Evening star., 1947-11-10
La Toilette Discussed
As Director Of Huge
Foreign Relief Setup
BY the Assoeioted Press


The name of Robert M. LaFol-
lette, jr., figured prominently ir
speculation today as the possible
director of this country's projected
multi billion dollar European aic
program.
Long before there can be any
choice of personalities, however, II
must be decided whether the So
called Marshall plan is to be car.
ried out by new independent
agency, as pictured by Presiden;
Truman's Citizens Committee, OF
under direct control of the State
Department.
In favoring the new agency ap-
proach, the 19-man committee
headed by Secretary of Commerce
Hartman proposed that the direc-
tor and board chairman be given
vast powers and responsibilities.
He would have the decisive voice
on vital day-to-day decisions on the
use of dollars, food and goods as
weapons against Communist ex-
pansion-the cold war" which the
committee denounced as a ruth
less drive to achieve world domin-
alton"
Definite Sacrifice" Urged.
For a first-year starter the Harri-
man group said this country should
plan to spend $5,750,000 900, includ-
ing upward of $4,000, 1000 in food
and fuel grants that would not be
repaid.
Anything less than this definite
sacrifice" the committee said IN 8
1872, ,000-word report made public yes
terday, might starve the program
into a wasteful operation and cause
it to degenerate into costly relief
The committee did, however, scale
down the probabale post OF tht
four-year self-help program env1'
saged by Secretary of State Marshal
to between $4,000 100000 and ST.
100000. Previous estimates hae
ranged up to $4,000, 100000.
The committees report to the Pres
ident, made public yesterday, drew
general approval of most member
of Congress, although there wa!
criticism of some of its details.
Pepper Warns of Germany.
Senator Pepper, Democrat, o1
Florida told a reporter he believe;
the group may have made mistake
in holding that priority should be
given to the restoration OF Ger.
many's industrial machine. The
committee said it is necessary par
ticularly to reviv Ruhr coal pro-
duction.
st think we must be exceedingly
careful that we do not build uI
again in Germany the economic anc
military threat to Europe and to the
world that has taken us into two
boody wars" the Florida senator
said.
Senator Ball, Republican, of Min
nesota said he doubts that even the
conservative" estimates OF the
committee on steel and farm ma
chinery shipments can be carried
out.
The committee said the United
States can supply only part OF Eu-
ropes need for semi finished ssteel
and cannot send any scrap at all
It said only half of the requested
$1,000 100000 of farm machinery
should be shipped in the 1s47-5l
period.
Cites desperate Shortage"
"There is still desperate short
age of farm machinery in this coun-
try," Senator Ball said. And II
must be remembered that, unless
American farm production can be
maintained, the food to- help Europe
won't be available"
The committees finding that aid
to Europe ought to be financed out
of taxes and not borrowing gener-
ally was accepted in Congress, al
though there were indications that
an argument will arise over whether
this means there can be no income
tax reduction in 1948. The Repuo-
licans are committed to such a re-
duction.
The Hartman report apparently
reflected widespread congressional
thinking in its recommendation that
the long-range aid program be put
on a year-to-year basis, with its
administration placed in the hands
of a separate agency.
This already has been recon-
mended by the special House COM
nittee on foreign aid, headed by
Representative Herter of Massa'
chuSettS.
However, Senator Connally OF
Texas, ranking Democratic member
of the Foreign Relations Committee
and for many years its chairman,
took issue with this view.
In a statement last night Senator
Connally recommended the appoint
ment of a single director of foreign
aid who would report to the Presi-
dent through the State Department
"The whole program is so inti-
mately and vitally a part Of United
States foreign policy" the Texas
senator asserted, that the State
Department must be in contact with
same"
Senator Connally's S a t e m n t
pointed up the study still being
made within the administration on
the whole Marshall plan idea. Of
f1cials let it be known that no
formal backing has been given TO
the Hartman Committee report as
such, even though it may form much
of the framework of the final White
House recommendations.
The State Department has said II
hopes to have Marshall plan mes
sage ready for Congress around
November 20.
Chairman of Two Groups.
Discussion of Mr.. La Toilette, for
mer Wisconsin Senator. for the task
of directing the program was heard
both within the Government and
among members of the advisory
group which functioned under Sec
retary Hartman as nonvoting
chairman.
Mr.. La Toilette served as chair
man of two Hartman Subcomm1t-
tees. one on the administration Of