U.S. ARMS OUTPUT

Grey River Argus, 2 June 1943, Page 2

U.S. ARMS OUTPUT

Lease-Lend Programme TOTAL 11,102,000,000 DOLLARS.

RUGBY, May 25.

"We are outbuilding the aggressors in every category of modern arms,” said Mr. Roosevelt in a letter accompanying a report to Congress on lend-lease operations, which to the end of last month totalled 11,102,00b,000 dollars. Mr Roosevelt added: “Wo are delivering them in the amounts necessary to build up the striking power for offensives that will end only in Berlin and Tokio As lend-lease moves ahead in its third year our armed forces, our supplies, and the combined effort of the United Nations are driving ahead to compete victory over the enemy.” Mr. Roosevelt emphasised the im portance of the full support and the full resources of the peoples of the areas that would be liberated in the coming battles for Germany and Japan. “Their fields,” he said, “can produce food not only for their own people but for the United Nations forc.es. Their factories and mines can' supply not only theriiselves but oui' armies as well.” The President referred to the population of North Africa as an instance of how a freed people could aid in the defeat of the Axis. The new French armies, he said, were equipped with lend-lease weapons and were an important part of the United Nations fighting forces. Aid had also been given by the liberated peoples of North Africa in the production and supplementing of strategic and critical materials for the war production programme. In his report the President said that th e total lend-lease figures comprised 9,214,000,000 dollars, representing the value of goods transferred to the Allies, and 1,888,000,000 dollars as the value of services rendeied. Lend-lease expenditure had been about 12 per cent...of the total United States’ war spending to date. Munitions had been 46 per cent, of lend-lease aid, industrial materials and equipment for the Allies’ war production 22 per cent., agricultural produce 15 per cent., and shipping and other- services 17 per cent. Most of the lend-lease goods transferred to foreign Governments had been sent overseas to fighting fronts. The dollar value of lend-lease exports from March, 1941, to Apri 1, 1943, was 7,105,000,000, excluding certain lend-lease aeroplanes flight-deliver-ed and ships lend-leased and sailed to their destination under their own power. The dollar value of the two latter categories amounted to about 700,000,000. Of munitions deliveries Mr. Roosevelt said: “We have sent over 1,000-

000,000 dollars worth of guns, ammunition and bombs; we have sent many thousands of aeroplanes, including nearly 900,000,000 dollars .worth sent aboard ship and. many others flown direct; we have sent over 600,000,000 dollar’s worth of military motor- vehicles, and over 500.000',000 dollars worth of tanks; and we have shipped more than 1.600.000,000 dollars worth of agricultural products. Most of the food has been shipped principally to Russia for the Soviet Army and to Britain for the British armed forces and those on the production front supplying the fighting lines.” Of reverse lend-leases from the British aspect he said: “The British have provided our forces with many essential supplies and services, ranging from Spitfires for some of our fighter squadrons to medical supplies, and most, of the coal for the operation of railroads to bring troops and equipment up to the front. Most British troops have fought with British equipment, and most American troops with American equipment; but both x have been strengthened by equipment furnished by the other” Britain had supplied literally 1000 different types of items, from barbed wire to kitchen ranges, from artillery and. incendiary bombs to locomotives, from parachutes to telephone switchboards, from concrete mixes to Nissen huts, from Spitfires to soft drinks, from anti-tank mines tn underwear and socks. Many services had also been provided by Britain for the United States.