Evening star., 1951-08-30
sWhere Discretion Is Needed

The Senate has acted wisely in turning down
the proposal to require the administration, on a
completely mandatory basis, to deny American
military and economic aid to any country ship
sping wide variety of goods to the Soviet Union
Or its satellites in Europe and Asia. Instead,
with relatively minor changes the House
approved Battle bill has been adopted by vote
of SIS to 16. This is better and more realistic
measure than the one rejected. its chief virtue
being that it permits flexible or discretionary
enforcement in cases where failure to ease the
restrictions would actually be harmful to the
best interests and security of the United States
and the entire free world.
= AS it stands the new bill-originally spon-
sored by Representative Battle of Alabama and
adopted unanimously by the House-would under
all circumstances, without any exceptions, SuS
.:pend aid to countries exporting to the Soviet
tboc weapons, ammunition, atomic materials and
kindred items of direct military significance
But beyond that, as regards other types of ship
@mentS, it makes due allowances for the economic
sfactS of life. That is to say within limitations
meant to prevent unjuStif1ed use of it's dis
seretionary feature, it provides for sufficient ad-
eHniniStrative leeway to circumvent situations IN
which rigid enforcement would be akin to cutting
of ones nose to spite ones face In brief, recog-
nizing the great complexities of international
trade, it calls for common-sense action, not i'm
world behind the Iron Curtain of things that
could be used against our own and allied forces
In the Korean war or war elsewhere.
= Thus the bill recognizes that some of the
Western European countries, together with non
Communist lands in the Far Pacific and Asia
receive vitality important imports from behind
the Iron Curtain. In exchange for these imports
coal, timber, grain, etc-they ship out finished
goods that may be of indirect military value to
1the Soviets Theoretically speaking, as matter
of principle and as policy designed to keep the
Kremlin from building up its war potential
seither directly or indirectly, there is much to be
said for the idea that the flow of such goods
:seven if only buzz saws or shirt buttonS-should
ssbe stopped completely. In a practical sense
however, what would happen in that case? If
our Allies abroad were pressured into choking of
this two-way commerce under threat of receiving
mo more aid from us, where would they get what
ssthey Sorely need? From us? And if we could
supply them, if we could fill the gap what would
they use for dollars?
= It is because of considerations Of this sort
THAT the Senate has rejected the all-out manda-
f9tory proposal aimed at plugging the loophoe that
enabled the National Security Council to suspend
@Sthe KEN Amendment adopted by Congress last
May. That amendment, like the just-defeated
substitute, simply could not be put to work with
sfout doing more harm than good, no matter how
tsound its objective The measure finally enacted
As more level-headed in facing up to the facts
sDf EaSt-WeSt trade and providing for common
9ssenSe enforcement. Actually, it. there is ever
TO be a sound peace, that trade must ultimately
be restored to full vigor. Meanwhile, in the pres
ent state of semiwar, it be limited effectively
by the new legislation.