Evening star., 1947-09-30
Presidents S Approach
To European Relief
Problem Praised
Knows Congress Won't
Be Stompeded in Action
On 20 Billion Program
By Dapid Laurence g

Any impression that President
Truman was going TO respond to
some Of the somewhat hysterical
demands for an extra session OF
Congsess has been promptly dis
PEELED by the calmness with which
the Chief Executive 10 approaching
the whole matter Of European
relief.
Mr.. Truman has been well aware
that Congress cannot be stampeded
into action and that anything so
enormous as a $4,000, ,00o, 900 pro-
gram will have to be handled with
far more scrutiny and care than
were some of the billions in "lend-
lease" days.
The President knows that, If he
called Congress instantly, 1t would
have little to do at once and that
committees Of the two houses would
have to begin exhaustive studies Of
the entire program anyway before
any legislation could be passed. Mr..
Truman realizes, moreover, that II
bipartisan support is to be assured
1t is necessary to prepare the
groundwork carefully. An extra
session by December Is the earliest
date now considered probable.
The greatest disservice to the
cause Of cooperation between the
parties, however, has been done by
those who have been demanding
special session Immediately to vote
billions OF dollars Just because Euro
pean governments have said they
were facing Q crisis.
Some Political Aspects.
There are some political aspects,
too, connected with the whole mat
ter which are going to require much
tact and discretion lest the Marshall
plan be wrecked before 1t can be
presented. This relates to the ef-
forts of the cleft wingers" to start
a controversy over whether the
OPA should or should not have been
retained and whether rationing and
other controls should be restored
now. The "left wing" groups have
introduced politics into the situation
and some Of the Democratic Ma
tional Committee spokesmen have
sought to make an issue over the
present price situation by blaming
the Republicans for their part in re-
moving price controls.
This In turn Is related to the high
prices OF food. The American
people have never been told officially
lust how the Government agencies
here have been bidding up agri-
cultural prices and how much higher
these prices are yet to go If the
American Government keeps on ex-
porting foodstuffs under any major
plan.
Since the Marshall plan needs BIZ
partisan support and since 1t must
necessarily result in keeping food
price levels fairly high, this will have
to be acknowledged by the admins
tration forthrightly or the propa-
gandists who are trying to blame
the Republicans for high prices will
have to bear the responsibility Of
frustrating the progress Of the
Marshall plan.
Drop I'm Exports Seen.
There will inevitably be big drop
In exports-it has already begun
and the period between now and the
time Congress acts may see sharp
decline. Will the Democrats blame
the Republicans for this, too?
A drop in exports may mean that
certain articles sent abroad hereto
fore will be sold on the domestic
market where serious shortages
still exist. It Is not believed that in
the next few months any major
change In the business situation will
result. But next summer, II busi-
ness conditions are not favorable, it
may be expected that the Democrats
will blame the Republicans for the
drop In export trade and the failure
Of Congress to appropriate money in
time. The Marshall plan will be-
come interviewer with domestic
considerations in more ways than
one.
For the moment Mr.. Truman is
rightly cautious about rushing in
with request for the spending of
billions till congressional commit
tees themselves have made an ex-
haustive study. The President Is
proceeding along the right lines to-
ward attainment Of true bipartisan
support for the program of aid to
Europe.
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