The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1943-11-18
WNU Service, Union Trust Building,
Washington, d. c.


When Paratrooper Jones landed
"plop" in the midst of a field he had
never heard of in a country he had
only read about in books, he was
able to lead his comrades direct to
certain building whose purpose,
Importance, construction and con-
tents, almost down to the last nut
and bolt, were all known in detail
by the American high command.
Paratrooper Jones knew just where
to get to the point he wanted to leave
his dynamite and General Smith, at
the headquarters, knew exactly the
damage that would result to the
enemy when that dynamite went off.
Neither would have had that in
formation if worried banker in
Bingville, u S. A., hadn't painstak-
ingly filled out Form TFR-500 which
the treasury department had sent
him.
The information asked for. con-
cerned American investments in for
eign lands, and the information the
government got back made it pos
sible for it to get the detailed blue
prints Of the factory that Jones blew
up from the American firm which
had built it and, in this case, the
construction engineer who had
bossed the job.
The function of these annoying
TRF-500s which have already locat-
ed American investments in I02
countries, the largest single one of
which is seven million dollars and
the smallest forty dollars. serves
other exceedingly useful, If not as
dramatic, purposes.
Other Functions
One government official pointed
out to me another important func-
ton this information plays in nom
military wartime activities. He said:
THE more complete information
the government has on the total
American stake abroad, the more
successful will be the efforts of our
forces on the fighting fronts, the
more quickly will the Allied Mill
tary Government be able to restore
civilian activities in reoccupied
areas, the better equipped our repre-
sentatives will be to safeguard the
interests of the American people
during the peace table discussions,
and the sounder will be the working
out of postwar policies in the field
of international economic relation
ships.
This survey OF American invest
ments abroad is an instrument of
vital Importance to the future of this
country. Most other world powers
have long since collected similar in
formation. They not only know the
holdings of their own nationals all
over the world, but their relations
with those of other countries. Their
plans are we'll formulated to protect
and develop these investments. Our
government believes we should not
be less well informed"
This official had a particular rea-
son in discussing this situation with
me-
First, he wanted to stimulate the
people who had received Form TFR-
500 in giving as complete a report
as possible.
Second, he desired wide publicity
in the hope that other American citi-
zens, individuals, corporations, exec
utives of estates, trustees of charita-
BILE organizations who might be able
to furnish the information desired.
would get in touch with the treasury
department and turn it over to the
government.
Rehabilitation
Aside from its value to military
men, the facts are exceedingly i'm
portant to the Allied officials who
are administering rehabilitation in
occupied countries If they know
about plant that has certain pro-
duction facilities or trained people
who can be used in producing what
they desire, it greatly helps their
work. 1t has proved in Sicily, and
will prove in Italy, of great value to
the Allied administrators to get in
formation concerning the citizens so
that they can pick those who are Of
known non-Fascist leanings0 to CO.
operate wittfh tfTerTT.
The information also, of course,
is exceedingly valuable to many of
the gvernment departments.
Claims for Damage
Another thing that the state de-
partment is called upon to do is to
assist citizens in getting back their
property in countries that have been