Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-03-12
(Tert Of RooSeUelt'S Letter
on Page A-4J
By JOHN c. HENRY.

Declaring it to be the liked
policy of this Government to
make for democracieS every gun,
plane and munition of war that
we possibly can" President
Roosevelt today asked Congress
for immediate appropriation OF
$1,000 100000 to cover the cost OF
aid to Britain, Greece and China.
Of this total more than 2,OOO,-
100000 would be devoted to aVia-
ton production.
The great arsenal to be created IN
this venture of assisting other ma
tons. the President said in a letter
to Speaker Rayburn, will be oul-
wark of our own defense.
Immediate Enactment Urged.
Tn the letter Mr. Roosevelt assert
ed:
IT strongly urge the immediate
enactment of this appropriation.
The Chief Executive declared that
America has felt that 1T was I'M
perative to the security OF America
that we encourage the democracles
heroic resistance to aggreSSlons, by
not only maintaining but also IN
creasing the flow Of material assist
ance from this country.
Therefore, he said, Congress had
enacted and he had signed the Brit
ish -aiG bill.
In London, Prime Minister
Churchill announced to the House
of Commons that the British-ald
bill had become law and termed 1t
a new Magma Charta an In
spring act of faith.D
The Presidents request for the
biggest peace-time appropriation
bill in the Nations history went to
Congress less than "a hours after he
signed the bill into law and APP
proveC the first list of supplies to
be shipped to Britain and to Greece.
The Chief Executive accompanied
the letter with an itemized message
for a special defense fund in the
total amount of the $1,000, 000,0 600.
1t was specified in this estimate,
signed by Budget Director Harold
D. Smith, that the overall figure
would be calculated to remain avail
able until June 30, l943.
The breakdown of the $1,000, 000,-
900 contained the following cate
gorieS:
Ordnance and ordnance stores,
supplies, spare parts and materials,
including armor and ammunition
S1,343, 100000
Aircraft and aeronautical ma
terial, including engines. spare parts
and accessories-S2 054 100000
Tanks, armored cars. automobiles,
trucks and other automotive We
hicles-S362, 5000
Ships and other water craft, plus
equipage and accessories-s629,-
100000.
Miscellaneous military equipment
$3.50, 900, 900.
Facilities and equipment for the
manufacture of defense articles, in
Guiding construction and operation,
and acquisition of land-$752 900 900.
1880, 100000 for Commodities.
Agricultural, industrial and other
eommodities-S1, $50 900, 600
For testing, repairing or otherwise
placing in working order any de-
Tense articles for governments be-
ing aided-S20000 600, 900
This last item presumably would
be used in part to effectuate terms
of the BritiSh-aid law under which
warships of Great Britain might be
repaired in American bases.
1t was provided that not more
than 20 per cent of any of the ap-
preparations for the above may be
transferred by the President to any
other appropriation, and that no
appropriation should be increased
by more than 80 per cent total.
The breakdown also carried $40
100000 item for necessary services
and expenses for carrying out the
lease-lend act. which are not Speci-
fed. In addition, $l0,000,000 is re-
oueSted for administrative expenses.
Applying to the total sum was
further provision that the Presi-
dent may transfer from the forego-
ing appropriations of any depart
ment or agency amounts equivalent
to the value of defense articles dis
posed of by such department or
agency to the government of any
country whose defense the Presi-
dent deems vital to the defense of
the United States, not exceeding in
total ST ,3O0,00O.OOO."
Although the Presidents recon-
mendation was contained in a per-
sonal letter to Speaker Rayburn, it
had been arranged in advance that
Continued on Page "A, Column y.