Evening star., 1944-08-08
Administration Plans
Aid Until Japan Falls
By JOSEPH H. BAIRD.

Unless Congress should intervene
by legislative action, the adminisv
tration plans to continue lease-lend
to Great Britain until Japan, as
well as Germany, has been defeated.
Government economists expect
that the credit balance to the Unit
ed States, which has been constant
since l941. will show a steady down.
ward trend after the defeat of Ger
many. This will be due to two fac
tors:
|. Increasing reverse lease-lend in
the Far East as Australia and New
Zealand supply food and other re-
quirements to the American Arr,S'.
2. A constantly mounting budget
of British commercial purchases as
London regains it's prewar position
next to that of New York-as the
worlds banker
Issue Raised by NAM.
The issue of Britain's position as
a recipient of lease-lend VIZ. raised
Yesterday when the National sAsso-
citation of Manufacturers issued a
statement protesting plans OF the
State Department to continue send
ing American goods to Britain after
the defeat of Germany.
When questioned at his noon
press conference, Acting Secretary
of State Stettinius denied that Lon
don had raised the issue of post
war lease-lend and stressed the
fact that at the present time both
London and Washington are pre-
occupied with winning the war.
He did not, however, close the doors
on the prospect of Britain getting
financial assistance from the United
States until its own normal econ
omy has been restored.
mo one can possibly see" Mr.
Stettinius said, what changes in
the situation the fortunes of war
may bring about or how soon these
changes may reflect themselves in
lease-lend operations
State Department Door Open.
This statement was understood to
mean that the State Department.
while making no definite commit
ments, is prepared to study Brit
aims economic situation at the end
of the war with Germany and de-
termine what further lease-lend as
sistance 1t may need.
In a high official quarter it was
pointed out that the Lease-Lend
Act does not apply specifically to
the European war but provides aid
for any country that is contribut-
ing to the military security of the
United States. This condition, nat
urally, applies to Japan as we'll as
Germany
Prime Minister Churchill said in
the House of Commons last week
that as soon as Hitlerism has been
crushed Britain plans to send large
units of it's feet to the Far East.
formation Services issued a detailed
statement designed to show that
Britain's quarrel with Japan was
Just as heated as that of the United
States.
Reaction to the idea of seeing
Britain through our joint struggle
with Japan and aiding it to re-
establish its normal economic po-
sition was generally favorable on
Capitol HILL although some legisla-
tors stressed their belief that Con-
gress should be consulted about any
future action.
Senators Offer Comment
Senator Taft, Republican of Ohio
said, 1T may be that loan should
be made to England in some suff1-
cient amount to assist them in
starting again their economic life
and added:
I'm my opinion this should be an
alternative to the vast stabiliZation
fund and should not be added to 1t. >
Senator Pepper, Democrat, OF
Florida, declared:
Whether it will be necessary for
the United Nations to stand to-
gether after the war is matter that
will have to be decided after the
war is over. If the question is are
we going to give Great Britain
something as charity Id say no.
If it is will we, with proper safe
guards and in return for things OF
value to us, help some of our Allies
it is yes. That does not mean as
q Santa Claus procedure but as a
wise investment