Evening star., 1948-02-07
Republicans Expected
To Oppose Higher
Foreign Aid Goal
s25o,ooo, 900 Is Added
To TotoI Requested in
Presidents Budget
By ]. A. OLeon

Rumblings of Republican op-
position were heard today to the
State Departments new 15-
month estimate of $9,333,000, 900
for all types of foreign aid
$250,000,00O higher than the
total in President Truman's
budget message last month.
1.-The American people just can't
stand that kind of figure" said SEN
ator Wheery of Nebraska, acting
Senate Republican floor leader.
Lewis Douglas, American Ambas-
sador to Great Britain, who sub
mitted the new estimate to Chair
man Vandenberg of the Senate For
eign Relations Committee late yes
terday, said most of the extra $780,
000, 600 would be for aid to China,
Greece and Turkey.
Not Official Request.
Mr.. Douglas emphasized. however,
that this new figure does not rep
resent an ofiicial request approved
by the President" 1t was submitted
because Senator Vandenberg has
been anxious to lay before his COM
mittee a complete picture of all the
money this country may have to
spend abroad between now and
June, 1919, before the committee
acts on the $4,000 900 900 initial al
lotment for the Marshall plan.
The Douglas memorandum ar
rived just after Senator Vandenberg
had limited he might support a cut
in the old total Said Mr.. Vanden-
berg, "The time table of foreign
aid is just as important as the fund
totals"
Meanwhile, Secretary of the Treas
ury Snyder informed Senator Van
denberg today that Western Europe
may have less than a billion dollars
in privately boarded gold.
Discounts Unofficial Estimates.
He discounted unofficial estimates
of much larger hosrdings, which
have prompted some members of
Congress to argue steps should be
taken in connection with the Mar
shall Plan to smoke OUT such
boarded capital, to reduce the aid
required from this country.
Mr.. Snyder said there are figures
indicating that before World War II
private gold hoardings in Western
Europe were lest than a billion dol
lars. Until convincing evidence to
the contrary is produced, he said, it
may be inferred the amount is much
smaller than has been indicated in
popular discussions.
Ambassador Douglas told the Sen
late committee the s9,083 900, 900
figure originally given Congress by
the President in his budget message
last month for all contemplated
foreign aid was broken down this
way:
European Recovery Program,
Sc, 300, 100000; government and re-
lief in occupied Germany, Austria,
Japan and Korea, $1,400, ,000,O 900;
Philippine war damage, veterans
benefits and rehabilitation, $133,-
100000; aid to China and other
countries, s750,000,00O.
It's that last figure which has
been raised, Mr. Douglas said.
$40 Millien for China.
The State Department puts the
total for China for the 15-month
period starting April l at about
s570, 100000, the Ambassador said.
There has been talk among Re-
puhlicans of cutting foreign aid
spending since the President made
his first estimate at the beginning
of last month.
In addition, a number of Mid
western Senators are considering
to re-design the whole
Recovery Program.
A group of these Republican law
makers met last night and named
a four-man committee to discuss the
changes with Senator
Vandenherg.
Senator Wherry, chairman of the
committee. said that the Midwest
erners will write out definite chang
IS to be made in the plan If Sen
ator Vandenberg seems receptive ~
Otherwise, he said, the changes
will be offered as amendments when
floor debate begins. That's expected
around March /.