Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-01-11
Continued From First PAGE


to At its shrinking financial
capacity.
General Withdrawal
Some British sources have an
ticipated a general British mill
tary withdrawal from the Middle
East, turning over responsibility
for defending British interests
In the area to the United States.
As leader and banker of the
North Atlantic alliance, the
United States is regarded in some
British quarters to be obligated
to defend British Middle East in
vestments in oil and strategic
territory if NATO is to survive.
President Eisenhower empha-
sized once again In his state-of-
the Union message yesterday the
Importance of NATO and other
alliances to American security.
The fast-moving events of the
new year are believed to be a
consequence Of the basic British
decision to reduce overseas obli-
cations. particularly the expecta-
ton that the Jordan subsidy will
be withdrawn.
Anticipation of a crisis in Jor-
dan presumably explains the re-
quest in the Eisenhower special
message to Congress that the
President g. be authorized to
undertake, in the general area of
the Middle East, military assist
ance programs with any nation
or group of nations of that area
desiring such assistance"
Important to Security
The resolutions third point
would authorize the President
when he determines that such
use is important to the security
Of the United States, to use for
the purposes of this Joint re-
solution, without regard to the
provisions Of any other law or
regulation, not to exceed 5000
million from any appropriations
now available for carrying out
the provisions of the Mutual
Security Act Of 1854. as amend
ed"
If Mr.. Eisenhower is granted
this authority, he will be able
to respond to a Jordan request
that the United States replace
Britain as the financier of the
Jordan army.
Another factor emphasizing
the need for Congressional haste,
presumably. is the report of
Cairo talks which began last
week between Jordan. Syria.
Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The
latter three nations have re-
peatedly offered to assume the
burden Of financing Jordan's
army if the British leave.
The administration wants to
offer Jordan's King Hussein and
Gen. Ali Abu Nuwar. now con-
sidered the real power in the
country. an alternative - eSpe-
cially since it doubts the capacity
Of the Arab trio to follow through
on its promise.
Saud Visit Connected
No doubt the timing of Saudi
Arabian King Saud's visit to
Washington the end Of this
month is intimately connected
with impending events in Jordan.
The projected February visit
of Iraq'S Crown Prince. Abdul
Ilah to Washington. confirmed
today by the State Department.
presumably also relates to the
Jordan problem. There have
been other reports that Lebanese
Foreign Minister Charles Malik
plans to visit Washington to
confer with President Eisen-
hover on the new United States
plans for the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia. the richest of
the three nations which propose
to help Jordan. normally receives
some $500 million a year in roy
alties from the Arabian-Ameri-
can Oil Co. (ARAMCO). which
has the concession to extract Oil
from the country.
But the closing of the Suez
Canal has reduced King Saud's
revenues temporarily and left
him overextended. It is reported
that ARAMCO production is
down more than 80 per cent be-
cause of shortage Of transport
and storage.
Over the long haul, however,
the Saudi monarch probably
would be we'll fixed financially
to take over paft, If not all.
of the $33 million subsidy him.
self. American officials may
have in mind some formula for
sharing the responsibility for
financing Jordan.
Dulles Reasoning Seen
The reason for Secretary of
State Dulles sharp reaction to
the Democratic short form"
resolution, proposed as a sub
stitute for the administrations,
can be deduced in the light of
prospects in Jordan. The "a
word declaration would not meet