Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-03-11
The Political Mill
Passage Of Leose-Lend Extension Bill Seen
As Healthy Sign of Congress Unity on War

been much worse. Similarly 1t
would have been great waste
of time if there had been no
Selective Service Act, providing
for training big Army. until
Pearl Harbor,
From the date of the approval
of the lease lend act on March
II, 194l, through the end Of
January of this year. the Un;
States has transferred goods
services under the act to the
amount OF $685., 100000 of which
goods valued at s6.50O,000, 900
have been exported. From the
close Of January up to the pres
sent, heavy expectation of war
materials of all kinds have con-
tinued, The rate continues to
rise
In the Nick of Time
This is no idle gesture on TIE
part Of the United States. Sup
plies sent the United Nations
under lease lend have been an
effective part Of the war effort.
Shipment of guns to British
forces came at the nick of time
to save Egypt from invasion by
Rommel, for example, when it
looked as though nothing could
prevent that invasion.
The Soviet Union has been aid-
ed greatly in its defense against
Axis attacks. Effective aid to
Russia began in the autumn of
194l. Since then goods and
services have been transferred to
the Soviet Union valued at 81
532 100000. To the end of No
vember, 1912, this country had
sent to Russia almost $500 air
planes. This was more than had
been sent to any other country.
This country had sent also to
Russia more than 5000 tanks,
more than to all other countries
combined, and $1,000 trucks,
teeps, and other motor vehicles.
This is the kind of aid to which
Admiral STANDBY, our Ambassa-
dor in Moscow, referred when he
said the other day that the Soviet
government had not given the
Russian people a full picture of
what this country was doing to-
ward helping the Red army. In
the same period, the British sent
to Russia more than 1000 air
planes and approximately $500
tanks.
The President has found that
43 countries are entitled to re-
ceive Lease-Lend aid, since their
defense may be vital to the
defense Of the United States.
Thlrty-one of those countries are
now at war with the Axis powers.
Aid is being sent, ard has been
sent, to the American republics,
AS we'll as to Europe. Asia, Africa
and Australia. 1t is all paving
dividends In defense of Americas
own interests. The largest contri-
buttons have gone to the British,
valued at nearly s4,0O0,OO00oo.
Our Own Forces Aided.
The American people should
realize, too, that lease lend has
operated to supply American
armed forces in far flung parts
Of the world with supplies from
other nations. The British have
contributed to the support OF
American forces, very large
forces, in the United Kingdom, to
such an extent that dollar pur-
chases In England by the Army
did not exceed 100000 during
all of 1912.
Both Australia and New Zea-
land have supplied American
Army and Navy forces with huge
quantities of food in the South
Pacific. Australia provided 15.-
100000 pounds Of beef, 5000 900
pounds of lamb and mutton. g.
100000 pounds of pork, 100000
pounds of potatoes and $4,000 900
pounds of other vegetables, 4OOo,-
900 pounds of butter. The Amer
lean forces have received from
New Zealand 100000 pounds of
beef, pork and lamb and mutton,
and many other food supplies.
From the British our forces
have received also large uuanti-
ties of munitions and artjllery