Evening star., 1947-03-24
Both Parties Acclaim
Hoover Plan 10 Revive
Germany's Industry
BY the Assoeiaied Press

Republican and Democratic sup
port In Congress today for his
proposal to revive German in
dustrial production minus its
military potential.
Senators of both parties labeled
as fundamentally sound" the for
mer Presidents suggestion to:
Free German industry of foreign
ownership and operate it at home,
subject to a control commission.
Halt the removal and destruction
of all except arms plants.
Retain the highly industrialized
Ruhr and Rhineland within Ger
many.
Mr.. Hoover declared in his third
report to President Truman on his
economic mission to Germany and
Austria that production Is "the only
path to recovery in Europe" He
called this "the first necessity to
peace"
Lucas Calls Plan Sound"
Senator Lucas, of Illinois the
Democratic whip, said "the Hoover
approach to a very difficult prob
lem seems to be to be Fundamentally
sound.
Germany must be given an op-
portunity to recover economically
without permitting her great in
dustries to make war implements, ,"
the Illinois Senator said, "the re-
covery of Germany is the key to
the whole European situation"
Senator Mccarthy, Republican, of
Wisconsin, a World War II veteran,
who served in air combat missions
in the Pacific, said he thinks Mr..
Hoover hit the nail on the head.
"The whole handling of Germany
has been based too much on ven
geance rather than the application
of common sense" he said. eff we
adopt his plan, it may indicate we
have learned the inescapable fact
that we can't have vengeance and
peace. We've got to choose one or
the other"
Senator Chavez, Democrat, of New
Mexico said he favored the points
set out by Mr.. Hoover. And Sena-
tor Ellender, Democrat, of Louisiana
declared that France should not
seriously protest because her only OBJ
lection is based on the theory that
if Germany grows too strong anoth-
er war may be in the offing."
Supports Control Commission.
1.-THE control commission suggest
ed by Mr.. Hoover can certainly take
care of such situation" he added.
Mr.. Hoover said his program
would ease the relief burden of
American taxpayers, adding that
I'VE desperately need recovery in
all of Europe"
He attributed some of Germany's
economic difficulties to what he
described as Russian and French
failure to abide by the Potsdam
agreement for economic unity in the
four occupation zones.
The United States and Britain
through relief are paying Russian
and French reparations, Mr.. Hoov-
er said, adding that the Russian
government has acquired large
part of the key operating industries
in the Russian zone.
Peace May Be Long Delayed.
A constructive peace with Ger
many may be long delayed" Hoo
yer wrote. I'm the meantime, we
are faced with the feeding of the
people in the Anglo-American zones
on a level just above starvation un-
til we can develop enough export
goods from these zones so that the
Germans may pay for their food"
Mr.. Hoover's proposed four-point
economic program for Germany was
based on these ideas:
"D. We should free German in
dustry, subject to control commits
sion, which will see that she does
no evil in industry, just as we see
that she does not move into mill
tarism through armies and navies.
THE difference between this con-
cept and the level of industry con-
cept (agreed on March 26, 1946, by
the United States, Great Britain,
Russia and France) Is the saving of
several hundred millions of dollars
a year to the American and British
taxpayers. 1t is the difference be-
tween the regeneration and fur
ther degeneration of Europe.
"(2) The removal and destruc-
tion of plants Except direct arms
plants should stop.
Must Operate Own Industry.
"(0 A further obstacle to build
ing Germany as an essential unit
of European economy arises from
the Russian governments acquir-
ing large part of the key oper-
ating industries in their zone. Ger
many in peace must be free from
ownership of industry by for
eign government. Such ownership
can thwart every action of control
or of upbuilding by joint action
of other nations. German industry
must be operated by Germans if
any international control is to work,
If she is to recover production and
is to serve all nations equally.
go There can be no separation
or different regime of the Ruhr
or Rhineland from the new Ger
many. That is the heart of her
industrial economy. Any control
commission can dictate the desti-
nation of coal or other exports from
that area and even such control
would not be needed after the era
of scarcity passes from Europe"
Mr.. Hoover declared that these
conclusions are not the product
of sentiment nor of feeling toward
nation which has brought such
misery upon the whole earth.
Based on Stern Necessity.
They are not given in condone-
ment of the enormity of her crimes" I"
he added. "They are the result of
desire to see the world look for
ward, get into production and es-
tablish a lasting peace. They are
based upon the stern necessities of
a world involved in the most dan
gerous economic crisis in all history"
He continued:
"At the present time the taxpay-
ers of the United States and Britain