Evening star., 1943-08-27

SIeSS uIl tease -lenQ unanCeS, Ql0
not issue his statement as a part of
the announcements released at the
Quebec conference. 1t seems even
more appropriate to emphasize the
American attitude of aid to liberated
peoples as part of the completed
record of American help to other
nations.
Mr.. Roosevelt's letter of transmit
tai to Congress was brief but the
words should be distributed by leaf
let throughout Occupied Europe and
especially over Italy and the Bal
kans to counteract the last-ditch
resistance propaganda coming out
of Berlin and so assiduously being
spread among the Axis satellite
countries.
Need Not Fear Surrender.
Except for the responsible Fas-
eist leaders," wrote the President,
"the people of the Axis need not
fear unconditional surrender to the
United Nations. The people of Axis
controlled areas may be assured that
when they agree to unconditional
surrender they will not be trading
Axis despotism for ruin under the
United Nations. The goal of the
United Nations is to permit liberated
peoples to create free political life
Of their own choosing and to attain
economic security. These are two
of the great objectives of the At
lantic Charter"
Then came the promise of food
and material aid to peoples ire
tpective of what their governments
we're before the unconditional sur
render.
II have said" continued the Presi-
dent, that we shall bring food for
the starving and medicine for the
sick in the areas liberated by the
United Nations. We have done so,
under lease-lend, in North Africa.
We are doing so in Sicily. We shall
continue to do so in other areas, as
they are liberated, to prevent eco
nomic breakdown and aid the lib
Grated peoples to produce and to
help themselves. We shall provide
.hese necessary civilian supplies in
support of our military operations
and as a matter of simple human
ity."
Billions to Soviet.
What does the record show thus
lar? That we have given under the
.ease-lend operation about $4,000
100000 to foreign countries. OF this
amount, s2,5oo,o 900 900 has gone to
Russia and more than 81 ,000, ,000, 900
of this has gone to the Soviets in
the last six months, which is nearly
two-thirds of the amount we have
sent to the United Kingdom from
January ] to July Of this year.
Nearly go per cent of what we
nave exported to Russia under
lease-lend has been under the head
Of munitions, such as airplanes,
tanks, end guns. Much of what we
have sent everywhere abroad has
been food. The President, more
over, made a rather sweeping state
ment in his message to Congress
concerning repayment. He said:
THE Congress in passing and ex-
lending the Lease-Lend Act made
II plain that the United States
wants no new war debts to leopard
die the coming peace. Victory and
. secure peace are the only coin in
which we can be repaid"
Promise Too Early For Some.
1t is to be hoped that Congress
shares this generous Interpretation,
for while the statute says the Presi-
dent may accept in payment any
benefit" which he deems satisfac-
tory, Mr.. Roosevelts words could
mean that whatever was loaned and
whatever was leased need not be re-
paid or returned to us.
No such understanding was ex-
plicitly written into the law, but it
will produce regrettable misunder-
standings later on unless Congress
makes clear that it does share the
willingness of the President to give
away IA billion dollars or more in
the common cause as a contribution
TO ultimate victory, though there
will be many who will suggest that
1t is a little early to determine
whether we have been given pay
ment or have been assured payment
In the coin Of victory-a lasting