Evening star., 1947-06-29
Marshall 5 Aid Plan
Believed Workable
Even Without Russia
BY John M. Hishtower
Associated Press Sfoff Writer

ueVe ne cannot wreck IL. |
American officials who helped
shape the project and plan its full
ture development are not too op-l
timistic now about real Russian CO.
operation.
But in their view Gen. Marshall's
proposal is so flexible it can be made
to work with or without Russia. 1t
can produce a unified Europe or al
western bloc. 1t may serve as a.
bridge for American-Soviet co-op-
Grafton or an American weapon
against Russia.
American initiative in advancing
the proposal allows Mr. Molotov to
choose between those alternatives.
BY official estimate here it gives
him no opportunity to reject all OF
them or to veto action by the ma
tions of Europe outside his own
eastern bloc.
Joint Economic Program.
As it now stands only the govern
ments of Britain and France and
the Congress of the United States
have-in practical Sense-the
power to veto the whole Marshall
proposition.
Its initial requirement is that the
nations of Europe draw up a joint
economic program to make maxi
mum use of their own resources,
which Gen. Marshall and his ad-,
visors now feel are not being ade-
quately developed.
Making this point at Harvard
June 5, Gen. Marshall said the
program should be agreed to by a
number if not all" the nations OF
Europe.
Washington looked to Paris and
London from the start to take
leadership in bringing about this
all-European program. Gen Mar
shall was reluctant to define ''Eu-
rope" in relation to his proposal
but finally told a news conferenceI
it included Russia.
Thereupon Foreign Ministers
Bevin of Britain and Bidault of
France decided to ask Mr.. Molotov
to attend the current Paris meet
ing and see whether he could come
in on the plan.
Take 1t or Leave 1t Attitude.
This approach to the Kremlin
was strictly a Franco-British affair,
according to the best evidence here.
The State Department seems to
have adopted a strict take it or
leave it attitude toward Russia in
this matter.
Thus Mr.. Molotov may turn his
back on the Marshall proposal and
it will continue to be effective. |
But if either Mr.. Bevin or Mr. !
Bidault should default, the whole !
project apparently would collapse !,
at once.
American officials seem confident }
any such thing is impossible. They |
suggest that the needs of Europe
are so great and the requirements
for American help so obvious that
even antagonistic Communist ele-
ments In France and italy cannot
disrupt the undertaking. They
may do it much harm in later
stages. }
The second requirement of the
Marshall proposition is that Con- =,
gress authorize large scale f1nanc-
ing assistance 10 Europe to support
the recovery program once it is
worked out and assuming it is
acceptable here. Even Gen. Mar !,
shall's most enthusiastic supporters
admit this is critical point.
Is Billion Already Committed.
Two days ago the National Ad-
visory Council on Foreign Financ-
ing told President Truman, and he
told Congress, that the United !
States has already committed SIS
O00.000,000 abroad and that there |
is little more left to commit.
Some State Department economic
officials estimate Europes needs for
recovery over a four-year period at
$4,000, 1000 a year Others figure
closer to $5,000,000000 a year for
three years.
At any rate, after Europe does its
joint planning-on either a conti-
mental or western bloc baSiS-Mr
Truman and Gen. Marshall are now
committed to go to Congress and ask
for another outlay of billions.
This might be done in a special |
session next fall. Otherwise the new
foreign financial program preSuma-
bly, will be the great opening issue
for Congress in 1948.
Effective Program Needed.
What Congress does may be heav-
lily affected by two factors: ID the
evidence which the European eoun-
tries produce that they have worked
out a really effective recovery pro-
gram and are not simply lining up
for another American handout, and
% the reports turned in by Mr..
Truman's special planning commit
tees as to the ability of the United
States to maintain heavy foreign
lending for another three to five
years.
With the work of these new
groups, including a special bi-
partisan committee designed to meet
the requirements of Senator Van
denberg, Republican. of Michigan,
the State Department itself also is
carrying out a global study of eco
nomic conditions and required
American assistance When the
issue is finally raised. Congress
should have for the first time to-
tai balance sheet of resources and !
requirements.
These will be greatly influenced,
It now seems certain, by the degree /
to which Russia co-operates, If Mr.. !
Molotov and the Kremlin decide she
should go along. For instance,
Poland has already announced its
adherence" to the Marshall pro-
posal. If the Poles are to benefit by j
American funds they presumably
would have to give assurance that
they would contribute what they
can, mainly coal
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