Evening star., 1943-11-16

point OF the criticism which has
been advanced against the opera
tions of the lease-lend plan has
been missed by our British friends.
The language Of the British gov
ernment's report to the Parliament
and the method of argument leaves
the impression that Americans do
not understand the nature of the
sacrifices made by the British. The
attempt to compare in dollars and
cents the per capita contribution of
Britain and the United States on
the basis Of national income i'm
plies that the American people have
In some way deprecated what Brit
ain has done. The mention OF
comparative prices in the two coun-
tries is case in point.
No Dollar Begrudged.
The truth is the American people
do not begrude a single dollar
loaned or single piece of property
leased to Great Britain for war pur-
poses. 1t doesn't matter in the
slightest that things are less ex-
pensive in Britain than in the
United States and that the British
contribution on comparative dollar
or pounds basis does not do justice
to the labor or property or raw ma
terials used In the war and made
available to our armed services
aboad by the British. There is no
need for justification or apology by
the British for the fact that they
have contributed much less in dol
lars than has America.
What is most important-and 1t
Is the only real point at issue-is
that the funds paid for by American
taxpayers shall not be used for post
war purposes to set up commercial
institutions to be used in rivalry
with or in competition with Ameri-
can producers, shippers or distribu-
tors
The impression has been deyel-
oped, rightly or wrongly, here in
congressional quarters, that the
British have misused lease-lend aid.
The evidence on this is what has to
be examined carefully before judg-
ment can be rendered. Certainly
there have been some instances in
which American lease-lend goods
have been re-exported to other
countries as British goods.
America has chartered to the
British some merchant ships, but
the title remains in the United
States. Are routes being developed
with our ships which will mean new
competition for the American
merchant marine after. the war?
This is the kind Of question that
touches postwar and not war prob
lens and yet the assignment Of
these ships to British charter was
unquestionably related in the public
announcements to a war program
or war need.
Plants Rebuilt.
American money has also been
used to rebuild British plants and
factories that we're bombed. To
certain extent these plants will be
available to Britain in the postwar
period. But even this sort of oc-
currence isn't going to stir up any
difficulties as between the two
governments, because a way to
offset such capital assistance can
be found by charging against 1t the
food and materials supplied to
American troops or services abroad
1t is essential that the lease-lend
program be kept so far as possible
on cash basis instead of on an
Item or article basis only, because
q cash system of exchanging goods
and materials tends to do away
with extravaganza and waste.
Also there is considerable criti-
cism or our own lease-lend admin
1stration by members of Congress
on the ground that adequate rec
ords have not been kept throughout
the world. 1t has been suggested
that the British naturally will keep
such records, as their administra-
tors have every incentive to ac-
cumulate all legitimate charges as
an offset to the admittedly larger
contribution made by the United
States.
1t is not lease-lend aid in principle