Evening star., 1947-10-19
kruq Statement on Resources

The tert OF O toreWord By Sec
retory Krug OF the interior De-
partment's report, put together
wtth the help Of other agencies,
on the United States national
resources ,Uith relation to foreign
aid
AS I have reflected on the sub
stance. of this report, I am more
than ever impressed with the
extraordinary difficulty of viewing
the problems of national resources
and foreign aid in proper perspec-
tive.
Our exports are a relatively small
proportion of the total output OF
our economy and one might be
tempted to dismiss lightly Their
effect on our resources. On the
other hand, scarce supply and high
prices are part of our everyday
experience. And the need for the
conservation of our raw material
sources Is greater than ever before
Strains Will be Increased.
Demands arising from foreign
aid program, even though they may
not increase current levels of ex-
ports, will aggravate in some mea-
sure the strains on our economy
which is currently operating at
highest peacetime levels and, in
many instances, is exceeding war
time peaks.
1t is self evident that even a
country as wealthy in resources as
the United States can not long
underwrite the material deficits OF
other nations without serious i'm
pacts upon it's economy and its re-
sources.
But we know from our war ex-
perierlce >that the limits OF what
our economy can do are exceedingly
elastic, that it has great f1exibility
and strength, and that resources
are not fixed and immutable, but
are subject to constant changes IN
technology and in production and
consumption patterns. We know
that what we as a nation can do
depends in great measure upon
what We set out to do.
Purpose Must Be Weighed.
A program of foreign and must
therefore, be weighed not only IN
terms of 5he ease or difficulty with
which the physical and economic
and fiscal impacts may be borne
but also of, how important the pur-
poses are for which we undertake
to bear them. Costs can be mea-
sured realistically only in terms o1
results.
Every American wants peace anc
security, an opportunity to bring ur
and educate his family and the right
to make decent living in a man
ner of his own choosing. There car
be no lasting hope for these ideals
here at home unless people through
out the world are encouraged tt
work diligently and effectively tt
achieve uninterrupted production o!
the things needed to prevent misery
and starvation and economic want
The world possesses sufficien
natural wealth to support its popu'
lation, but, only if this wealth is de.
veloped, utilized and conserved
wisely through the sound exercise
of human energy, knowledge ane
judgment.
Trade Revival Essential.
The revival of world wide produc.
ton and world trade leading to ar
intelligently balanced use of tht
worlds resources is not only th'
ultimate solution to the problem O
foreign rehabilitation. but is also al
essential to our own continued we'll
being and security. For, just as NJ
one nation can continue indef1nitel,
to support the others, so no ont
nation can expect security or con
tinued prosperity unless Its neigh
bors are also fully productive ant
reasonably farsighted in interchang
ing the things they have for prod
ucts they require from other coun
tries.
Without a sound world economy
the United States cannot hope t,
provide the raw materials necessar!
for the peaceful development of it
economy and cannot expect to b.
secure in its future.
A program of foreign aid will serv
not only humanitarian interest il
preventing hardship and starvation
for millions of people. 1t can ais