Evening star., 1948-06-18
|Stassen Urges 6. 0.P.
To Back Draft and ERP
Should Congress Fail
av i, s,gtf ee,,.,pend.n, AZ In. s,o,

PHILADELPHIA, July 18.-Harold
e. Stassen, Minnesota's candidate
for the Republican Presidential
nomination. told . press conference
today that if Congress fails to pass
the draft bill and the appropriations
for the European Recovery Program
before the party's National conven-
ton opens, the party in convention
should take a definite stand in sup
port Of both measures-in detail.
He said he favored the Senate
draft bill and the Senate ERP bill
|over the House versions
/. Mr.. Stassen made this statement
just before appearing before the
Resolutions Committee to state his
position on many issues that are
expected to be discussed In the party
platform. He asked Senator Lodge
of Massachusetts,, chairman of the
committee, to be permitted to ap-
pear and received prompt invita-
ton.
Delivers Final Address.
The Minnesotan also delivered the
final address Of his campaign for
the nomination before the Union
League Club Of Philadelphia, in
which he outlined the differences
between the liberal and more con-
servative wings of the party.
Mr.. Stassen took q arm stand,
both in his presentation to the Reso-
lutions Committee and in his ad-
dress to the Union League, against
attempts to open up the Norris-La
Guardia Act to permit employers to
obtain temporary injunctions in la
Dor disputes. He went on record as
also, any attempt by the
Republican Party to prohibit indus
try-wide bargaining.
THE Republican platform should
specifically guarantee against any
such legislation" he said.
He urged that the Federal Gov
ernment make an annual average
investment of approximately a bill
lion dollars year for development
OF the natural resources of the
country. He specifically recon-
mended that the investment should
provide for the erection of multi
pie purpose dams on the Missouri
and Columbia Rivers. Hydro
electric power so developed, he in
sisted, should be delivered by the
Government to the centers of eco
nomic use on nat rate basis. In
other words, the Government should
transmission lines instead
OF leaving that job to private op-
orators.
Urges Better Medical Care.
While opposing socialized medi-
cine, Mr.. Stassen insisted that the
Federal Government should press
for definite progress in gaining i'm
proved medical and hospital care for
families. He again took
a stand in support of aid by this
country to war impoverished ma
tions of Europe, and in favor of re-
writing and strengthening the
United Nations charter.
Finally he urged that this country
be ever on the alert against the
threat of Communism, emanating
from the Kremlin. The subversive
operations of this tCommunist)
movement" he said, have already
caused the peoples of many nations
to lose their liberties since the war.
We must not be soft with it. We
must not coddle it. We must bring
our laws up to date to protect our
selves and to show the way to the
other free nations who are con-
stantly beset by this menace"
He spoke in favor of the Mundt
bill, as one step in the right direc-
ton. Turning to politics, in his
speech to the Union League, Mr..
Stassen said. Il do not attempt to
fatty predict the outcome of this
convention. But do pledge. as its
nominee or not, in public Office or
not, will continue a vigorous fight
to implement the philosophy Of true
liberalism in America. That causes
very wide smile"
Mr.. Stassen said. also In reply to
q question, he picked up four more
delegates yesterday.