Evening star., 1942-07-10
Lease-Lend Accords
Relieve Burdens Of
ExiIed Governments
Agreements to Help Equip
Poles, Czeehs, BeIeions,
YueosIovs, Dutch, Greeks
b. the Associated Press.

b. the Associated Press.
LONDON, July 1O.-United State.
lease-lend agreements signed in the
past two weeks have eased the
financial burdens of refugee gov.
ernments, only three of which are
entirely self-supporting.
The agreements will help equip
the Poles, Czechs, Belgians, Yugo-
slavs, Dutch and Greek forces fight
ing on the side of the Allies.
The Norwegians have been offered
an agreement but London head
quarters said last night it had not
been signed.
The Free French receive American
aid indirectly through the British
and United States lease-lend pro-
gram
OF the eight exiled governments
In London only the Norwegians,
Dutch and Belgians are entirely
self supporting The others receive
aid from the British, particularly in
equipping their military forces.
Three Have Large Gold Reserves. ,
The Norwegians and Dutch have
large revenues from shipping and
the Dutch also have an income from
the West Indies and its oil refineries.
The Belgians derive an income ex-
ceeding their governmental needs
from the rich Belgian Congo. All
three have large gold resources in
the United States and Britain.
I'VE not only support ourselves
but from time to time we have
placed some of our gold deposits at
Britain's disposal" Belgian spokes-
man said.
The Norwegians employ the largest
administrative force of any refugee
government in London A Nor
wegian spokesman estimated that
1000 were employed at government
headquarters, principally to look
after the extensive shipping in
terests.
The Netherlands has between 200
and 300 in administrative posts in
London. while the Belgians have
about 200.
The Free French, Czechs and
Poles lean heavily on British and
American support.
British Support Free French.
An Official Free French spokes-
man said the British government
was paying a major share of the
Free French war effort while the
remainder was derived from New
Caledonia, where United States
troops are on guard, and that part
of Equatorial Africa which the Free
French control. The British sup
port concerns itself primarily with
financing Free French armed sery-
ices.
It is understood that some sup
plies the British obtain from the
United States under lease-lend also
are placed at Free French disposal
for fighting in Africa and elsewhere.
An administrative force of about 10
composes the government in Lon
don.
The Poles receive financial aid
from Britain, the United States and
Russia. just before the Germans in
vaded Poland, Britain had granted
the Polish government a large
credit which, together with the
Polish controlled gold in London,
has been Used to finance the war
effort, it was stated officially. About
a month ago further credit was
granted by the British. There also
is lease-lend aid from the United
States. The Russian government
has agreed to support and help the
Poles In Russia, particularly those
being trained to fight with the Rus
sian Army.
outside the large military estab-
]ishment. a force of about 800
civilians is employed by the govern
ment of Poland.
The Czecfls have been able to do
business on a similar basis, although
a Czech spokesman said the govern
ment had large gold reserves IN
London when the war started. The
Czechs in the United States have
contributed large sums and lease
lend agreement recently was signed
with the United States. About 30
civilians are employed at Czech
headquarters.
Yougoslav Expenses Small.
The Yougoslav effort has been
financed through gold on deposit IN
the United States and Britain, to-
cether with income from the 9ugo-
slay merchant marine, a Yugoslav
spokesman said. Expenses are COM
paratively small because the Yugo-
slays have only small force Tight
inc outside their own country. Only
about so are employed in the gov
eminent itself.
Like the Norwegians, the Greeks
have derived a large income from
their merchant marine, which Is
operating on all the seas. A British
grant of postwar credits has supple
mented this aid, an official Greek
source said.
About so are employed in the tiny
Luxembourg representation In Lon
don. and the exiled government was
said to be living entirely on gold
deposits made with the Belgian
bank. Grand Duchess Charlotte
lad a large personal income out
side Luxembourg and has been
financing her own establishment, 1t
vas said.
Spokesmen of the Dutch, Yugoslav
and Greek governments in exile said
the current visits of Queen Will
helmina, King Peter and King
George to the United States were
being financed by their respective
governments.