Evening star., 1947-12-04
12-Hour Debate
On StopgapAid
Begins in House
Bill Is Left Open
To Amendments;
| Cox Urges Passage
By J. A. OLeory

RUSSIA Is "waging everything
put shooting war against u.s."
Representative Cox, Democrat,
OF Georgia declared today as the
House began debate on S59O,OO0,-
600 OF stopgap aid for France,
Italy, Austria and China.
Deploring appeasement of Russia
by this Government in the past, and
urging akeM agency to administer
foreign aid, Mr.. Cox told his coll
leagues Congress must extend this
aid "as an investment in national
security"
Before he took the floor, the House
had adopted, without a record vote.
the special rule allowing II hours Of
general debate and leaving the bill
wide open to possible amendments
Although the rule was accepted
unanimously, supporters of the aid
program realize they will face stiff
battle next week to prevent the
tying of too many strings to the bill.
Allen Raises Question.
On the opposition side, Chairman
Allen of the House Rules Commit
tee, raised question whether a Eu-
rope strengthened with American
help might not go Communist in any
event with the result that "all we
give in the way of aid may eventu-
ally be used against us in one way
or another"
While the House debate went on,
the Senate Appropriations Commit
tee was exploring that same ques-
ton asked by Mr., Allen,
The Senate group had Undersec-
retary of State Lovett before it. He
assured the members that emer-
Igency help for France, Italy and
Austria can be cut off if Commu-
nists seize control of those govern
ImentS.
Mr.. Lovett said that is basic in
the $597 900 ,000s aid legislation
passed by the Senate, and that ad-
ditional Safeguards" will be writ
ten into contracts to be made with
those governments.
Bridges on Warpath.
Chairman Bridges demanded that
the State Department produce the
individuals" responsible for what
he said was the shipment of $l6,-
080, 900 in the lend-lease supplies to
Russia this year.
Senator Bridges told Mr.. Lovett
that his committee wants to know
'Who figured the deal, who author
lied these shipments to Russia and
specifically what was shipped" be-
fore it votes any funds for emer-
gency aid to Europe.
If the general idea of air for
Europe wins congressional approval.
the Senate and House Appropria-
tions Committees still will have to
pass on bills providing the funds.
Senator Bridges told the Under
secretary that the committee also
is going to go into "the very stupid
policy this Government is pursuing
in Germany of permitting the dis
mantling of plants there and their
shipment to Soviet Russia and her
satellite countries
Wants to Face Issue.
"We want to know whether we are
going forward or backward" Senator
Bridges declared You might as
we'll face this issue before this COM
mittee Either communism Is a
threat and we are putting our money
and resources into efforts to stop 1t
or we are not
Senator Bridges recalled that
the Appropriation Committee last
year wrote into appropriation bills
specific instructions that lend-lease
shipments abroad must end Decem-
ber 81, 1916.
Mr.. Lovett replied that he had no
personal knowledge of shipments to
Russia this year, but understood
they were made up of purchases by
the Russians before lend-lease ex-
pired, stored by them in this coun-
try and subsequently shipped by
them.
Representative Cox laid heavy
stress on the Importance OF helping
to revive Germany as a bulwark
against communism,
Troop Dispatch Discussed.
At one point, Representative
Codert, Republican, of New York
called attention to the present in
ternal situation in France, where he
said there is an immediate possi-
bility of crisis and asked Mr.. Cox
if he would be willing to send troops
: to that country to keep order.
IF a million American soldiers
could turn up in Germany tomorrow,
it would, as far as security is con-
cerned, be worth more than all the
billions we could spend Mr.. Cox re-
piled.
, Much of the opposition in the
House apparently springs from a
fear that spending more money for
' foreign aid will send the cost of
/, living still higher in this country.
For this reason, sentiment appeared
to be growing today for an amend
: ment that would put some ceiling
on prices the Government could pay
1See FOREIGN AID, Page A-4D