Evening star., 1947-07-17
Governors Support
nonpartisan Action
On Foreign Policy
By Gould Lincoln
Stor Stoff Correspondent

stands firmly committed to a
nonpartisan American foreign
policy.
However, the conference failed to
give any specific approval Of Secre-
tary of State Marshall's plan for the
economic rebuilding of Europe. The
resolution did not refer directly to
Europe.
Twenty-one Republican and 81
Democratic Governors were on hand
in final executive session late yes
terday to vote for the resolution
construed as backing the principle
of bipartisanism when it comes to
foreign affairs. Two Republican
Governors had found it necessary to
leaye the conference earlier.
Admiration for Marshall.
The conference also expressed in
a resolution its admiration for Gen.
Marshall in the following language:
ITO the Secretary of State, Mr..
George C. Marshall, we express our
faith and confidence and our deep
appreciation for his inspiring ad--
dress to the conference"
AS originally drafted, by Repubi-
can Gov. Alfred E. Driscoll Of New
Jersey, single resolution covered
both bipartisan foreign policy
and confidence in the handling OF
foreign affairs by Secretary Mar
shall. 1t declared support for all
proper efforts" on the part OF Gen.
Marshall ito secure peace and free
dom throughout the world. to pre-
serve the liberties, privileges and
obligations of our way OF life, and
to make the same available to all
the people of the world
When the resolution came before
the conference, already approved by
the Resolutions Committee, sug-
gestion was made that the word
proper" be eliminated, on the
ground that it appeared to limit and
in some way deny support to the
foreign policy of the Government.
Protest Over Wording.
Immediately there was a protest
from a number Of Governors, Demo-
Gratis and Republicans alike. They
contended that if the word proper"
was taken out 1t would constitute a
blank check, a carte blanche, so far
as-the Governors of the States could
give it, to the administration to do
anything, under any circumstances,
that it saw fit in the field of foreign
affairs.
This many of the Governors were
unwilling to give-although entirely
willing to cast all partisanship aside
and support an American foreign
policy. Since it takes unanimous
vote of the conference to adopt a
resolution, obviously the blank check
idea was out of the window. So, in
the interest of entire harmony it was
decided to separate the parts OF the
original resolution, and to modify
the second part. This was done.
Members of the conference said
today that there was absolutely no
intention to present divided front
to the world on foreign relations;
that there was no suggestion in the
slightest of a return fo the isola-
ZIONIST position of the United States
OF several years ago.
Text of Resolution.
The text of the resolution on
foreign policy adopted by the con-
ference was as follows:
LAS early as the Revolution, that
controversial era when the citizens
of the 13 States fought for and
found the inspiration that gave us
our Federal Constitution, and
thereafter,> in peace and during
great wars, when our citizens fought
that men and nations might be
free, the people of the United
States have supported certain in
alienable rights and privileges and
accepted the accompanying obll-
cations.
THE American Republic stands
today as the bulWark of human
freedom, and the strength of this
bulwark is largely dependent upon
the solidarity Of the citizens OF our
sovereign States, particularly IN
their relations with foreign coun-
tries the foreign policy OF this coun-
try is intimately related to the sup
port of our historic liberties.
Therefore, the Governors Con-
ference hereby asserts its conviction
that the foreign policy of this
country transcends in Importance
all partisan, personal or political
considerations and should be at all
times an American foreign policy,
representative of the best in Amer
lea and representing the United
States to the nations of the world
as a country that seeks peace and
Is united in it's determination to
protect the inalienable rights and
privileges that our citizens now
enjoy"
The conference took firm stand
in support of universal military
training IN the following resolution:
I'VE favor the enactment OF a
universal basic military training
program utilizing the facilities of
the National Guard to the greatest
extent possible, as proposed by the
President and now pending in the
Congress;
THAT a copy of this resolution be
transmitted to the President, to the
speaker of the House of Representa-
tives and to the presiding officer OF
the United States Senate"
In the same drive for improved
national defense, the conference
adopted a resolution urging employ
ers to give special leaves of absence
to their employees for training in
the reserves and in the National
Guard.
Gov. Horace A. Hildreth of Maine
was elected chairman of the Gov
ernors' Conference by the newly
elected Executive Board which con-
sists of the following Governors:
Millard F. Caldwell of Florida, Frank
Carlson of Kansas. Phil M. Donnelly
of Missouri. Ralph F. Gates of In
diana, Lee Knous of Colorado, Earl
Smell of Oregon, j. Strom Thur
mond of South Carolina and Mon
C. Walgren of Washington.
( In other resolutions the Governors
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