USE OF LEND-LEASE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25660, 7 October 1944, Page 6

USE OF LEND-LEASE

AN AMERICAN VIEW CO-OPERATION STRENGTHENED A statement that the common interests of New Zealand, Australia, and the United States have been strengthened by the operation of lend-lease and reverse lend-lease was made in Washington recently by Senator James M. Mead, of New York, after a world tour of battlefronts. ■ .. “A two-way flow of co-operation existed between Australia, New Zealand. and the United States when we were on the defensive,” said Mr Mead. “Now that we are on the offensive the watchword is still co-operation. What has been done jointly cannot be measured by mere dollars and cents. No cash value can be placed on individual freedom or national survival.” The singleness of purpose of Australia New Zealand, and the United States submerged the cost of the common enterprise, he said. It made little difference that the United States put goods into the common pool up to December 30. 1943. to the . value of 647.524,000 dollars, or that Australia during the same period put goods valued at 362,364,000 dollars into the same pool. ' ... It did make a big difference that we were now on the offensive instead of the defensive as we once were. It made all the difference in the world that our peoples were free, where less than three years ago they were faced with the threat of invasion. The destinies of Australia. New Zealand, and the United States had been as one in this war. On the basis of this unity would be founded enduring and beneficial relationships in the world of peace which would follow our common victory.