Evening star., 1947-09-26
Presidents Caution
On Extra Congress
Call Is Significant
Knows American People
Are Not Yet Persuaded
On Billions for Europe
Br David Lacrence

b. David Laurence
President Truman's caution about
calling an extra session Of Congress
Is significant. He knows that the
American people have not yet been
persuaded that Congress should vote
billions of dollars for Europe with
out some more concrete assurances
as to what is going to be done with
the money. In a broader sense than
the vernacular perhaps, Mr.. Tru-
man is from Missouri which-for
the benefit of Europeans it might
be explained-means that he doesn't
rush headlong into commitments
without first being shown the pur-
pose in unmistakable language.
The President also knows that
aid to Europe cannot become a
partisan question and that if he
Is to get the virtual unaninity
which is so necessary in order to
influence both parties in Congress,
there must be more of a showing
OF facts than has come out of the
document prepared in Paris by the
representatives of the 16 nations.
So far as the calling of an extra
session is concerned it will resolve
Itself into compromise. To call
Congress into session in October
would not be feasible, as a notice
Of 80 days is usually required. II
the session is called for November,
many of the members of Congress
who are investigating conditions
abroad will not have returned.
Merit in December Call.
There is merit in the idea that
the call be issued for Decembef l
as this would give Congress flying
start, so to speak, because the two
sessions would blend in with one
another. If no extra session were
called, Congress would spend the
better part of January getting start
ed ON major matters of a domestic
nature. II the Senate and House
convened December /, much of the
routine work of committees could
get going and the Senate and House
Committees On Foreign Affairs could
begin consideration of the Marshall
plan.
1t has been suggested that the
two committees be called together
In advance of the special or regular
sessions This would be worth while
II 1t were done in the latter part
OF November because many Senators
and Representatives are in Europe
now getting f1rst-hand information
and some of them are important
members of the two Committees on
Foreign Affairs.
Much will be heard about stop
gap" aid. This means that existing
agencies of the Government, such as
the International Bank and the Ex-
port-Import Bank, may be utilized
to furnish certain credits to stabi-
lize the economic situation for
while until the larger provisions CT
the Marshall plan can be authorized
by Congress.
There is nothing in the slowness
with which the Marshall plan is
being handled to breed discourage
ment, although some of the hysteri-
cal observers who have felt Europe
was going to collapse overnight un-
less $4,000, 100000 or more were
voted right away might be disap-
pointed.
Really Going to Help.
The truth is America is really 60
ing to help Europe. There need be
no doubt on that point but the job of
getting the appropriations through
Congress has hardly begun. There
is way to save time and accelerate
debate and decision and that is for
the European countries to come for
ward with comprehensive plan for
checking the expenditures. This was
touched on only casually in the for
NAL report just transmitted by the
Is nations. 1t is the heart of the
whole problem and possibly It was
sidestepped at this stage because
the foreign governments want to
know more about what checks and
stipulations the American Congress
is thinking about
1t is most unfortunate that the
impression has gotten abroad that
the United States must do the Job
alone. President Truman would like
to bring some of the Latin American
nations in joint enterprise. This
would make it easier for the Euro
pean governments to swallow some
of the restrictions that necessarily
must be imposed. There is always
a greater readiness to accept a plan
that comes from an international
agency composed of the representa-
tives Of several governments than
one which stems from a single SOW
ereign nation.
This is one reason why Russia
missed the opportunity of lifetime
to work with America in a Joint en-
terprise of rescue and rehabilitation
for Europe. 1t is not too late
to bring Russia into the picture
and another effort should be made
to get Russian cooperation espe-
cially in the matter of help on the
grain supply.
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