Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-08
.5tamson Supports
Aid as
Short Cut 10 Victory
Worms Gosh Repayment
Demund Would Domooe
International Relations
BY the Associated Press,

Dest0ssu VVuSu OuUtO9S
international Relations
BY the Associated Press.
Secretary of War Stimson, urging
continuance of lease-lend aid to
this Nations war partners, told the
House Foreign Affairs Committee
today that any other decision
would seriously jeopardize and de-
lay our complete and total victory"
He emphasized that munitions
and supplies sent to the Allies were
mot charity" on the part Of this
Nation, but rather the best method
for putting our industry and re-
sources to the best use In defeating
the enemy"
Mr.. Stimson, explaining he was
giving his personal opinion, said the
United States could not and should
not seek a postwar dollars and
cents" settlement Of lease-lend aid
you would have = devilish hard
time to do so, and produce q lot Of
damage to international relations"
Mr.. Stimson said after three Re-
publican committee members, Rep
representative Vorys Of Ohio, Eber-
harter Of Pennsylvania and Mundt
Of South Dakota had questioned
him. Representative Eberharter said
said he thought the matter should
be cleared up" as "a great portion
OF the American people believe there
will be an accounting in dollars and
cents after the war"
Alternatives Unsettled.
The Secretary said that question
Is still wide open on both ends" when
Mr.. Mundt asked If he had con-
sidered collection Of lease-lend debts
'in other ways-such as strategic air
bases" Further questioning along
that line was ruled out Of order by
Chairman Bloom.
On the point Of postwar settle
ments ,~Mr. Stimson told the COM
mittee: II foresee misunderstand-
ing after the war-possibly grave
international misunderstanding"
Making a successful war and
making money out Of that war" he
continued, ARE 50 entirely separate
that II we try to blend the two, We
will get into serious trouble"
1.-The proposition" Secretary Slim
son said, "is this. After a country
has contributed all 1t can. and thus
made its contribution, and after We
have furnished them material to
make an even further contribution
out of its blood and effort, then at
tempt to get back the money-then
should say we are trying to make
money out Of the war"
Mr.. Stimson declared that lease
lend-greatest swapping agreement
in history - had ended the disco
ordination, confusion and COMPETE
tior which existed In the manufac-
ture OF war material before the act
was passed.
Before It's passage, he said. pur-
chasing agencies for foreign nations
were competing with one another
and with our own armed forces,
with long lapses of time between
orders and deliveries.
I'm contrast, on the other side,
the enemy was able to concentrate
the whole force of his individual
might against u.s." he reported. ~
Mr.. Stimson said that situation
ended with approval Of the Lease
Lend Act, which enabled establish
ment Of a central procurement pro-
gram handling the supply needs Tor
our own armed forces and our Allies.
He told the committee that there
is no decision as to where the sup
plies will be allocated until they are
actually produced, a plan which he
declared produced great flexibility.
Helped Defeat Rommel.
That "flexibility," he said, has
reached the point, where "as you
may remember, we were able At a
moments notice to ship to the east
a quantity Of tanks which contrib
uted substantially to the defeat OF
Rommel."
Hes said that the war produc-
ton industries of this country and
Great Britain now are so closely
integrated that to end lease-lend
and would result in the critical i'm
pairment" of the United Kingdom 4
production.
Similarly, he said that lease lend
was having real influence" in Rus
sia's war effort, and emphasized
the need for Its continuance by
| declaring that the Russian indus
trial machine has been badly
knocked about by the Germans.
ITO end the supply line to China. !"
he said, would be to deny her
modern weapons to use in the fight
with our enemy in the Pacific"
He acknowledged that the aid
reaching China was not In as great
quantity as war oficials here desire,
! but stressed the difficulties and dis
tances in making deliveries.
Secretary Of the Navy Knox and
War Shipping Administrator Emory
s. Land also were scheduled to ap-
pear to join Secretary Stimson in
giving an account of what part
lease-lend aid is playing in carry
Ing out the drive for unconditional
surrender Of the Axis.
approval Appears Certain.
Approval Of the legislation to
extend the lease-lend program an
other year appeared a certainty.
Meanwhile, 1t was learned that at
least four members Of the commit
tee plan to press for statistics on
Just how much aid is getting through
to China, along with the reasons
why the Chinese Military Mission
returned home.
+ Although no figures on the
amount Of that aid have been dis
closed, Lease-Lend Administrator
Edward r. Stettinius, jr.. and other
| officials have conceded that assist
ance to China has been small in
contrast with that to Britain and
Russia.
One committee member said he
would demand in executive session
greater use of air cergo planes in
IoS - =