Evening star., 1948-11-04
Truman Faces Issue
OF More Spending in
Cold War on Russia
Blythe Assoeioted Press

President Truman's poSt-elec-
ton foreign policy appears GER
tain to be dominated by this
single great issue:
How much more money and goods
Is the United States willing and
able to throw into the cold war
against Russia?
Diplomatic authorities say that on
Mr.. Truman's answer to this ques-
ton will largely depend the scope.
perhaps even the effectiveness of
the whole stop-communism program
during his second term in the White
House.
The question arises specifically in
connection with three critical areas
Of the world:
Western ElIrope-The non-Com-
munist countries in this sector of
the cold war front want both mill
tary alliance and 1end-lease arms
aid. The cost of this new lend-lease
has been guessed by military ex-
perts at from $4,000, ,000, 900 year up
and would make heavy demands on
steel and other basic American in
dustrial supplies.
Crisis Reached i'm China.
China-The United States is con-
fronted with an immediate crisis in
China with the Nationalist Govern
ment buckling under the impact of
Communist army victories. The
ofxyi1tAv v,ei1t
tary aid program amounts to $400,-
100000 for the IL months ending
next April. Already the State De-
partment is reviewing its China
policy to determine what, if any
thing, should be recommended to
Congress in January to meet the
crisis.
Greece-Steadily mounting Amer
lean expenditures in Greece have
prevented the Communists from tax
ing over the country, but have not
succeeded in wiping them out. A
new and probably greater military
aid program-compared with $175,-
100000 this fiscal year-seems likely
to be presented to Congress next
session.
Hence the new problems Of these
critical areas raise the prospect of
important spending quite apart from
the multi-billion dollar European Re-
covery Program with its demands on
both money and goods at a time
when this Nations own production
and consumption are at peak levels
Democrat control Of Congress Is
expected to ease somewhat Presi-
dent Truman's handling of these
problems, especially where money is
concerned. Administration officials
who were confronted last session
with the avowed "meat-ax" methods
of Chairman Taber of the House
Appropriations Committee are jubi-
liant at the switch in party control
Barkley Should Be Asset.
Yet in the Senate the Democratic
administration still may have to rely
to some extent on the expected sup
port and obvious prestige of Senator
Vandenberg, Republican, of Michi-
gan In seeking approval for BIZ
partisan foreign policy legislation.
In that body, however, the leader
ship of Vice PresidentAelect Bark
ley, as president of the Senate,
should prove a great new asset to
the White House and State Depart
ment.
In the department itself, Mr.. Tru-
man apparently will have to find
new team to replace the MARSHALL
Lovett combination which has car=
ried through the revolutionary new
foreign policies of his administra-
ton for the past 18 months.
Both Gen. George C. Marshall,
who took Office as Secretary in
January. 1947, and Undersecretary
Robert A. Lovett, who moved in six
months later, are understood plan
ming to resign on or before inaugura-
ton day, January 90.
Speculation as to a successor for