Evening star., 1952-03-02
Truman 10 Take Figh|
For Foreign Aid Plan
To Nation Thursday
BY he Asseeisiss Press

the country his fight for q 7.t
billion foreign aid program with
Nationwide radio and televisief
address Thursday night,
He Is expected to appeal fol
public support In what may be
fight with q critical Congress,
At about the same time, Con.
gress is expected to receive the
Presidents program for new over
seas military and economic aid
calling for about SO billion In
fresh appropriations.
The President viii speak over
all major radio and teleyision
networks between 1890 and II
pm. Thursday. the White House
announced.
He is expected to underline Sec
retary of State Acheson's conten-
ton that the foreign aid program
deserves our utmost support"
Mr.. Acheson made the state
ment Friday night in a broadcast
describing recent steps to hasten
unified defenses for Western Eu
rope.
Some F0resee Battle.
The. Secretary's report brought
some Congressional predictions
that the President faces battle
to get approval for his full pro-
gram.
Senator O'Mahoney, Democrat,
OF Wyoming, said: II believe re-
ductions can be made in the for
eign military program" The SEN
ator. who has proposed q SIC
billion slash In Government
spending. said he favored cutting
foreign military funds ahead of
economic assistance.
Representative Mansfield, DEM
ocrat. Of Montana, a member Of
the House Foreign Affairs Com
mittee and delegate to the Paris
United Nations General Assembly
session, said the Administration
would be doing well" to get ap-
proval for 81 billion in foreign aid.
East year Congress cut $l.2 bill
lion from the Presidents request
for $S.5 billion in foreign as
sistance.
Both Democratic and Repub-
lican members Of the committee
expressed what one termed eau
tious optimism" over Mr.. Ache
sons report Of Europe's progress
toward uniflcation. The secretary
briefed the committee Thursday,
shortly after his return from Lis
bon.
Wants to Know U. s. Share.
But legislators of both parties
said they still want to learn how
much the United States would
have to pay for the defense blue
prints drawn UP at the Lisbon
conference Of the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization.
Mr.. Mansfield told q reporter
that in this election year Congress
is thinking of economy" and will
scrutinize the foreign aid requests
closely.
Chairman Richards told news
men Mutual Security Director w.
Averell Hartman will brief the
committee. probably Tuesday, on
further details of European de.
velopments. Mr.. Hartman headed
q special NATO committee to
survey the economic capacities Of
member nations.
The committee also may hear
Secretary Of Defense Lovett and
Treasury Secretary Snyder, other
members of the American delega-
ton at Lisbon. Mr.. Richards said:
I'VE want to be fully informed be-.
fore we consider the Presidents
requests"
fetal Bet at $500 Billion.
Mr., Mansfield informed O re-
porter that committeeman want
to question Mr.. Levett particularly
on details OF the total defense
budget for Western Europe. News
reports from Lisbon said the dele
gates had agreed on an overall
figure of $500 billion through 1855,
including $75 billion for the first
year.
Representative Vorys, Republi-
can of Ohio, told a reporter that
Mr., Acheson was queried about
the $500 billion figure in the COM
mittee meeting Thursday and re-
piled that "he knew nothing about
1t and had not seen the news re-
ports"
Committeeman said they also
were curious about the American
share Of a $400 million program
to build air fields and communica-
tions systems in Western Europe
Administration sources have in
dicated that about $2.5 billion Of
the mutual security program
would be earmarked for econom-
ic aid and the remainder for mil
itary assistance. This would be
for the fiscal year Of 1858, begin
ming next July l.
The President said in his budget
message that total foreign ex-
penditures during the 1858 flscal
year would be sos billion. This