Evening star., 1945-07-06
ortDenlands
European Allies
Return Arms
Senate Investigators
Soy All Resources
Are Needed in Pacific
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
The Senate War Investigating
Committee today demanded
prompt recovery of 'lease-lene
arms from European Allies fol
use in the Pacific war.
| A report based on an overseas in
vestigation by subcommittee head
ed by Senator Kilgore, Democrat, o.
West Virginia said nothing ha!
been done" along this line nor to.
ward concentrating captured Ger
man arms against the Japanese.
The committee believes that al
sources of supply for the Pacific wal
should be exploited to the maxi.
num-" the report stated, land that
existing stocks of ornaments anc
supplies should be drawn upon frs
where possible, and certainly. they
should include captured enemy ma
teriel."
United States Holds Legal Title.
Noting that legal title to lease
lend materials rests with the United
States and that master lease-lenc
agreements specifically provide fol
their return, the committee sale
failure to act constitutes "a lack Of
vigor AND attention to our inter-
eSts."
The report viewed the situation as
one of extreme urgency and serious
implications" saying it is boosting
war costs and delaying reconversior
by causing manufacture of items
identical with those now idle in the
hands of our Allies"
Also, the committee said, there
always is the possibility that Allies
allowed to keep arms given then
under lease-lend to fight Germany
might use them later in fighting
among themselves.
No Consideration Given.
so far as the committee was able
to find out" its report said, mo one
has given any thought to the ex-
ploitation of this source for filling
the requirements of the Pacific
war.
$50 far as the committee was ablt
to learn there is no agreement al
between the Allied armies for pool.
ing captured equipment and usini
it in the Pacific theater. Each o.
the Allies seems to be operating or
the theory that it is the sole ownel
of the supplies it has captured"
The committee sharply criticized
"a tendency of many to treat lease.
lend accounting as a matter of littl,
consequence on the theory tina
lease-lend accounts would never b.
settled"
State Department Censored.
1t said the State Department hat
anything but a championing o.
United States interests" in mind il
instructing Great Britain mot t,
give itemized invoice of revers,
lease-lend charges"
AS result, it said, Britain ha.
refused to itemize supplies it fur.
nishes to American troops, excep
by quarterly lump totals.
Questioning whether, under Brit.
ish accounting, even a reliable ap,
proXimation of lease-lend balances
could be achieved, the committee,
added:
Certainly there is nothing in tn,
Lease-Lend Act which gives any
justification to the assumption tha
an accounting will not be had i"
1T is entirely possible that othe
benefits, such as trade concessions
transportation operating privileges
communications, or less tangibl,
concessions embodying some assur
ances of future peace might be &C
cepted by our Government in tn,
absence of ability to make cash set
tlement."
Contending "our representation
abroad has been weak" the com
mittee said "the time has come TO
the United States to establish
firm foreign policy and to enforc
! it vigorously"