Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-02-01
vandenberg Connolly
See Second Year as
Real Test for ERP
by the Assosiossd Press

Two top-ranking Senate sup
porters of the four-year Euro
pean Recovery Program agreed
publicly yesterday that its real
test will come "in the second
year."
Senators vandenburg Republican
OF Michigan and Connolly Demo
crat Of Texas Joined in this opin-
ion as the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee ended its fourth week
Of public hearings. Hearings will
continue this week with critics get
ting most of the time.
The second year will be infinite
" more important" said Senator
vandenberg, chairman of the Sen
ate group.
His comment came after two in
dustrialists estimated that 1t will
take from six months to a year
just to set up an organization able
to handle the vast recovery plan.
Opposes Hasty Action.
Senator Vanderberg agreed. He
added that the first year must stress
aid in the forms of food, fuel and
fertilizer" until the Organization Is
intact"
He said 1t would be a mistake
to TRY to do too much too soon. I"
This could be an indication that
Senator vandenberg may support
some Of the Republican demands
for q cutback in the $4,000, 900 900
asked for the first Is monts. He
said this Is a debatable point.
Senator Connally, who headed the
Foreign Relations group when the
Democrats were in control, agreed
that the second year will be most
critical.
BY then, Senator Connally said,
the ERP would have benefit of ex-
perience and a far better estimate
on what the 10 European nations and
Western Germany can do to help
themselves.
Estimates on the time required to
ret up operating organizations here
and abroad came from William L..
Bait, president of ski Industries,
Inc, of Philadelphia and veteran OF
six years In key Government jobs
dealing with wartime production,
and Lewis II. Brown, chairman Of
the board Of Johns-Manville Corp.
Charles Taft Supports Plan.
Earlier, Charles ]. Taft, brother Of
Senator Robert A. Taft, Republican,
Of Ohio, gave warm support to the
long range recovery program. Charles
Taft testified for the Federal Coun-
Gil Of Churches of Christ in Amer
lea,
Robert M. La Toilette, former Wis
consin Senator who also testified,
said Germany must be fully in
cluded in the program or recovery
in the rest of Europe would cause
German deficits that would make
our heads swim"
In backing the foreign aid plan,
Mr.. Taft apparently differed on
some points with his brother. He
said the Marshall plan will fail for
sure If the program Is grudging and
half.hearted." He also cautioned
Congress against trying to cut out
historic State Department functions
in operating the plan.
Senator Taft, who is candidate
for the Republican presidential
nomination, has said he considers
the ERP "a desirable and necessary
procedure to help the Western
European countries" get on their
feet, but he thinks the amount for
the first Is months can be trimmed.
He also opposes any four year plan
of spending in Europe. "a
Served In State Department.
Charles Taft served in the State
Department more than two years
during the war.
When he finished testifying, a
reporter asked if he had not diff
fered with the Senator on these
points: The role of the State De-
partment, the first amount of money
to be provided, and the long-term
program rather than for one year.
you will have to Judge that for
yourself" Mr.. Taft said with a
broad smile.
In introducing him, Senator VAN
denberg said the witness was testify
ing mot for the Taft family, as I
see it?".
II don't know" the witness re-
piled. IT think some Of them might
agree"