Evening star., 1946-08-26
Red Tape Cut 10 Help
Foreign Buyers GET
Surplus War Goods

The War Assets Administration
today revealed 1t was taking definite
steps to make the purchase Of items
not needed by the United States
easier for foreign buyers.
Full-page advertisements in lead
ing South American trade publica-
tions inviting Latin firms to desig-
nate United States purchasing
agents are being scheduled. M. p.
Anderson, director of war assets
exports, explained the new method
of sight sale precludes the use Of
listings. Latin American firms
should appoint an exporter in this
country to buy the material desired
at the sight sales, he added.
The agency also noted that things
are being made easier for purchas-
ing commissions and embassies in
their purchases of surplus for for
eign governments. Most friendly
nations, the report stated, already
have bought some items.
Russia recently bought for export
g steam locomotives and $50 flat
cars for $685. 900 in cash and is
negotiating for the purchase of 10
more locomotives for 1920 900 and
of spare parts worth $4,000. This
equipment can be used only in Rus
sia, since their railroads operate on
a 60-inch track. The United States
uses a 5612 Inch gauge.
siamese Also Get Locomotives.
The Siamese government also
bought 18 odd-size steam locomo-
tives for $324,000. This country is
now receiving deliveries on an order
of 1910 tons of used clothing, mostly
CT clothing that is no longer of use
here, Mr.. Anderson said.
Four locomotives have been pur-
chased by the state of Bahia, Brazil,
for $4,000. They are set for AZ
inch tracks.
France has bought s45 900 worth
OF Mexican sisal rope, a type not
popular In this country. That
country Is also negotiating now for
the purchase of $98,595 in cable
making machinery.
+, Red Tape Eased.
Foreign agencies are being aided
in their purchasing efforts by an
order authorizing the Washington
district War Asets Office to handle
Government purchases regardless oi
the spot where the surplus is To-
Gated. An official also said the
Washington Office of the Richmond
branch has been authorized to sell
to foreign agents when the sale is
sanctioned by the central Office in
Washington. Previously, foreign
buyers had to deal with the individ-
ual regional Office carrying the de-
sired goods in its inventory.
Machine Tools Pushed.
Mr.. Anderson said the current eff
fort is to sell machine tools. He
explained there is a surplus of some
types of such tools, especially heavy
production tools built in the last
four or five years for war purposes,
and which could last 20 more years.
The agency official said Italy and
the Netherlands are obtaining steel
ship plates and heavy structural
shipbuilding steel now on the West
Coast, where heavy freight charges
preclude it's use by the Eastern do
mestic market. @
Foreign sales during the first
three months of 1916 amounted to
s10.oo0,000 of surplus goods, Mr.. An
derson's records showed. They also
revealed that UNRRA has pur-
chased $4,000 900 in the same period.
Latin America, India, South Afri-
ca and Scandinavian countries are
among the areas providing a good
market for surplus goods, he ex-
planned. All have plenty of money
and need for the goods, Mr.. Ander-
son added.