Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-19

aside, at least temporarily, and
the Communists are now making
trade approaches to many ma
tions of the free world.
The Soviet maneuver. which
is still developing. includes offers
of bilateral trade agreements
which may involve provision of
arms and capital goods as well
as technical assistance. Had we
any reason to believe that the
Soviet leaders had abandoned
their sinister detectives and now
shared our own high purpose of
helping other nations to develop
freedom and independence, we
would welcome the new Soviet
program, for it appears to have
ASPECTS OF normal trade expan-
sion and business competition.
It's danger for us and for other
free nations. however. lies in the
traditional Soviet detectives and
in the entanglements to which
acceptance of their offers may
lead.
| Even while we welcome respite
from the Soviet policy of threat
and violence, we must take care
full stock of what still remains
of it. The vast Soviet military
establishment has not been
strapped. On the contrary, the
SovietS and their Communist al
lies are increasing the strength
and effectiveness of their armed
forces and are providing them
with equipment of the most mod
ern design. The threat implicit
In this huge aggregation Of mill
Itary power still casts an ominous
shadow over the world. There Isl
nothing here to warrant slack
ening of our efforts to strengthen
the common defense of the free
world.
Pattern Continues
| In its departures in foreign
policy, we see that the Soviet
Union continues in it's familiar
pattern of ceaseless probing for
opportunities to exploit political
and economic weaknesses. We
cannot view otherwise the arms
traffic in areas where tensions
are high and the peace is in
danger. We cannot view other
wise the extension of credits
hand in hand with exploitation
of ancient animosities and new
hatreds in a world already over
purdened with them.
We must therefore assume
that Soviet expansionism has
merely taken on a somewhat
different guise and that its
fundamental objective Is still to
disrupt and in the end to dom
mate the free nations. With
Soviet leaders openly proclaim
ing their world aim, it would be
folly for us and our friends to
relax our collective efforts
toward stability and security.
Needless to say, we do not in
tend to permit specific Soviet
moves to control our activities.
Our mutual security program,
conceived in the common in
terests of the free nations, must
go ahead aff1rmatively along
tested lines to meet the common
need. Where changes now give
promise Of making the program
more responsive to the need and I
more effective, ! am recon-
Imending changes.
The authorizations and ap-
preparations I am recommending
for fiscal year 1857 are designed
to carry forward the program
toward the goal we seek.
I recommend that the Con-
gress authorize appropriations
Iof $4,672,475,0 900 in accordance
with the schedule attached. In
a separate letter to the Speaker
of the House of Representatives
1 am requesting the appropria- 4
ton Of $4,859, $3.50 for the (
same fiscal year to cover these
recommended authorizations to- I.
'gether with authorizations
granted but not fully used in
prior years. Certain aspects of
this program require special
attention.
Continuity and FlexibiIity
We should be able to assure
the nations of the free world
that We will continue to particle
pate in particular nonmilitary
projects and enterprises which
will take a number of years to
complete. Such assurance from
us will help these nations to mo-
billie their own funds for pro-
jects which will contribute to
an important degree to their
economic strength, to enlist
public and private loans and in
vestment, and to plan ahead in
telligently. 1t will be difficult for
these nations to organize such
projects unless Mutual Security
Program support can be relied
on for more than a single year.
request authority of the Con-
gress to make commitments up
to ten years in length to assist
less developed countries in long
term projects important to their
development. Funds to fulfill
such commitments would come
from appropriations for nom
military mutual security, and