Evening star., 1951-07-30
Assai|s
Scheme 10 Send
Help toAsia
Urges Concentration
On Building Defenses
In Western Europe
By J. A. OLeoY

Chairman Connally of the
Senate Foreign Relations Com
mittee today criticized admins
tration plans for spreading
economic aid to Asia and other
parts of the world instead of con-
centrating on building up the de-
fenses of Western Europe in the
pending $8.5 billion foreign aid
bill.
William c. Foster, economic CO.
operations administrator, was tell
ing the committee how the $2.3
billion earmarked for economic
aid will be distributed georgraphi-
cally when Chairman Connally
questioned the wisdom of allocat-
ing hundreds of millions" to Asia
and other areas outside of Europe
Before today's hearing began, a
threatened delay in passage OF
the foreign aid bill was averted
when the Foreign Relations Com
mittee agreed to let the Armed
Services Committee Join in the
remainder of the hearings and in
voting on the bill.
Members of the Armed Services
group had threatened to seek
separate jurisdiction of the bill
later if denied chance to meet
Jointly with Foreign Rel tionS,
Salty Language Reported.
Chairman Connally is under
stood to have felt strongly that
the foreign aid bill was clearly a
Foreign Relations ommittee
problem and there were reports
that in today's closed session he
made mis- position clear in salty
Language before acceding to the
request of the Armed Services
Committee.
Mr.. Foster testified today that
I$1.65 billion of the $2.3 billion OF
economic aid in the bill is Europe's
share. He was giving a breakdown
of how the remainder will be dis
Itributed to Africa and the Near
East, Asia and the Pacific area,
when Chairman Connally broke
lin to question the ability of this
country to go on with economic
aid on a worldwide basis.
Mr.. Foster said he had referred
to the whole free world.
Senator Connally said he had
understood that the plan was to
limit ECA to such aid as was
needed to help build up Europe
yet you are coming up here with
hundreds of millions for Asia.
The chairman said he thought
ECA, like the shoemaker, should
stick to its last" by concentrat-
ing on strengthening Western
Europe.
Obeying Acts of Congress.
Mr.. Foster denied he had put
any more emphasis on Asia than
on Europe and insisted ECA has
only been carrying out acts OF
Congress, which included direc-
tionS to aid China and other areas
as well as Europe.
Senator Connally said the
United States cannot subsist it.
self If it has to help the whole
free world, and pointed out that
the finance committee was meet
ing in a room nearby trying to
find new sources of revenue.
Senator Green, Democrat, OF
Rhode Island, also questioned Mr.
Foster as to why ECA has not in
sisted that European industries
whose profits have been increased
as the result of American aid were
not required to pass some of those
profits to their employees in better
wages.
Restrictions Difficult.
Mr.. Foster said the future
plans of ECA contemplate steps
in that direction. He said it was
difficult in the earlier stages oi
the Marshall Plan to attach re.
Strictions to the aid while the
industries were being restored.
Secretary of State Acheson tes.
titled last week that the foreign
aid program as a whole shoulc
continue at this years level o.
$8.5 billion for two more years
or a total of about $25 billion
Senator Smith, Republican, O.
New Jersey, wanted to know i
that meant the current year quo
ia of $2.3 billion as the economic
share also would continue fol
two more years. Mr.. Foster sait
he thought it would continu,
about at that level.
Before the Foreign Relation
Committee agreed to let the Armec
Services Committee act joint!
! (See FOREIGN AID, Page A-30