Evening star., 1951-06-16
Wherry, Cain Attack
Truman Suspension
OF ECA Trade Curb
BY The Assoeiot.d Pres.

President Truman's suspensionl
of a ban on foreign aid to coun-
tries trading behind the Iron Cur
tain may be the curtain-raiser to
q bitter new political battle.
The White House yesterday an
nounced an "interim" suspension
|of the ban-known as the KEN
amendment after its author, Sena-
tor KEN, Republican. of Missouri
for maximum period Of COL
days.
The amendment was attached
Ito an appropriation bill. Mr.. Tru-I
man signed it into law June Q, |
but complained he did so only be-
cause the funds were urgently
needed. He said the amendment
would do, this country and its
Allies far more harm than good.
|He called 1t seriously detective
land said 1t would weaken our Sc
|curity.
/ Z i. - + p s4 ss
This statement was disputed
strongly by Republican leaders
who cautioned against any gen.
eral suspension Of the ban.
Senate Minority Leader Wherryi
|assailed the suspension today asI
"a willful notification Of an act of
Congress- =
He told reporter he considers
that the action keeps open loop
hole which will permit the flow of
strategic materials to Communist
satellite countries, which in turn
will feed them to the Chinese
Communists to help them kill our
boys"
Senator Wherry said "a lot" will
be heard about the action in Con-
|gress but disclosed no immediate
plans.
Senator Cain. Republican, of
Washington denounced the sus-
pension as IAN unbelievable be-
trayal'' of the American dead and
wounded in Korea.
"Such a decision" Senator Cain
said, "is the logical consequence
of a l0-year period of appease-
ment and cowardly surrender of |
American interests to European
politics and Soviet strategy"
He added:
at is about time that our ad-
ministration and our Allies began
to take the anti Communist strug-
gle, especially the bloody Korean
war, seriously"
Capitol Hill reaction did not
begin to appear until today be-
cause the suspension order from
the President and the National
Security Council came after most
lawmakers had left their Offices
for the week end.
Earlier behind the scenes joust-
ing over the issue left little doubt,
however, that congressional reac-
ton would be strong.
The KEN amendment called for
shutting of United States aid to |
any nation shipping war-useful
material to Russia or its satellites.
One Of its provisions allowed ex-
ceptions to be made by the Ma
tional Security Council in any case
involving the security interest of |
the United States.
Yesterdays temporary blanket
suspension was made under that
provision.
The announcement said the pur-
pose OF suspending the ban was to
allow a chance for further study
of trading situations in countries
receiving American economic aid.
The President has said a sweep
ing ban is unavoidable. When he
signed the bill two weeks ago he
said exceptions on broad
scale" might have to be made.
A White House aide said items
covered by the KEN amendment
would include 1,700 categories of
articles and commodities which
recipients of United States aid
could not ship to the Soviet bloc
unless exceptions were allowed. !
Senator KEN has called the ad-
ministratin's arguments against
the ban "State Department lar
gon."
Yesterdays directive granted
specific exceptions to two coun-
tries, Norway and Austria, calling |
that action Gin the security inter-
est OF the United States. !"
Stopping United States aid
would seriously hamper and
delay Norway's defense effort +. i
increase Norway's dependence |
upon Soviet bloc supplies and +. +
might seriously affect Norway's
confidence in the United States, J"
the announcement said. It added |
that the Austrian economy would
be highly vulnerable" If United
States aid were stopped.