furnishing China with medicine
and technical assistance to fight the
ravages of malaria. A military mis-
sion has also been dispatched to
China in connection with the sup
plying of lease lend aid.
The $1,000. 100000 appropriated
for purchasing defense articles
has been available less than six
months. and actual transfers from
these funds have necessarily been
limited to articles which could be
purchased in finished state or pro-
duced in that time. The speed with
which future lend-lease transfers
will be made depends largely on the
speed with which our industries de-
liver the goods. The rate of our pro-
duction must be accelerated, and
every step to achieve that end must
and will be done.