The Wilmington morning star., 1947-03-01
U. S. TO BOLSTER
BRITISH SOLUTION
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DAlllOn OULUllUIv
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can whip Kenneth S. Wherry O.
Nebraska said in a biting speech
that he had heard the United
States will soon loan a certain
nation" ST, 500, 900, 900.
Today he challenged members
of the foreign relations committee
to reveal whether a loan to Greece
is i'll prospect.
He went on to say that such a
proposal should be considered only
in connection with congressional
action On limiting federal spend
ing, land not after the state de-
partment has completed the deal"
eff Britain is forced to with
draw her security forces, it is be-
lieved almost certain that that IN
happy country will explode into
another civil war from which the
communists probably woul d
emerge victorious"
The hush-hush White House par
ley, at which all participants were
sworn to secrecy, was called after
receipt of an urgent British note.
British sources said the note
was a plea for large-scale assist
ance. They added that Britain
would find it almost impossible to
continue helping Greece after
March 81 if that help is not forth
coming.
/. The gravity of the situation and
i S far-reaching implications for
the future stability of the world
was ~underscored by the fact that
the President and his secretary of
state deemed it imperative to call
for action almost on the eve of
the big four foreign ministers con-
ference in Moscow.
The conference is scheduled to
begin March 10, and Marshall is
to leave here next Wednesday.
Any American move to support
Britain directly in Greece would
be certain to draw sharp Russian
reaction and might overshadow in
soviet eyes the Importance of the
big four conclave, at which the
final peace treaties for Germany
and Austria are to be drafted.
The sudden deterioration of the
British position in Greece is re-
garded here as indicative of the
tremendous effect Britain's crisis
at home has had on her political
and military position around the
world.
American authorities are said to
be gravely concerned, over tire
possibility that if Britain is forced
out of Greece she may also be
forced to pull out of other areas.
In that event, the United States
would have to decide quickly
whether to take over the British
commitments or abandon those
countries to "other'' Influences"
Greece generally is regarded as
the key to the near east, the mid
die east and the eastern mediter-
ranean and has been the object of
desperate tug-of-war between
communist and democratic forces
since her liberation.
Paul Porter, head of a u. S..
economic mission to Greece, and
u. S. Ambassador Mark Etheridge
have been sending back somber
reports on conditions in Greece.
From other sources the U. S. gov
eminent also has been getting al
most daily reports on the possibi-
lily that the present regime might
be overthroWn by a leftist revolu-
ton.
If Greece swung over to COM
munism, Russia's influence would
be predominant throughout east
ern Europe, from the Arctic to the
Mediterranean. Turkeys already
shaken position would become
wel-nigh untenable and it won d.
be difficult If not impossible for
her to resist soviet demands for
control of the Dardanelles.
Marshall himself expressed con-
Germ only two weeks ago over the
welfare of Greece and the restora-
ton of her political and economic
stability.
1T is to the interest Of the
United States and of all the United
Nations that Greece be assisted to
her independence and
integrity" he said at
that time.
Apparently those words were a
preliminary to the call for action
he a d President Truman
sounded at yesterdays White
meeting.
The congressional participants
included Senate President Arthur
Vandenberg, R., Mich; senate
Leader Alben w.
8arkley, Ky; Sen. Tom Connally.
D., Tex; House Speaker Joseph
". Martin. Jr., R., Mass: House
Leader Sam Rayburn.
Tex; Chairman Joha Taber, r.,
n. Y, OF the house appropriations
omm1ttee; Chairman STYLES
orldges, R., N. j., of the senate
appropriations committee; Chair
nan Charles A.. Eaton, r., N. J..
u the house foreign affairs com
nlttee, and Rep. Sol Bloom, d..
Y, ranking minority member 7,
u the house foreign affairs com J
while the UN conducted its last :
eSSlon at Lake S,,ccec~ ~. :