The Wilmington morning star., 1947-11-15
Unsuitable Shopping

Many Americans are annoyed at times
es, and toss epithets at him, of varying de-
grees of harshness. But very few, even for
frankly partisan reasons, are not behind him
in his controversy with the London Star.
That British paper called Senators
Bridges, Leverett Saltonstall of Massachu-
sets and Henry Dworshak of Idaho "snoop-
ing" and "~impertinent," because they have
been asking what England and other Euro
pean countries did with the billions we pro-
vided since wars end - and what they
they ask.
Governor Dewey of New York has help
ed make it clear that the American people,
regardless of party, want to help the Old
World back on it's feet. To that end we are
prepared to pay onerous taxes, save food,
short ourselves on other things that Eu-
rope needs.
The New York governor also helped
to tip the scales against those who would
withhold assistance from countries of whose
SOFCl Hll11OSOPAy VIC o1ooPP1ONC
Our feeling that a Socialist government is
not efficient will not cause us to hold back.
But within certain limits we have every
right to inquire whether we are being ask
ed to pour billions down a rat-hole. We in
sist upon exercising that right.
1t is one thing to hand a beggar a nickel.
It's quite another thing to lend friend &c.
900 with which to save his business.
However good the friend and Eng
land is the best we have in this last
case we feel entitled to ask whether the bust
ness is worth saving, and how it got into
distress. In this case we know. England is
well worth saving. Her distress follows two
major wars, not provoked by her, which
were beyond her capacity to sustain.
One is entitled to ask what his friend did
with the $4,000 lent him last year to save that
same business. Did his use of that indicate
that he will spend this wisely? Or did his
operations with that $4,000 suggest that we
ought to make some stipulations about how
another 10000 would be spent?
One is entitled to inquire whether less
than $4,000 would do the job. Or whether,
when that $4,000 is gone, our friend will
still have to close up shop, losing his shirt,
and ours with it. Or whether the $4,000 will
start the business uphill, but a third loan
will be needed, to protect investments al
ready made.
All these questions would be ordinary
prudence in the case of our troubled friend
and our family bank account. They are ex-
actly as pertinent and as essential in the
case of Europe, including England, and the
billions they unquestionably need.
The London Star seems to feel that the
United States is under some legal or moral
compulsion to give without question, though
they and we know that these huge sums are
not loans at all, but investments in world
stability and world prosperity and world
peace.
We do not believe most Englishmen fee
that way. The banks probing, before il
grants a loan, may be annoying, but we &C.
cept its justification. Though many Britons
may be irritated, we doubt that many fee
like the London Star.
We hope they don't. But if they do, We
still want to know what became Of past bill
lions - what will be done with future bill
lions. If this be shopping. bring out the putty
nose and the false whiskers. Here we 60.