After Germany Gone Britain’s Needs Half Those Of This Year

Northern Advocate, 1 December 1944, Page 5

After Germany Gone Britain’s Needs Half Those Of This Year

LONDON, Nov. 30.

In a statement in-the’House of Commons on Lend-Lease. . 'Mr. Churchill said the end of the war against Ger- ' many would make possible large reductions in some British requirements. He expected Eritish needs to be reduced to not much more than half of what Britain was receiving in 1944. It was hoped that it would be possible to release supplies available for civilian consumption in . due course, and there would be some improvements in the national diet and also serious efforts to re-build the export trade which Britain had deliberately given up in the extremity of her emergency, but without which she could not live. These were forms of self-sacrifice which it was both possible and right lo make over a limited period, but would become self-defeating if continued over-long. Mr. Churchill added that the British representatives in Washington and heads of the American departments concerned, had jointly examined all these military and economic matters. Britain had put at their disposal every particular and every relevant fact in her possession. Lend-lease had stood Britain and her allies in good stead. Britain never asked for, nor expected, any assistance which was not strictly within the terms and provisions. So that Britain could play her full part .in the continuing struggle, a programme of lend-lease aid against Japan after ■ the defeat of Germany had now been planned with the American Administration to maintain Britain’s fighting power against Japan without a reduction in her proportionate eft'oris. In the course of his Address-in-Reply speech yesterday. Mr. Churchill said: Pointed Announcement The Secretary for State (Mr. Stettinius), the Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. Morgenthau), and the Lend-Lease Administrator (Mr. Leo Crowley) pointedly announced that they expected that LendLease shipments of some raw and semifabricated materials, such as iron anti steel, from the United States to Britain, would cease on January 1. 1945. as pail: of a plan to enable Britain lo reconvert: her industry on an equitable basis with American reconversion. The statement outlined the' long Anglo-American LendLease conferences, resulting in the 5.600.000,000 dollars’ Lend-Lease programme for Britain for 1945 representing a cut of almost 50 per cent, on the 1944 figures. The statement added that no Lend-Lease article received by Britain may be exported, but after Germany's defeat Britain may export her own products or products bought from America for cash.