Evening star., 1948-06-08
Congressional Keep
Word on Funds for
European Recovery
Foreign Relations Would
Suffer With Resembling
Of Moral Commitment
BY David Laurence


By David Laurence
Sometimes there are advantages
in the fact that presidential cam
paign comedies with the time for
deciding AN important international
policy. Again and again it has been
argued that presidential politics in
terferes with the formulation of gov
ernmental policies. but the prompt
manner in which Senator Vanden-
berg. Harold Stassen and Gov
Dewey expressed their opposition to
the cut in the appropriations for the
European Recovery Program could
not have been more salutary.
Obviously the House Republicans
voted their desire to cut down the
moneys to be spent in European
aid because they felt the sums could
be curtailed and that Europe showed
signs of recovery of its own motion
and should not require as much
money as previously anticipated.
But this has largely been due to
the encoura cement and support
given the western democracies by
the announcement that Congress
had by overwhelming vote COM
mitted itself to the European Recov-
cry Program in general and to the
s5,3o0,0 100000 plan in particular.
Moral Commitment"
When Congress passes an "au-
thorization," it is true, later meas
ure must be passed actually making
an appropriation" of the sums au-
thoriZed. There is plainly legal
opportunity for Congress to cut
down when it comes to the actual
appropriation, but Senator Taft. of
for the nomination, in speaking to
the Senate at the time the authori-
"a ton was made. called it moral
commitment" That's what legis-
lation of authorization" usually Is.
The reason for the two types of
legislation Is that one sets forth in
a statute the authority to spend the
money and the general purposes
therefor while the appropriation
actually furnishes the money, as is
required by constitutional procedure.
The whole country would have
right to argue that Congress does
not keep it's word if one day it votes
by substantial majority to au-
thorize the program and then few
days later doesn't vote the funds
necessary to carry 1t out. Histori-
cally it has often been contended.
for example, that while the Senate
may by twosthirds vote ratify a
treaty, both Houses of Congress by
majority vote may refuse to ap-
propriate any moneys needed to
fulfill a treaty. Historically also,
constitutional lawyers have argued
that such a failure would be an
immoral act.
To certain extent the European
Recovery Program is a kind of in
ternational agreement. Since the
passage Of the statute by both
houses, certain plans have been
made internationally by other gov
ernments. For Congress now to
rescind its action. however wise such |
a step might be from a simple |
standpoint of economy, would be to |
create psychological and political re-
suits of an unfavorable nature in
the foreign relations of the United |
States. 1t is far less expensive in
money to cut the appropriation
down but 1t is far more expensive
in good will and morals to do so.
Tsolationism" Shown.
The Republicans in the House who
went along with the demand of its
Appropriation Committee for a cut
were the same who recently ap-
propriated much more money than
the Department Of Defense asked
for. The threatened unbalancing Of |
the budget through acts of this kind !
may trouble the conscience Of the |
House members and they may have
thought the place to effect an econ
omy was in the European Recovery
Program.
There is also to be sure, a certain |
isolationism" in the House which |
expresses itself every now and then
by action on appropriation bills. 1t |
will be noted that the authorization
for the European Recovery Program
was put through by voice vote in
the final roll call in the House and |
there was no opportunity for the
anti -European-aid members to re-
cord themselves. The same thing |
happened last week when no roll |
call was recorded on the "appropria-
ton"
The Senate will restore all or
nearly all Of the $4,000 900 900 cut !
but the conference committee of
both houses may try for COM
promise. 1t is here that the in
fuence Of Speaker Martin will come
into the picture again. and he will !
have chance to line up with Sena-
tors Taft and Vandenberg, and !
Messrs. Dewey and Stassen, who feel
that moral commitment has been
made by Congress that should be !
kept. The issue has in it some real
possibilities for splitting the Repub-
lican Party and the bipartisan for
eign-policy program. President Tru-
man would like nothing better than
the ERP program as campaign
issue If the Republicans hand it to
him on platter.
Reproduction Rights Reserved)
S-----