Evening star., 1947-05-26
Truman Pushes
Inter.American
Arms Program
Message Aeoin Asks
Authority to Transfer
MiIitory Equipment
By Gornett D. Horner

PRESIDENT truman today asked
Congress for authority to trans
| fer Army and Navy equipment to
Latin American countries and
Canada as part of a program to
standardize the military forces
of this hemisphere.
| In a special message, the Presi-
dent told the Senate and House that
developments during the last year
gives "still greater Importance" to
this program than when he first
submitted 1t to Congress last year.
Mr.. Truman sent to the Capitol
along with his message draft of a
bill which he said is similar to that
which the House Foreign Affairs
Committee approved during the last
session of Congress but which died
without further action.
Il again ask the Congress to give
this bill favorable consideration and
enact 1t, he declared.
Standardization Sought.
The proposed legislation would
authorize certain additional train
ing activities" in cooperation with
other American nations In addition
to transfer of military and naval
equipment to them "by sale or other
method"
Mr.. Truman said the aim of this
general program of collaboration
is to facilitate "the adoption of
similar technical standards"
He said 1t is highly desirable to
standardize military organization
training methods and equipment as
has been recommended by the In
ter-American Defense Board" in
view of new responsibilities" of the
American republics "for their mu-
tual defense and for the mainte-
nance of peace"
U. s. Leadership Needed.
Mr.. Truman added that special
responsibility for leadership rests
upon the United States In this mat
ter because of the preponderant
technical, economic and military
resources of this country"
He said this Government will not
take part in any "indiscriminate or
unrestricted distribution of arma-
ments," declaring that it does not
want the proposed program to raise
unnecessarily the quantitative level
OF armament in the American re-
publics." !"
The Presidents message to Con-
gress today followed disclosure last
week that Secretary of State Mar
shall, Secretary of War Patterson
and Secretary Of the Navy Forrestal
had agreed that the proposed legis-
lation should be pressed for action
in this session of Congress. Gen.
Marshall is expected to lead off testi-
mony in support of the measure be-
fore congressional committees con-
sidering it.
Text of Truman Message.
The text of the presidential mes
sage follows:
ITO the Congress of the United
States:
Il submit herewith for the con-
sideration of the Congress bill to
be entitled The inter- American
Military Co-operatiof Act" author
izing program of military collabor-
alton with other American States
including the training, organization
and equipment of the armed forces
of those countries.
II submitted a similar bill to the
Seventy-ninth Congress and rec
commended at that time that the
Congress give the bill favorable con-
sideration and enact it. The Com
mittee On Foreign Affairs of the
House of Representatives reported
the bill with amendments to the
Committee of Whole House as H. r.
1926. This present draft agrees with
H. R. 1926. World Developments
during the year that has passed give
still greater Importance to this legis-
lation, and again ask the Congress
to give this bill favorable considera-
tion and enact it.
AS stated in my message to the
Seventy-ninth Congress, our Army
and Navy nave maintained cordial
relations of collaboration with the
armed neighbor policy. Under au-
thorization of the Congress, military