Show 1 Are the People Being Deceived P THE HE national administration seems to be making an attempt to persuade the American people to favor loans to Britain on the ground that England is a good risk Jesse Jones secretary of commerce and federal loan administrator made such a statement So did Henry secretary of the treasury Such an attitude and argument on the part of these high government officials who are unquestionably speaking with at least the approval approval approval ap ap- ap- ap of the administration is silly on two counts In the first place if financial aid to Great Britain is to be considered on the basis of an investment then it would certainly have to tobe tobe tobe be classed as a very poor risk according to all standards of credit and finance Great Britain has failed to pay her past obligations She now owes this country somewhere around five live billion dollars and hasn't paid a cent on the principal or interest since 1934 Certainly that record doesn't qualify her by any stretch of the imagination as a good risk for the extension extension extension ex ex- tension of new loans In the second place it is silly to consider the question of financial aid to Britain on the basis of a credit risk Our aid to Britain is not a dollars and cents matter and the American people have no desire to assume again the role of moneylender extraordinary to the world We are supporting Britain in inthis inthis inthis this war because we believe Britain is holding the front trenches in a world-wide world struggle with the democratic anti-democratic forces of totalitarian totalitarian- ism And good risk or bad risk from a purely selfish standpoint we should continue that support support support sup sup- port in whatever way is If that means we have to furnish them with war materials either on credit or as an outright gift then well we'll have to do it regardless regardless regardless regard regard- less of the risk risk not not because we expect to tomake tomake tomake make money on the deal but because we want Britain to continue holding that front line and andI I ultimately emerge victorious r It would seem a deliberate attempt is being made to deceive the American people people to to prepare prepare prepare pre pre- pare the way for financial aid to Britain under undera a smoke screen of legitimate investment Such tactics on the part of the administration tion are deplorable The American people should be told the truth truth hard hard to take though i it may be Whatever we do as a people we should do with our eyes open knowing the cold hard facts and with no deception or pretense For government to attempt in any anyway anyway anyway way in this critical period to delude the people people peo pea pie would be grossly dishonest and shameful |