Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-03-24
The Political Mill
Senator Smiths PIun
For Defense BuiId-Up
'Butter-und- Guns Program
Could Stymie Communists
By GouId Lincoln

By Gould Lincoln
Senator Alexander Smith of New
Der of the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee, was speaking Tuesday to
all the free world, but more particu-
larly to the American people, when he
told the Senate that to defeat the Com
munist world conspiracy something
more is needed than an accumulation
Of arms.
He did not criticize the military pro-
grams that this country and its allies
have carried forward with much sue
cess. Indeed, he admitted they, too,
were essential. These programs. how
ever. are defensive" And defense
alone rarely wins war. So the New
Jersey Senator strongly recommends
another program-this one concerns
entirely economic aid for the under
developed areas not now controlled by
Soviet Russia, Red China and their
satellites. Particularly it is aimed, at
this time, to halt the Communist
march in Asia.
Senator Smith has pointed out that
American aid has done wonders to
help put Western Europe on its eco
nomic feet; that this has halted Com
muniSt advance in that area of the
world. Communism, however, is not
being stopped in what we refer to as
the underdeveloped countries. We have
not been able in those areas sufficiently
to expose as fraud the appeal of COM
munism to native populations. Senator
Smith wants this corrected. He is pro-
posing program, far-reaching and
perhaps expensive. But, in his opinion,
it is an expense that will pay off in the
end-and the payment will be peace.
Key Red Detectives
These underdeveloped areas. as Sem
ator Smith has said, have become key
detectives of the Communist drive for
world domination. The areas are vast.
They have large populations and they
have great, undeveloped resources. If
they are brought behind the Iron Cur
tain, Western civilization and the
United States will be jeopardized.
The total population of the nom
Communist world today is estimated at
1855 billion. Two-thirdS of these people
live in underdeveloped countries. Many
of them acutely need economic assist
ance and technical education. Senator
Smiths studies-some of them at first
hand-have convinced him that our
own policies and programs are made
quate as compared with the 'tremen-
dous" efforts of the Communists. The
Communists, for example, have been
spending more than ST. billion a year
on their world information program
more than the United States has spent
for such a purpose in 10 years. The
Soviet government dins into the ears
of the peoples in the underdeveloped
countries that the United States is a
militaristic and imperialistic nation.
bent on exploiting them for its own
gains. Further, the Communists have
promoted on far larger scale than we
an exchange of persons in the under
developed areas. Their espionage agents
have been more active. They have been
extending their grants, loans and tech
nical assistance.
Smiths Program
The Smith program calls first for a
Far Eastern Economic Conference, for
the Colombo plan group of nations.
Second, it proposes an international
fund for capital development. Third.
the stimulation of private investment
in the underdeveloped areas. Fourth.
it demands greatly expanded informa-
ton and exchange programs. Fifth.
increased support for technical aid.
Such program, in his opinion, must
not be merely hurry-up affair. 1t
must be designed for long terms. run
ming into many years, capable of giving
immediate and early aid but also
promise for the future. Only on such
a scale, he is convinced, will the pro-
gram be really effective. There must
be no vacuums, where people are left
without hope of betterment Those
Immediately become fertile spots for
Communist ideas and propagandists.
Nor must the aid be only material. 1t
must have spiritual side.
The New Jersey Senator has not yet
undertaken to spell out his program in
terms of cost. But whatever the cost,
he believes this country cannot afford
to let slide the leadership to make
these underdeveloped countries safe
from Communist aggression through
their own efforts, aided by the United
States. 1t cannot afford to let slide
the opportunity of helping to make
men free. To do so would be to avoid
the only course to lasting peace, in
the opinion of Senator Smith. After
all. the great gamble of today is for
peace.
The Eisenhower administration has
already been thinking about and study
ing the problem along lines now advo-
Gated by the New Jersey Senator. How
far it is willing to go in translating the
Smith program into action remains to
be seen. Senator Smith has laid it on
the line.