Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-11-16
Conqress Resumes omorrow:
Debate Nay Begin in House
This Week on Stopgop Aid Bill
S., 900, 600, 900 Likely
To Be Sought to Buy
Foods Outside U. S.
By J. A. O'Leory

lne house may pegln deDatlng
foreign policy this week without
waiting for committee action on
the administrations $597, 900 900
stopgap aid bill for France, italy
and Austria.
The curtain will rise at noon to-
morrow on the special session called
by President Truman to deal with
European recovery and imitation al
home. The President will go before
a Joint session in the House chamber
at 1880 pm. to present his views on
both subjects.
The House Foreign Affairs and
the Senate Foreign Relations Com
mittees probably will need the rest
Of the week to draft the stop-gap
aid bill.
Speaker Martin indicated yester-
day House members who visited
Europe during the recess may use
some of the intervening days to
speak on, general aspects of the
problem. Such discussion this week
may shorten formal debate after
tne DILL is reported.
Prompt Action Indicated.
Republican leaders of both houses
have shown desire to get prompt
action at the special session on the
interim-aid bill, to prevent cold and
hunger in Western Europe this
Winter, while leaving the long
range Marshal plan for more
thorough debate at the January
session.
Meanwhile, it was learned at the
White House yesterday that the
President expects, to lay before Con-
gress in about 10 days the blueprint
for the four -to-f1ve-year Marshall
plan, SO that Congress may be
thinking 1t over between now and
January.
Diplomatic authorities reported
that the, administration is presently
planning Ito ask Congress to appro-
pirate s6,000O00, 600 for spending on
Latin American and Canadian COM
modities to go into the longer-range
aid program.
4 These authorities said that the
n da19xyAn1erican dollars Ein buying
X@ American and Canadian
proQucts would be designed to re-
duce the drain on American re-
sources.
NIaior Products Involved.
They said the major products In
volved in the idea, in the order OF
their i'm portance, are bread grains,
coarse grains, meats, fats and OILS,
coffee, cotton and timber.
Secretary of State Marshall has
already said the administration will
ask Congress for authority under
which American funds could be
spent in foreign countries for COM
modities not readily available here
in large quantities.
Both Congress and the country
will be watching Mr.. Truman's mes
sage tomorrow particularly for his
recommendation to cope with the
cost of living at home, since the
foreign aid problems slrcaCy ace
been aired at congressional hearings
last week.
Uncertainty AHectS FIiCcS.
Uncertainty over the eXaCv scope
of the Presidents antl-inflatlon pro-
gram was reported yesterday to have
put a damper on trading at most OF
the commodity markets and prices
made little Roadway generally.
AS the special session begins, how
ever, many commodities will be at
or near record price levels. Whole
sale prices hit their peak IN MD
September and, after a subsequent
slump, have nearly recovered the
loss.
The first three weeks of the ses-
sion will be devoted to stopgap
foreign aid, while the joint com
mittee on the economic report
delves into whatever recommends
tions the President makes for deal
ing with imitation.
Although all signs point to speedy
action on stopgap aid, some con-
fict of opinion over how the aid
should be granted is expected.
Full Data on Supplies Urged.
On the Senate side yesterday.
some members put forth suggestions
that this winter interim relief be
measured in terms of available
commodities rather than in dollars.
Senator Johnson, Democrat, OF
Colorado, said Congress should have
full information on the available
supply of wheat, fuel and fertilizer
before deciding on the extent of
interim aid to be given.
Telling them we are going to
sppropriate a certain number of
dollars does not mean anything
1See CONGRESS, Page ABB 4