Detroit evening times., 1945-04-21
BEHIND
THE NEWS
By Paul
Mallon

M jASi1l.NN lJ4Ns APih ~p
w The world WPA idea and
the postwar world spending no
tion have evaporated in the
light of some fine words Mr..
Truman expressed in signing
the lend-lease bill.
Just a few days before Mr..
RooSevelts death, there had
been a big argument in Con-
gress. which had delayed this
extension of lend-leaSe author
ity until a year from next June
80 mot the end of the warl.
Frankly a majority in both
houses was suspicious that the
administration spenders intend
ed TO use this blanket lend-lease
authorization for relief and re-
habilitation in Europe.
They had heard the French,
for instance were alfeady-fe-
habilitating their railroads and
putting machinery into factories
from our lend-leaSe kitty.
Supposedly this government
felt the rehabilitation of French
railroads was essential 10 haul
ing our war supplies 10 the
front. and looked at the installa-
tion Of our machinery in French
factories the same way
But this war has cost us
S23S. 000. 600 900 already Nor
genthau's last figurel and lend
lease already had amounted To
S35. 400. 100000 last Dec. 81.
Our financial position is not inn
proving.
7 END-LEASE should be about
~ over AS far as big figures
are concerned, because no new
contract could now be made in
time 10 do any good III Europe
and the Far Eastern war is
largely our own effort except
for lend-lease to China, whose
ports are still closed.
Furthermore. we face the
prospects of putting out above
S25 900, 100000 more abroad for
postwar without any lend-leaSe.
An official British statement
estimated she would need
IS, ,ao0,o00,000 the year begin
ming next July /, mostly for
civilian relief.
The French want $500. .000,-
600 now and more after German
resistance ceases. No one knows
Russia's needs but she has asked
$4,000, 100000 of credits.
British contracts already
made will run TO $500. .000. 900
for this year Our UNRRA is
supposedly planning an increase
in its 81 .200,000.000. The Ex-
port Import Bank is said to
want 81 ,300.000.000 more. These
unSpecified prospects could run
up to $4,000, 900, ,000-outside of
lend-leaSe.
MO ONE in this government
~ has yet said anything about
cutting down, so the House
tackled a mild amendment on
the lend-leaSe extension ex-
pressing the idea mo more) that
lend-leaSe should not be used for
postwar
Foreign economic administra-
tor Leo Crowley promised it
would not be so used. but in
view of the reputation of the ad-
miniStration. this was not
enough for the Senate.
The Taft direct restriction
against such use failed there by
tight tie vote. with Mr.. Tru-
man himself voting against it.
This bare-if not invisible-mar-
gin of success for the govern
ment gave full warning that
international postwar spending
policies probably can not get
through Congress, at least that
no such loose. policy would be
allowed
Yet the administration proba-
bly, can do as it pleases, be-
cause its authority now has more
than a year 10 run and il would
pretend practically any expense
was actually in the war effort
or made necessary Ito close up
old contracts. "
THAT is the cloud in which
Il the matter was Wreathed
when Mr.. Truman got il at the
White House. He signed the bill
with great praise of the RooSe-
welt policy, using several hum
dred words TO do 1T. but he
wound up with this promise:
''Lend-Iease will be carried on
until unconditional surrender
or compicte defeat OF Germany
and Japan"
Somehow congressman believe
Mr.. Truman has more regard
for money than Mr.. Roosevelt
had. They look on him as less
of a spender. His promise was
therefore interpreted as being
what Congress wanted.
However, it is all up 10 him.
The law will let him do practi-
cally anything (the extension
bill being merely continuance
of authority, without mention of
any sum Of money!.
But to the very day this was
written, no one had been able
To get from the government
any estimate of postwar costs,
either as TO lend-lcase, Britain.
Russia, China. UNRRA, export
import bank or any other phase.
Senate committees have re-
pcatpdly Callod unop tho hidppt