Evening star., 1947-07-15
House COP. Pledges
Own Study Of Foreign
Aid Before '4S Action
By fne Assoeiafed Press

House Republican leaders to-
day pledged an independent
congressional survey of the mill
tary and economic picture
abroad before proceeding with
any sweeping foreign legislation
for 1948.
The investigation will be made
under terms of a resolution being
drafted at the direction of the House
Republican Steering Committee. 1t
will be conducted by a special COM
mittee to be appointed by Speaker
Martin.
Mr.. Martin said Republicans be-
lieve Congress should 60 after its
own data before acting on the Mar
shall or any other foreign plans
and should not depend solely on in
formation supplied by executive
agencies or committees.
He said the special investigating
body will include representatives of
the House Foreign Affairs, Armed
Services, Appropriations, Agriculture
and other committees having juris-
diction over matters likely to be
involved in any comprehensive for
.eign program.
"Must Have Other Views"
The group will make studies both
in this country and abroad in order
to obtain first hand information for
Congress when it convenes next
January. Mr.. Martin said Congress
needs to know exactly what are the
needs of foreign countries and what
is the ability of the United States
to meet these needs.
1--WE must have other views besides
those of the executive branch he
commented, apparently referring to
recent action of the President set
ting up two department committees
and one nongovernmental group to
make foreign surveys.
One of these groups-the Interde-
partmental Survey Committee-eX-
poets to have ready within two weeks
a report on its survey of United
States natural resources which can
be used for global rehabilitation.
Documented Study Likely.
James Boyd, special consultant to
Secretary Of the Interior Krug, said
the first report may. be followed by
a fully documented study which will
take months to prepare. Mr.. Boyd
is chairman of the Interdepart-
mental Committee.
The Steering Committees decision
to set up the special congressional
group followed demands by several
House Republicans for economic
isolation of nations refusing to par
ticipate in the Marshall proposal for
helping European nations to help
themselves or to cooperate other
wise with the United States.
Representative Dirksen, Republi-
can, of Illinois, said he will offer an
amendment to a $350,000,000 for
eign-aid appropriation bill denying
funds to nations which boycott the
Marshall proposal.
Break in Relations Urged.
Representative Mason, Republi-
can of Illinois, urged that the
United States cut off diplomatic
relations with Russia until she is
ready and willing to co-opslate.'
Representative Byrnes, Republi-
can of Wisconsin, disclosed that he
has requested President Truman to
halt relief to nations who have re-
fused to participate in the economic
conference in Paris"
But Harold E. Stassen, candidate
for the. Republican presidential
nomination, urged in a radio ad-
dress last night that the United
States not abandon" the eight
Soviet dominated nations which
turned down invitations to the Mar
shall Plan conference.
He said Poland, Finland, Czecho-
slovakia, Yugoslavis, Romania.
Hungary, Bulgaria and Albania "do
not want to turn away from U.s. and
stayed away from the conference
simply because "in their position
they cannot defy Russia"