Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-01-24

this committee, the Secretary of
State drew a very dark and
gloomy picture of conditions in
the Middle East. In essence. he
told this committee that the
Russian or Communist menace
in the Middle East has created
for the United States the most
dangerous situation since the
end of World War II - more
dangerous than the conditions
at the time of the Berlin air.
lift in 1913, or during any of the
other crises with which we have
been confronted. At one point
in his testimony, he went so far
as to say that, unless we APP
prove the proposal which he has
presented to us, he believes there
is a great likelihood that
American boys will be required
to fight in the Middle East.
Furthermore, he emphasized the
economic distress of the whole
area: of the oil-rich states of
Saudi Arabia. Iraq, Iran, Ku-
wait. as well as of Lebanon,
Egypt. Syria and Jordan, which
have no oil.
In addition to the testimony
Of Secretary Dulles, it is COM
mon knowledge that our two
strongest allies, Great Britain
and France, have been grievouSly
wounded by our policies in the
Middle East and in the United
Nations. Not since the turn OF
the century have our relations
with the other peoples of the
free world been so strained-So
unsatisfactory. Nations in whose
behalf we have spent billions OF
our treasure are now Indifferent
If not hostile, to our policies.
Disastrous, Remarkable Collapse
This disastrous and remarkable
collapse of our relations with our
closest allies has taken place
under the direction of the pres
ent Secretary of State, and
apparently during the relatively
short space of a few months. AT
least. it was but a short time
ago, less than a year, on Febru-
airy "a. 1856. that the Secretary
himself told the Committee on
Foreign Relations, in a public
report on the Middle East. that
the Russians had made very
little progress in the Middle East
in the last few years and that
the military danger from Russia
was less than the danger from
competitive coexiStence.
Mr.. Chairman, many COM
mentators and thoughtful OBJ
servers of our national affairs
have stated that, if we accept
the proposal on the Middle East
submitted to us by the Secre-
tary, it is in effect vote of
confidence in the adminiStra-
lions conduct of our foreign re-
lations. The resolution is indeed
a broad. unrestricted grant of
power over our armed forces and
over enormous resources. It is
a blank check for the admins
tration to do as it pleaSes with
our soldiers and with our money.
Questions Dulles Policies !.
Speaking for myself, 1 need
more convincing evidence than
have had UP to this time, that
the Secretary of State has
evolved policies regarding the
Middle East which are in the
interests of our national well
fare. I regard the policies which
he has been following as harm
full to our interests, as being
calculated to weaken the inHu-
ence of the free world in the
Middle East, disastrous to the
NATO organization and as
damaging to our friendship with
Great Britain and France.
So. Mr.. Chairman, suggest
that this committee ask the Sec
rotary to review his conduct OF
our foreign relations in the Mid
die East, at least since the time
when he visited Gen. Naguib in
Cairo and gave him a silver
plated pistol.
Such a review, in my opinion
should reveal to the members OF
this committee why the leaders
OF the government of Great Brit
ain, our oldest and closest ally