Evening star., 1947-03-15
Plea for j. ). Aid
Five More
Nations nsForecast
Legislators Estimote
Billion as Cost of
Trumun's S Plan
BY The Associated Press


Key legislators predicted today
at least five more countries may
ask aid under the administra-
tons program to curb the spread
of communism among war
weakened nations near the Rus
sian borders.
They said Iran, Syria, Lebanon,
Hungary and Palestine are likely to
call for help soon either in the form
of credit or cash grants.
Including the $400,O00,00O which
President Truman has urged Con-
gress to provide for Greece and Tur-
key, and millions more for relief
elsewhere in Europe and China, the
ultimate cost of the overall policy
may be we'll over $1,000, 100000, Con-
gress members estimated.
They said these are probable de-
velopments:
l. Congressional approval-some-
what later than the administration
goal of March 31-of Mr.. Truman's
request for funds to help Greece and
Turkey withstand Communist pres
sure, plus authority to send them
military and civilian missions.
Commons Votes Funds.
tThe British House of Com
mons approved yesterday a $76,-
100000 supplementary appropria-
ton to wind up British aid in
Greece by March 81. Hector Nc
Neil, Minister of State, said
Britain is most onxious that the
United Nations Commission now
in Greece make some recon-
mendation of a permanent or
semi-permanent kind" for the
countrys future)
2. Possible inclusion of a clause
to make the fund fiexible-giving
the President wide discretion as to
whether it should be used for di-
rect grants or loans, and where,
when and how it should be spent,
subject to a detailed accounting to
Congress.
3. Insistent demands, particularly
from the Republican majority, for
a long-range blueprint of the ad-
ministration's foreign policy. Re-
publican members want to know not
only plans for the Southern Medi-
terranean but elsewhere in Che
world in such trouble spots as
Korea, Manchuria, Poland and Ger
many.
Supplementary Figures. r.
In reaching their estimate of ST.
000, 100000 lawmakers added to the
S4U0, ,000. 900 sought by the President
for Turkey and Greece these fig
ures:
l. $3.50, 600 900 in a measure now
pending before the House Foreign
Affairs Committee to provide relief
in five countries-among them
Greece and China-after the United
Nations Relief and Rehabilitation
Administration goes out of busi-
ness at the end of this month.
2. Estimates by former President
Hoover that the United States
should spend s475,o0O,o00 for relief
in Germany and $1500OO,O00 in
Austria. A big part of this is COW
cred under War Department re-
quests for funds for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1948.
8. All undetermined amount from
the anticipated new requests.
The Greek Turkish aid bill re-
manned in what Chairman Eaton of
the House Foreign Affairs Com
mittee termed the Incubator stage"
being worked into shape by the
State Department and legislative
consultants.
Mr.. Eaton said it may be ready
for introduction on Monday, in
time to begin public hearings early
next week with Secretary of War
Patterson, Secretary of Navy For
restal and Acting Secretary of State
Acheson as the first witnesses. The
Senate leadership has decided to
wait on House action.
Relief Bill Comes Up First.
The House Committee first will
attempt to reach agreement on the
$350,000,000 relief bill, Mr.. Eaton
said. This has been stalled in the
committee for more than 10 days
partly because the members wanted
to get an account of the Greek and
Turkish requirements, partly be-
cause of an argument over how the
money should be administered.
While waiting for the House to
act first, on the Greece-Turkey aid
measure. Senator Vandenberg, Re-
publican, of Michigan, began COM
piling list of questions on all
phases of the historic diplomatic
move. He said cabinet members will
be asked to answer them fully when
(See FOREIGN, Page A-4.)