The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1943-01-14
. Clapper

=" >He way largo
We Get Some Back in
iceland and the Fiiiis
Pie Drivers and Potato
Psslers From Britain
Even China Gives Some
Reciprocal Aid
Nv RAYMOND CI.APPER
WILMINGTON A period OF
complaint uDout lend-lease is in
evitable when you have a budget
that makes a midget out of all
previous ones. high taxes that
are going higher. and grocery
stmos just freq out of every
thing.
In times Of denial. people are
disposed to complain irritably.
Those who don't make SIS. 900 q
year complain about those who
do. People who have to walk
complain about the lucky ones
who ride in government auto
mobiles. When there is no but
ter at the store. you naturally
cunplain about butter going to
the foreigners.
We are sending far more ma
terials out on leand-lease than
WIN ever come back. Yet lend
49, - not entirety one way
traffic. Our forces in a number
Of places overseas are receiving
substantial benefits of lend-lease
aid from foreign countries. In
fact, we have had some lend
lease aid sent TO us over here.
The British sent us anti-aircraft
guns for use on the east coast
and barrage balloons for the
west coast.
Most of the reciprocal aid that
has come to us has been from the
United Kingdom. in the form of
materials and services made
available to our troops in Eng
land, the Middle East, Iceland
and the Fiji islands.
We fnve received artillery,
small arms. grenades, land mines.
sound locators and radio location
equipment. Spitfires, 25-pounder
guns, some 1000. 900 clay pigeons
for target practice, de gass-
ing equipment for our ships.
repairs OF battle damage done to
Americana naval vessels, and
bunker oil and other supplies for
our naval sips when in British
ports.
We have received drawings,
specifications and production
dat for many secret devices, such
~ radio-locator equipment for
anti-aircraft defenses. The Brit
n tell our government that two
thirds of the civil and military
DIOR available for military works
and services in the United King
dom Ia being employed on work
for the American army. We
are ganking hospitals. barracks,
officers accommodations, air
fields, repair depots and other
maintenance. We received 49,
900 bicycles for personnel trans
port on air fields. The British.
as reciprocal aid. print the Stars
and Stripes and Yank, and re-
Gently supplied Christmas cards
to American canteens. They also
have supplied steam rollers. pile
drivers. cooking ranges and much
minor equipment like potato
peelers.
The Office of War Information
mG1e q compilation of the fore
going items, and it adds that in
West Africa the United King
dom has contributed substantial
sums for airport and harbor in
sta2Dtions available for use by
American forces and Pan-Ameri-
can Always.
Australia is supplying large
qualnties of food and clothing
to American forces there. a pro-
gram that American authorities
estimate may amount to $4,000
900. which is a considerable fig
ure in view of the size of Aus
tralia's population.
New Zealand is giving our
navy and marine corps relative
~ large supplies. including hos
pitfalls. camps. warehouses. mis-
cellaneous buildings and con-
struction projects, at the expense
of leaving last winters earth
quake damage in Wellington un-
repaired. All supplies. equip
ment and facilities which New
Zealand had built up in the Fiji
islands were turned over to our
forces. New Zealand is running
short of food because of the
quantities she is lend-leasing to
our navy out there. At one time
New Zealand had to suspend its
program of milk for school chill
dren because of the requirements
Of American forces for lend-lease
milk.
We get some reciprocal aid
from China. India and the Fight
ing French in New Caledonia.
Russia has no reciprocal aid to
spare. and we have not requested
reciprocal aid from some South
American countries. We hope to
get some Of the colonial resources
of Belgium and the Netherlands.
Although the traffic is heavier
o11tOoiup than incoming we are