Evening star., 1949-02-22
Arms Transfers
Abroad Sought
Along ERP Lines
Priority Proposed
For Countries Joining
In Atlantic Pact

Congress will be asked to au-
thorize President Truman to pro-
vide military equipment to other
nations on a mutual aid basis
similar to cooperative principles
of the European Recovery Pro-
gram. The legislation is being
prepared in the State Department.
Officials said today the military
aid bill would be on a global basis,
giving high priority to Western
European coubtries joining in the
projected North Atlantic security
pact, but also covering military
assistance to Greece and Turkey
and any other such American
commitments.
This development in America S
program to bolster Western Europe
was disclosed while a group of
Senators prepared to fight any
move which might water down the
terms of the proposed Atlantic de-
tense treaty in Senate debate.
Strong Pledge Sought
Five members of the Senate For
eign Relations Committee said pri-
vately that they are ready to de-
mand individually the strongest
sort of pledge possible-short of an
automatic war declaration-that
this country will back its friends
in Europe if they are threatened
by Communist aggression.
1t is their view that the tenta-
tive treaty language on this point
as outlined to the Foreign Rela-
tions Committee last week by Sec
retary of State Acheson-is salts
factory if it is not weakened in
Senate debate.
Broad authority will be sought
in the legislation being drafted
for the President to transfer exist
ing American military supplies,
even though they are not surplus,
to nations cooperating in the mu-
tual assistance program, it was
learned.
The President now has author
ity to dispose of only surplus mill
tary equipment. The proposed
new legislation also would provide
for buying additional arms and
transferring them to cooperating
nations.
No Decision on Extent.
Officials said no decision has
been reached yet on the size of
the proposed global military aid
program, but indicated that some
where between $1,000, ,O00,O 900 and
$2,000,000,000 would be involved
for the first year.
The World War II lend-lease
idea probably will not be applied
to the new program, it is under
stood. Officials drafting the au-
thorization legislation are working
on the idea of a mutual aid mill
tary program, giving the President
broad authority to supply military
equipment to foreign nations on
certain specific conditions.
General policies to govern the
program are being worked out
now in the State Department.
The general idea is that Amer
lean arms would be supplied to
countries whose defense is es-
sential to American security and
which agree to conditions for CO.
operative self-help mutual aid
similar to the principals apply to
economic aid in the European
Recovery Program. The specific
conditions would have to be ne
gotiated with participating coun-
tries.
Present thinking Of officials
working on the program is that
the military assistance bill will
be submitted to Congress im1ne-
diately after the North Atlantic
Pact is submitted to the Senate
for ratification. This is expected
to be within the next two months.
Conferences Planned.
Conferences with congressional
leaders on details of the military
aid legislations are planned be-
fore it reaches the final stage.
Assistant Secretary of State
Ernest A. Gross, in charge of the
State Departments relations with
Congress and also responsible for
(See ATLANTIC PACT, Pg. A-4D