Evening star., 1947-03-01

AlAAuCAlCC LII CIlC MCOlGCI duCd1l
seemed likely to commit this coun-
try for years to come to a much
deeper participation in European
affairs than had been generally ex-
pected.
Meanwhile Secretary Of the Navy
Forrestal indicated that the Ameri-
can Navy already has inherited from
the British fleet the task of keeping
the worlds sea lanes open.
For century We didn't have
to think of keeping the sea lanes
open," the Secretary said in an in
formal press conference late yester-
day, because Britain did it. We
are not doing it."
In this connection, Admiral Nim-
itz, Chief OF Naval Operations, pres
ent at the conference, said:
THE need for the Navy IS not
only insurance against war but to
keep sea lanes open and to stabilize
areas from which resources are
gained"
Importance Of Imports.
"It is not easy for the average
citizen to visualize the need for a
battle feet after the war has ended
or the enemy's navy has been de-
stroyed," Mr.. Forrestal said.
Our national economy depends
more upon imports than we realize" "
he continued. adding that he had
obtained from private industrial
sources figures which showed that
70 per cent of Americas imports are
now classed as essential.
1T 10 per cent of these imports
failed to get through our economy
would be tied up" he said.
President Truman refused four
times at his news conference yester-
day to say anything about the re-
ports of possible American shoulder
ing of Britain's commitments in
Greece.
However, the President and Gen.
Marshall were said to have told the
bipartisan group of congressional
leaders at the White Houcc Thur =
day that the alternative +, k'7,o"'-
can action may be eventual commu-
nistic control of Greece
Republicans and Democrats who
listened to the discussion of what
was described as critical situation
in one of the worlds trouble spots
were represented by colleagues as
having indicated they will go along
if the President decides the United
States must step in in order to pre-
serve European stability.
Some Republicans, however, were
said to believe that a full explana-
tion of the program must be made
to Congress and to the people be-
fore { final decision is made.
1t ly possible that the final
attit, Congress will be deter
minc4 W the public's reaction.
There are these possible alternatives
for the United States, a number of
legislators said
l. Substantial economic assist
ance for Greece itself and for Brit
ain in maintaining the police job
there, or
2. Adoption of a hands-of policy
in an area where interests of Rus
sia and the Western powers con-
flict
Gen. Marshall was represented as
having told the legislators at the
White House that the whole question
was one OF whether this country
could afford, in its own and world
interests, to let go by default a
situation that could grow worse
rapidly.
Just what American action might
be called for remained an unan-
sWered question in the secrecy care
fully wrapped around the whole
affair by the White House and
State Department.
The general understanding among
Legislators, however, was that any
United States help would be con-
fined to taking over the British
financial commitments, furnishing
funds for relief, supplying military
equipment that the Greeks and the
Turks need and possibly underwrit-
Ing the cost of maintaining British
troops at strategic points.
The United States has already
extended Greece more than $4O0,-
000,0 in postwar aid, including the
American share Of UNRRA contri-
buttons. siha