The Wilmington morning star., 1947-12-25
The Junkets Pay Off

lot of Jokes were made about the con-
gressional junkets to Europe last summer
But, in the light of recent events, frlenos
of the Marshall plan may have to conceoe
that these junkets were good investment
of the public money which saved the Eu-
ropean Recovery program from costly de-
lay or impotence.
The aid program cleared its first big
hurdle in the House of Representatives by
onlv 26 votes That hurdle was an amend
ment which would have forbidden the buy
ing of any material for stop-gap assistance
if it were in short supply here at home.
The result might have been virtually no
assistance at Ill, if the House had its way.
And it took lot Of informed talk and
a sharp split in the majority party to avoid
| it.
Much of the informed talk came from
Representatives who had seen the Euro
pean situation at first hand during the
summer recess 1t was evident from the
debate that most of them had arrived over
seas with their minds and eyes open, and
that they had done some studious sight
seeing in their travels.
This attitude was not true of all
the junketeers. Travel does not always
broaden. The contrast between foreign and
American thoughts, customs, viewpoint
and general way of life can turn some
travellers more sour than ever on anything
that isn't American. It not only can but 1t
has All of us have seen it in soldiers who
were stationed in Europe. We have at least
| ,Io iv
these last are in the minority.
Thanks to the speed and casualness of
air travel plus some appropriation ex-
pense money - there were probably more
congressman who had seen what they were
talking about in a foreign policy discussion
than ever before.
These returned travellers had talked to
Italian farmers and French workers. They
had looked into coal mines and factories.
They had seen the produce and prices in
city markets Communist strength and
methods were part Of the scene in which
they found themselves. Initiation and the
black market were more than abstract
terms. British socialism, British austerity,
and the bitter, chaotic problem that is
Germany were not simply words, but vivid
recollections.
Not all the summer sojourners saw all
these things, of course, or reacted the
same to them. Nor did they provide all
the support for stop-g aid. But the ma
jority seemed agreed that quick and suffi-
cient help is needed.
They probably also realized, as well as
the little-spenders and no-spenders did,
that giving this help will not be painless
process. But they may have realized, too,
that when they can fly to Europe in half
a day, danger in Europe is not too re-
mote from this country once the last bar
rier of opposition abroad is broken down.
The hurdles which these travelling con-
gressmen have helped the ERP to clear
are wall Of isolationism feeling that
1t IS better to take chance on the un-
grateful, improvident Europeans stopping
an all-out-short-of-war attack by the Com
munlsts than to make any sacrifices our
selves II the public money spent on con-
gressional travel this summer produces a
force that can break down that wall, ther
the junkets will really have paid off,
The rush act being worked on Congress
is. phony.-Sen. Joseph H. Ball (R) O.