Evening star., 1947-05-01
Senate Is Expected
ToResfore 15O-MiIIion
Foreign Relief Cut
By J. A. OLeor

The Senate Is expected to restore
the s150o00,0o0 cut the House made
Yesterday in the administrations
$3.50, 100000 program for feeding
needy people in war liberated areas
The Senate is not likely to reach
the issue before next week.
II the Senate approves the full
amount, the final result probably
will be a compromise midway be-
tween the House $200, 0,O00, 900 and
the original $3.50, o,o00, 900 estimate.
Meanwhile, House leaders are
awaiting an opportunity to call up
an even more important foreign
policy issue-the s400, 200, 900 bill
for economic and limited military
aid to Greece and Turkey to check
the spread of communism in the
Mediterranean area. The bill the
House whitfield down YESTERDAY is
a general relief measure, designed
to continue this year the kind of
assistance formerly given the war
torn countries by UNRRA.
In this connection, q fve-year
s335 100000 reconstruction plan for
Greece, to be partly financed by
either the United States or the
United Nations, was recommended
late yesterday by Paul Porter.
Reporting to Secretary of State
Marshall on the two months official
survey he headed, Mr.. Porter ex-
pressed hope that direct American
financial assistance will not be
necessary after mid-1948.
He questioned, however, whether
the $300,000,000 for Greek military
and economic aid contemplated in
the pending legislation, along with
relief funds, will cover needs until
that time unless accompanied by
stringent economic control meas
ures enforced by the Greek govern
ment.
A mere declaration of intention by
an international agency TO assume
the burden after mid-1948 would do
much, Mr.. Porter advised, to achieve
the stability needed to cope with
Greece's desperate economic crisis.
Economy Steps Advised.
Criticizing Greece's failure to
achieve greater degree of stability
in the last two years, during which
he estimated $700,000, 900 in foreign
assistance was provided, mostly by
Britain and UNRRA, Mr.. Porter
recommended:
l. Detailed and stringent economy
and control measures to be under
taken by the government. These
include Tightening of the tax system
and raising rates; reducing civil
service forces and the number of
ministers; price, rent, and import |
controls.
2. Dispatch Of an American re-
covery mission limited to about so
members with broad powers to ad-
wise the government, disburse funds,
make programs for supplies and
contract for imports. The mission
should be supplemented. he said, by
foreign technicians employed by the
government in key executive posi-
tions and by groups of experts sent
to Greece for limited periods for
specific jobs.
Supporters of bipartisan foreign
policy are hopeful the House will
not attempt to amend the Greek
Turkish aid bill, as it did the gen.
eral relief bill yesterday. This hope
is based on the fact that some of
the changes in the general bill were
aimed at communism and were sup
ported by those who feel it is in
consistent to aid Russian satellite
governments while seeking to check
communism in other parts of Eu-
rope.
Vandenberg Silent.
One of the House amendments
to the general relief bill provides
tina t no Communist-domin |
country could share in the program
unless 1t agrees to close super
vision of distribution by an Ameri-
can mission.
Chairman Vandenberg of the Sen
ate Foreign Relations Committee
would not comment on House re-
vision Of the $350,000,000 measure,
but is reported to favor adherence
to the action of his committee in
supporting the whole amount.
Senator Connally of Texas, rank
ing Democrat on foreign relations,
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