Evening star., 1947-05-15
Aid
|keasureGoes
To White House
Conferees Meeting
Today on General
Foreign Relief Bill
By ]. A. oLeory

The fnal draft OF the $780,
000, 900 Greek Turkish aid bill
won House and Senate approval
without a word of opposition
today, and was sent to President
Truman for signature.
It places Congress squarely be-
hind this country's new foreign pol
icy, designed to help those two coun-
rtries check the spread of COM
munism into the area OF the Medi-
terranean and the Dardanelles.
Meanwhile, House and Senate
Iccnferees were working throughout
the day toward final agreement
on general foreign relief bill to
head of hunger and sickness in
Europe and China during the ball
ance of this year.
When the conferees recessed at
noon until PIN. they had not set
tied their differences. most impor-
tant of which involves the amount.
The House cut the Presidents re-
quest for general relief from $780,
600, 900 to 5000, ,000, 900.
Hope to Restore Most Of Cut.
The Senate late yesterday over
whelmingly approved the original
amount. and supporters Of the pres
ent bipartisan foreign policy are
hopeful OF restoring .large part. II
not all, of the House cut in con-
| ference.
The Importance OF the Greek
Turkish aid bill lies not so much In
the amount of financial aid it offers
to Greece and Turkey, as in the fact
that it expresses the determination
of this Government to help smaller
nations prevent Communist en-
croachment.
OF the total authorized, $500, 900,
600 will 60 to Greece, partly for
civilian economic relief and partly
to equip the Greek Army to cope
with guerrilla bands along the
northern border of Greece, which
Congress was told are receiving
Communist support.
The funds for Turkey will be used
primarily to strengthen the Turkish
Army to enable it to resist any out
side pressure.
Chairman Vandenburg of the
Senate Foreign Relations Commit
tee and Senator Connally of Texas
ranking minority member, Joined
in indorsing the conference agree
ment on the bill
The chairman explained that II
contains the Senate provision re-
quiring confirmation Of the ad-
ministrator Mr.. Truman will choose
to direct the program.
u. N. Clause Included.
When the bill was being debated
several weeks ago, opponents cen
i tered their attack on a claim that
direct American aid to Greece and
Turkey weakens the United Nations,
which they contended should be
allowed to deal with all threats to
the peace or security Of nations.
/ Senator Vandenberg told the Sen
ate today the final draft contains
the amendment under which Pres
ident Truman would terminate the
direct aid on receipt Of notice from
the United Nations that it has taken
action to render continuation Of the
American assistance unnecessary.
The final draft also includes three
points insisted on by the House
namely:
l. A loyalty test for personnel en-
ployed to administer the program.
2. The right Of Congress to term
mate the program by concurrent
action of both houses.
8. Termination by the President
If he finds any of the requirements
are not being carried out.
| Full Amount Urged.
The separate general relief bill
involves no military aid, but Is re-
garded as a vital step in preserving
world peace. 1t viii continue for
the rest OF this year the kind OF
civilian relief from hunger and sick
ness formerly administered by