Evening star., 1947-10-12

goods, of which 70.4 per cent re-
machine tools. electrical
power generating ma
chinery and mining, well and
pumping appliances.
Thanks to lend-lease, UNRRA
and contributions by private relief
Americas purse has
not merely paid for all exports to
Russia during this period but left
the U. S. S. r. with a surplus credit
of $l24,197,471. This is accounted for
in part by deposits of 100000, 900
which are currently held in New
York banks alone by Amtorg,
American agent of the Soviet gov
ernment's eXport-import monopoly
During the 18 months in question
Russia exported TO the United
States s133,161 900 worth of un-
dressed furs, tobacco and chrome
and manganese ore. In addition
out of its secret hoard, the Soviet
Union sold to the United States
Treasury s33,728,071 worth of golc
during 1916, plus s1o,o00,oO0 in July
and August of this year. The sun
of these figures is $176,889,071.
Total American credits to Russia
in the same interval amounted tt
$367, ,191 800, of which $l68 ,946, ,60(
was contributed by lend lease, s187,.
582, 900 by UNRRA and s10,663, ,00(
by private relief organizations ir
the United States.
Lend-Lease Extension Giver
Lend-lease was terminated by
President Truman on August 81
1945, 10 days before Japan's sur
render. But in order to rescue
American manufacturers who held
uncompleted Russian contracts, a
special extension of lend-lease was
granted to the Soviet Union, with a
credit of $4O0, 100000. 1t turned out
that Russia needed only $3.50, 900, ,00C
Of this sum, and $17000,000 which
was left of it on January last was
stopped by Congress.
1t was learned at the same time
by Congress that Russian buyers
were more successful than the
United States vy.itself in loading
oil tankers on the Pacific Coast, and
that steel pipes for petroleum lines
were going in quantity to the Soviet
Union at time when oil producers
in the Southwest could not purchase
an inch. The Commerce Depart.
ment's Supply Branch, which was al
the point Of death, was hastily
revived.
No system Of licensing exports
has yet been adopted, but something
to that effect has been accomplished
by the Supply Control Branch under
the overall dictation Of the State
Department, which has transferred
dominant consideration from trade
to international policy. American
businessmen have been warned to
ship no more supplies and make no
fresh contacts without consulting
the Supply Control Branch, which
draws guidance from the State De-
partment and counsel from such
agencies as the Atomic Energy Com
the Bureau of Standards
and the Department of Agriculture.
Nevertheless, exports to Russia
continued during the first six months
of the present war to the tune of
s91 zoe, 900, of which SIS 5,065 500 was
by lend-lease and $751;,
100, 900 by UNRRA. The remaining
s44,934, 900 represented cash" pur-
chases.
Russia About Only Market
An indulgent ear was again tuned
to the pleas of American manufac-
turers, who argued that 10 per cent
of foreign trade is needed if profits
are to be assured, and that Russia
today offers the sole European
market for heavy machinery.
January-June exports from the
United States to the Soviet Union
this year included food-grains,
meats and dairy and vegetable prod
ucts-$i2,67l 600; petroleum, s1,128,-
900; motor fuel and gasoline, $751;
900; fuel oil, $782 900; iron. steel and
copper, $12,845 900; machinery and
vehicles, 64,179 900, and chemicals
81 ,4S0, 900. There was $263, 900 worth
of carbon and graphite poducts
Graphite may be used as a modera.
tor in the process of atomic fission
A considerable proportion Of the
commodities recently sent to Russia
comprised what are known as pipe
line" products, which had been pur.
chased and warehoused in this
country Another share was pro-
vided by unfinished machinery
parts for appliances already shipped
and locomotives of Russian gauge
which are useless in this country
and Europe.
However, during the last, two
months lend-lease shipments have
fallen to a trickle, it is said at the
Department of Commerce. UNRRA
missions to White Russia and the
Ukraine were disbanded on July l.
and supplies from this source have
almost ceased. There has been a
go per cent decline in exports from
the United States and a drop Of 4a
per cent in imports from the Soviet
Union. In the near future, it is pre-
dicted, trade between the two coun-
tries will be back on a normal cash
basis. The change is reflected by
recent Soviet shipments of gold
IS, 900 ,GG0 in July and the same
amount In August.
Dollar Reserves Secret
Russia's fold stocks and annual
productionfof gold are rigorous state
secrets. So is the amount OF its
reserves in dollar currency. 1t is