Evening star., 1950-06-30
Arms Aid
Continued From First Page.)

were reported to be more receptive
to the plan this year and might
vote for it in view of the present
international tension.
3. Senator Taft proposed that
Republicans draw up. for possible
use as a campaign document, a
formal report criticizing what he
called mistakes of the Truman
administration in foreign policy.
He made the suggestion in the
face of President Truman's COM
ment yesterday that Senator Taft
made a political statement un-
called for in demanding the res
ignation of Secretary of State
AcheSon.
Taft Objection Wiped Out.
Senator Taft told a reporter he
had not made up his mind how he
would vote on the arms bill. Dem
ocratic leaders wiped out one OF
his chief objections yesterday by
accepting an amendment he had
proposed.
Senator Taft had baked at CIV
ing Mr.. Truman authority to sell
arms and excess military equip
ment at their fair value" He
argued such a vague definition of
value would permit Mr.. Truman
virtually to give away arms.
AS the bill now stands, a ma
ton buying new arms would pay
the full cost. Sales of excess arms
and equipment would be made
either at market value. scrap
value, or 10 per cent of the orig
lnal gross coSt-whichever might
be larger.
Ihe measure would authorize:
pne billion dollars plus $3.50
million worth of excess military
equipment for the North Atlantic
pact nations; $131.5 million for
Greece, Turkey and Iran; SIG mil
lion for South Korea and the
Philippines and $75 million for
the China area.
The cash would be provided
later by appropriation.
Some Senators who normally
might have voted against the
arms plan were reported to be
shifting sides because Korea is in
cluded in the bill. It was said
they did not want to be placed
in the position of denying aid to
South Korea in her present situa-
tion.
On the Marshall Plan, the COM
mittee tentatively cut $3.50 million
out of the European recovery pro-
gram yesterday-reducing the
third-year Marshall Plan spending
to $2.727,O0O,000
Europe Would Get Bulk.
Europe would get the bulk of it
roughly four -flfths. About $285
million in arms and economic help
is earmarked for the Far East.
Senate Democratic leaders did
not appear greatly concerned by
the $3.50 million cut in the Mar
shall Plan spending.
The House has not yet taken
action on either the military arms
bill or economic aid measure.
The combined foreign aid bills
would pour more than 81 billion
overseas to strengthen the mill
tary and economic backbone of
the non-CommuniSt nations.
President Truman's sharp COM
ment regarding Senator Taft fol-
lowed Senate speech Wednesday
by the Ohio Republican saying
that Secretary Acheson's policies
had been reversed by the presi-
Dental order for armed interven-
ton in Korea to back up the
United Nations cease-fire order.
The President told his news con-
ference that there had not been
any dispute in his cabinet over
the Korean action. There wasn't
a word of truth in the report
that he had reversed Mr.. Ache
son, the President said. He added
in sentence he authorized re-
! porters to quote directly:
Il think the political statement
of Mr.. Taft at this time is en-
tirely uncalled for"
Says He'll Shun Controversy.
Senator Taft did not reply pub
licly. saying:
Il am not going to engage ir
any controversy with the Presi-
dent now"
He did tell reporter he thinks
the Republican National Commit
tee should sum up for the party's
candidates in the November elec-
tion the Democratic foreign af-
fairs record from the Yalta Con-
ference of Roosevelt, Stain and
Churchill in February. 1945, to
date.
Il think we ought to pay critical
attention to the mistakes the ad-
ministration has made in handling
the threat of Communism in the
Pacific, errors that it has had to