Evening star., 1955-07-17
Support Coins in Senate
For Restoring Aid Cuts
By GOULD LINCOLN

BY GOULD LINCOLN
Strong bipartisan support foz
the restoration Of funds cut By
the House from the Eisenhower
foreign aid program developed
In the Senate over the week end
Chairman George Of the Sem
ate Foreign Relations Commit
tee declared that in slashins
$627. 800. 900 from the $685.
10000 authorized by Congress
for the program, the House had
"cut too deeply even assuming
that some cut was justified"
Senator George said there was
special need for restoring $iOC
million knocked out Of the $20C
million authorized for the Presi-
dents fund for Asian Economic
Development. The fund. he
said, Is Of great importance. and
the total should be appropriated,
even though the President would
not be able to allocate more than
500 million this year.
Senator Alexander II. Smith,
New Jersey Republican and Q
member Of the Far Eastern SUBJ
committee of the Foreign Rela-
tions Committee for the last
eight years. said that with the
crucial Geneva Conference un-
derway. to permit this ill-con-
sidered slash would do great
damage"
In q strongly worded letter to
Chairman Hayden Of the Senate
Appropriations Committee, and
to each member Of the commit
tee. Senator Smith urged the
committee to put back In the
Mutual Security Appropriation
Bill the items which had been
knocked out BY the House.
Opposite Opinions Noted
Senator Bridges Of New Hamp-
shire, ranking Republican mem-
ber Of the Appropriations Com
mittee, expressed belief that some
Of the items would be restored
BY the committee and would be
approved by the Senate itself.
On the other hand Senator Cha
vez, New Mexico Democrat and
long time member Of the COM
mittee. said he thought the cuts
would for the most part prevail
Senator Smith wrote, In his
letter: This hasty reduction
ttotaling $627. SOC, ,O00) might wen
threaten the success Of the entire
program. which in the words Of
President Eisenhower, is in the
interviewer self interest of both
America and its allies"
Discussing the cut In the 5000
mill.ca item for the special Asian
fund. Senator Smith wrote that
he greatly regretted the House
had reduced It to 500 million.
II am absolutely confident.
Senator Smith said, that this Is
one Of the strongest weapons
for peace In the Far East" He
added that with the proper use
Of these funds, the free peoples
Of Asia win be helped to attain
their goals OF freedom and pros
perity.
ITO cut this particular fund
at this particular moment" said
Senator Smith. "just as the,
President and Secretary Of State
Dulles are starting for the Big
-Four Conference. almost seems
to be vote Of lack Of confidence
In our own great leaders. Devea-
opment assistance and economic
aid represent our primary peace
ful weapon against the expan-I
sion Of Soviet and Chinese Com
munism.
Points to Past Aid
Our past aid for the coun-
tries Of Europe had q tremen-
dous effect in rebuilding those
nations and In strengthening
them against the Communist
onslaught. It may be, in fact
that the success of the aid pro-
gram to those now self-sustain-
ing countries of Europe was one
factor in the recent more peace
ful tack taken by the leaders
Of Soviet Russia.
This year the bulk Of the aid
Is slated for Asia and the near
East. where the threat to free
dom is greatest. We will not be
successful in Asia. as we were in
Europe, II we fail to meet this
present threat"
Senator Smith said that as q
member Of the Far Eastern sub
committee he had been living
with the situation week in and
week out.
We begin to see the light" he
said. "but with the great masses
OF these Asia people on the
brink OF the precipice, doubtful
which way to turn, because they
are not sure whether we viii
LOST