Evening star., 1948-06-10
Men and the Hour

has taken against the effort by Repre-
sentative Taber to cut the financial heart
out of the European Recovery Program
brings into sharp focus the best and the
worst in the attitude of the Republican
Congress toward our relations with the
rest of the world.
It is wrong to speak of Mr.. Taber, as
some have done, as a saboteur. For he is
actuated, no doubt, by motives which he
believes to be right. The explanation of
the difference between him and the Mich
igan Senator cannot be explained in terms
of good faith or bad faith. 1t is differ
ence which is rooted in their respective
abilities to see the whole picture, to take
the long view of what will serve the best
interests of this country and what will not.
1t Is difficult to see how any one can
reflect on the statement which Senator
Vandenberg has made to the Senate Ap-
preparations Committee and not be fully
persuaded that, as between the two men,
it is to him that the Nation must look
for counsel and leadership in this decisive
hour.
Aided and abetted by his colleagues in
the House, Mr.. Taber slashed ruthlessly
into the fund of S. 300, 10000 which had
been authorized for the first year of the
undertaking in behalf of the recovery OF
Western Europe. This was done in such
way that it is impossible to say how
much the reduction would be- But the
estimates run from $5OO,O0O0OO to $2,OO0,-
100000 and Senator Vandenberg believes
the latter figure is more nearly correct.
If this recommended slash should stand,
the effect on the recovery program would
be disastrous. 1t would alter its character
from recovery program to a mere relief
program and destroy the hope that the
nations of Western Europe will be able to
get back on their feet and stand their
by the Communists.
Senator Vandenberg points out that this
program was agreed upon "after the most
exhaustive study and debate which any
subject has received in my time" That is
true and it is also true that the action of
the House, if allowed to stand, would re-
verse by indirection the commitment which
Congress has made and would advertise
to the nations of the world, our friends
and enemies alike, that the United States
cannot be relied upon, that our brand of
world leadership is "capricious, unreliable
. and impotent." We cannot hope for
peace if this is all that we have to offer.
If we pursue the course which Mr. Taber
would have us take we will find that all of
our effort is being wasted and that for
lack of steadfaStneSS at critical moment
the opportunity to organize the world on
decent basis has been lost. That, in turn,
will leave us with the sole alternative of
preparing single-handedly for the show
down with Russia and if we have to do
that the cost to us will make the billion
dollars or so which Mr. Taber would save
now look like small change.
Thanks to the quality of leadership
being displayed by Senator Vandenberg.
aided by some of his colleagues and by
other Republicans like Governor Dewey
and Mr.. Stassen, it seems unlikely that
the Republican Congress, when the show
down comes, will 60 along with the i'm
provident stand which the House has
taken. There is good reason to hope that
in the end this blunder will be retrieved
and that the men of little vision will not
be permitted to stand in the way of our
one real chance to secure a decent,
peaceful world.
Meanwhile, what of the President OF
the United States? What is one to think
of his performance while the momentous
decision is being taken?
1t would be bad enough if Mr.. Truman
had simply absented himself from the
scene when he ought to be in Washing
ton using all of the influence at his
command to line up the Democrats in
support of Senator Vandenberg's position.
But his offense is much greater than mere
dereliction. For the President, in this
critical hour, is making a spectacle of
himself in a political junket that would
reflect discreditably on ward heeler. 1t
is fortunate for the country that there is
some one at hand to exercise the leader
ship of which we are in such dire need.