Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-09-23
Aid to China Exaggerated


Few governments have been subjected to as
much abuse by the Communists and fellow
travellers as the government of the Republic
of China. 1t has become fashionable in pseudo
liberal circles to speak disparagingly Of Pres
ident Chang Kai-shek and the group of men
who have resisted is years of Japanese and
Communist aggression with q fortitude that
stands as shining example in the history Of
Asia.
One Of the most often used devices to dis
credit the Chinese is the repetition of the
Communist fabricated fiction that the United
States has sent vast amounts of aid to China
which by some alchemy of the genefalissimo
has found its way into the pockets Of the pol
iticians or been wasted by incompetent officials.
This distortion has gained so much credence
that it is repeated in apparent good faith by
reputable newspapermen and radio commen-
tatorS.
In a recent broadcast, for example, Robert
S. Allen made the prediction that China would
soon seek financial help from us In order to
bolster its new currency reforms. In an at
tempt to give his listeners the TOUCHDOWN" on
the China situation. Mr.. Allen reported that
the United States in the past had given China
$5,000,0O0, 900 in aid and there was nothing to
show for this vast expenditure. The $780,
100000 figure incidentally, is the most frequent
ly used in both official and unofficial circles.
Let's examine the accuracy of that claim in
the light of the facts which are available from
entirely authoritative and reliable sources. In
letter to Alfred Kohlberg, vice president and
chairman of the board Of the American China
Policy Association Hubert F. Havlik, chief Of
the State Departments Division Of Investment
and Economic Development, stated that chief
measures of financial aid from the United
States to China since the beginning Of the
Japanese War in 1887" amounted to an aggre-
gate of $2,746, 100000.
OF this amount-which is only about half Of
the reported 5000 000, 000-$1, 546, 000,0 900 was
in the form Of lend-lease supplies shipped to
China for the specific purpose Of fighting
Japan, an investment which has paid OH div
idends in saved American lives. The Chinese
armies tied up the Japanese Army for four
years before our entry into the war. After the
attack on Pearl Harbor the Chinese held q
front consisting of well over 1000 900 Japanese
troops.
lend-lease material was diverted to India,
where it was seized by the British government
on the ground that they needed it much more
urgently than the Chinese
Four hundred and eighty-one million dollars
of the aid figure went to UNRRA war relief in
China and its distribution was largely in the
hands of the international organization.
Furthermore, China has repaid to us part OF
the aid funds which really were loans. It
should be pointed out here that China has
never defauted on principal and interest pay
ments to us and these transfers are still IN
progress.
If we deduct from Mr.. Havlik's figure the
amounts for UNRRA war relief, the cost Of
lend-lease supplies lost in India and the
amounts of loan repayments and interest, the
total assistance to China in the period from
1887 to 1947 drops to 81, 061 900 900. To bring
this figure up to date is an easy matter.
Chinese post UNRRA assistance was $27,000.-
600, interim aid $180oo.000. and the amount
appropriated under the China Aid Act of 194S
money that has not yet been made available
to the Chinese government $400, 900 900.
Added to the 1947 amount. this makes grand
total of assistance to the Chinese government
for more than 10 years amounting to only
S. 406, 700, 900.
This is less than half the amount Of money
which is being reported.
EMMANUEL 8. LARSEN.
Politics and Communist Infltration
To the Editor Of The Star:
Despite the pAnicky efforts Of the admins
tration to crawl Oh the subject, lit appears
that now the American people, who. despite
what Tom Clark and the administration seem
to think, have remarkably good sense. know
that vital issue that concerns all Of u
how to get the disloyai characters out Of the
Federal Government.
1t is interesting to note Mr.. Clarks protest
to the effect that the Ferguson committees
statement is political What did Mr.. Clark
expect? Obviously 1t is quite impossible TO