Evening star., 1948-01-04

saying that the admlniStra must
lower its sights-that Congress will
cut this sum to $4,000, ,000, 900.
Further. a strong drive to make the
Marshall European recovery pro-
gram a year-to-year matter is
underway. Senators and Repre-
sentatives insist that they will not
go on record for more than one
years program. They will demand
that a check be made at the close
of year to determine whether
Americas contribution is being spent
wisely and effectively, and also
whether the 16 western nations
beneflting under the program are
really doing their full part to aid in
their own recovery.
Typical of the more recent think
ing of some Senators and members
of the House on the Marshall pro-
gram is the speech made by Senator
Ball, Republican, Of Minnesota be-
fore the Philadelphia Foreign Policy
Association. Senator Balls attitude
Is particularly significant, since for
the last seven years he has been a
consistent supporter of every major
foreign policy proposal of the
Roosevelt Truman administrations.
He announced, however, he is now
convinced that the time has come
for a thorough and critical dis
cussion of this country's foreign
policy, with regard to both its pro-
grams and their administration.
Ball Wants Restrictions
In this address, Mr.. Ball en-
phasized he had no quarrel what
ever with the premise of the Mar
shall plan. He admitted that a free
and economically solvent Europe is
a sound objective of our foreign
policy. But" he continued, 81 do
want assurance that our expendi-
lures stand at least $3.50 chance
of achieving results, and I am sure
that if the administration is left
free to pursue the policies it has
pursued in the past, it will fail
again"
For that reason, Senator Ball
said he would demand severe re-
strictions and conditions on any
future grants of funds or authority.
Also Senator Ball challenged the
oft-repeated argument that unless
the Marshall plan is carried out
Europe will be taken over completely
oy Communists. In other words,
he said, I'VE must buy off Commu-
mist aggression with American dol
lars" This he contended was likely
to be no more successful than were
the efforts made to appease Hitler
before Hitler launched his crusade
to Nazi-ize the world. He agreed
that Communist dictatorship was
the most serious threat to world
peace and recovery today. But,
he said, "it is threat based on
power and force. The 50-odd Rus
sian divisions in Eastern Europe
have lot more to do with it than
economic problems in Western
Europe. Like the Nazi dictator, the
Communist dictator will be finally
stopped in his aggressions by the
presence, or, if the worst comes to
the worst, by the use OF superior
force"
Politics Will Figure
Senator Ball charged the admins
tration has failed in its efforts to
bring about world peace; that it has
lost initiative in the United Nations,
and that the United States has been
put constantly on the defensive.
I have never heard" he con-
GUIDED, "of football game or a hot
war being won by a good defense
and nothing more. I doubt whether
1 cold war can be won by good
defense and nothing else. Let's try
4 little offensive strategy for
change" /
1t is clear from the Ball speech ,
hat when the Marshall plan is
debated in the Senate, the gloves
will be off. Appeals for bipartisan
support may fall on some deaf ears.
One thing the Republican lead
ership will demand is the passage
If a tax reduction bill. It contends
(See LINCOLN Page C-50