Evening star., 1947-09-03
Marshall Plan Needed
To Safeguard Nation,
Policy Group Says

States economic assistance to Eu-
rope gained support today from the
National Planning Associations
committee on international policy.
The plan is essential for world
peace and deserves congressional
approval to safeguard this coun-
try and save Western European ma
tions from communism and dicta-
torship, the committee declared.
The statement attacked critics
of the plan in this country and
accused the Soviet Union OF hav-
ing seriously impeded the rebuild
ing Of a prosperous European n
economy"
Mutual Aid Is Basis.
The basis Of the Marshall Plan is
mutual aid" the committee OBJ
served. European countries must
agree among themselves not only on
their needs but on action they can
take to cooperate with United
States economic aid, 1t declared.
Although the kind and amount Of
prospective assistance and the ex-
tent of European effort have not yet
been determined, the scene already
is shifting to Washington, the COM
mittee noted.
Ignorance Of the precise nature
Of the obligations we shall be called
upon to assume has not deferred
certain elements from laying the
groundwork for a violent attack on
whatever program our Government
may recommend, the committee
charged. Opposition has reached
the ridiculous extreme of attempting
to Illustrate any effort by the State
Department to awaken the public
to the critical nature of the choice
which lies ahead.
cit Is urgently necessary that
those who hold the conviction that
the security and welfare of the
United States Is at stake should
speak out with no further delay
1t is the most momentous issue ito
come before the people and the
Congress since we were last preoc-
cupied with the question Of peace
or war"
Opposition Arguments.
The committee said the three
principal opposition arguments are
that the United States cannot af-
ford to give the proposed aid, that
such outlays would intensity do
mestic imitation and that the pro-
gram would strengthen socialist
governments in Europe.
The answers were summed up
In these sentences:
1--WE can afford anything better
than to allow Western Europe, In
deepening distress, to fall prey to
Communists and relationships.
The amounts finally agreed upon
can scarcely be materially greater
than our current exports to those
nations. =" . It is unlikely that 1t
will cause any considerable further
increase in the American cost OF
living. It seems more probable 1t
will exercise a sustaining influence
on our economy
"The socialist experiment tn
Western Europe, unlike communism
in practice, has involved no In
fringement upon the civil liberties
of the individual. Our primary
concern should be whether indi-
vidual liberty Is In fact protected
and not whether 1t finds expression
under any particular pattern OF
economic life"
Russia Is Criticized.
Thescommittee severely criticized
Soviet postwar policy for having
given an aspect of tragic perma-
nency" to the wartime divisions Of
Europe,a
The obstructive tactics Of the
Soviet Uunion have placed such
serious obstacles in the way Of pro-
gress that we have been forced to
recognize we can no longer safely
continue a national policy based
upon so fragileA foundation as hope
alone" the committee commented.
Behind the screen OF the Red