Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-20
Dulles Confirms
plan for Boost
In Foreign Aid

today the administration will
ask Congress for new foreign aid
appropriations totaling about
$40 billion-a request that
seems headed for a critical
reception.
Mr.. Dulles said the requests
will include a 5000 million in
crease in economic aid. This
would include a $100 million
flexible fund for use at preSi-
Dental discretion in the Soviet
threatened Middle East.
The Secretary reviewed the
Administrations forthcoming
foreign aid requests at a news
conference with the obvious in
tention of easing congressional
misunderstanding over tn e
amount that will be requested.
Regrets misunderstanding"
He said he regretted very
much a misunderstanding OBJ
tanned at last weeks White
House briefing for, congressional
leaders that the program to be
submitted in January would be
about the same as Congress APP
proved last year.
The foreign aid requests that
will be placed before Congress,
covering both military and eco
nomic aid, will be about $2.7
billion over this years program,
Mr.. Dulles emphasized that
/ the increase will be needed to
keep the military pipeline filled
He stressed that the rate of &C
tual spending as contrasted with
appropriations will be of the
same general magnitude" as
the current year.
Increase Is $500 Million
The 1856 spending, Mr.. Dulles
said, will be about $40 billion
and the estimated expenditures
in the 1857 fiscal year will be
about $4.4 billion-an increase of
5000 million.
Il think it is fair inference, "
Mr.. Dulles said. that both eco
nomic and military aid will have
to go on for a considerable time
at about present levels"
Mr.. Dulles pointed out that at
the last session the administra-
ton asked Congress for about
$1.8 billion for the economic
part of the mutual security pro-
gram. Congress granted about
SIT billion,
For the military part the ad-
ministration requested SIT bill
lion, although the rate of spend
ing was estimated at SIS billion.
Congress granted about 81 bill
lion.
The reason why the admin
istration's request for military
aid was below the spending
level, Mr.. Dulles explained, was
that there was "a large backlog"
of past appropriations for mil
itary aid.
He estimated there was about
$500 million in the military pipe
line. This pipeline source has
been pretty well used up" and
for this reason Mr.. Dulles said
the administration probably will
ask for an appropriation of
about SO billion to sustain the
military aid program.
You can't go on indefinitely
living of your pipeline If you
want to carry on the program
for a number Of years." Mr..
Dulles declared.
Defends Previous Cuts
Mr.. Dulles refused to agree
that the administrations cuts
last year we're too deep.
He explained that last year
the administration asked 5000
million for economic aid in the
Far East and received 500 mil
lion. Part of the 5000 million
increase in economic aid is for
the remainder of the requested
fund for the Far East.
The 500 million flexible fund
sought for the Middle and Near
East. Mr.. Dulles said. was "due
to our telling that there is an in
Creased need" in that area.
Soviet Russia has recently in
creased pressures in that area on
many different fronts.
Meantime, Senator Potter, Re-
publican of Michigan. said he
would look with a jaundiced
eye" at any request for SIS billion
in new money and spending au-
thority He is a member of the
Senate Appropriations Commit
tee, which would have to pass on
foreign aid proposals.
( Senator Mansfield, Democrat
of Montana. a member of the
Senate Foreign Relations Com
mittee. said the proposed IS bill
lion appropriation seems too big