Evening star., 1961-08-08
Rayburn Sees
Long-Term Aid
Winning OK

WlnIllng VN
Dem ocratic congressional
leaders reported to President
Kennedy today that his foreign
aid bill is in good shape" in
both the Senate and House.
House Speaker Rayburn,
talking with reporters after a
breakfast conference with the
President. said he believes
Congress will pass "a good bill"
giving the President most of
what he asked for in foreign
aid authority.
He reiterated that there was
no indication Of q compromise
ION the bills controversial pro-
vision for financing an 8.8
billion five-year development
loan program through Treasury
borrowing instead Of annual
appropriations.
While the legislation probably
will be amended some on the
Senate and House floors, Mr..
Rayburn sal dhe doubted If it
would be changed in what
we call q vital spot"
Two prominent Republicans
earlier lined up on opposite
sides of President Kennedy's
request for long-term borrow
ing authority.
| Senator Morton of Kentucky,
until recently chairman Of the
Republican National Commit
tee, vigorously defended the
Presidents plan, while Senator
Aiken Of Vermont called for
Congress to retain the power to
appropriate the funds each
year.
Both men aired their views
in speeches prepared for deliv-
cry this afternoon. Indications
are the crucial vote will not
come until tomorrow or Thurs
day on the motion of Senator
Harry F. Byrd, Democrat of
Virginia, to strike out the bor-
rowing authority and require
appropriations.
Cites Eisenhower Stand
Senator Morton reminded his
COP. colleagues that former
President Eisenhower asked for
similar borrowing authority in
a smaller amount for three
years in 1857. He recalled that
80 Republicans then in the Sem
ate supported the Eisenhower
request. He said 81 Of them are
still in the Senate and added:
II see no reason in principle
why they should not support
the same proposal when made
by this administration"
According to reliable reports
at the Capitol, however. about
80 Of the SO Republicans In the
Senate now plan to oppose bor-
rowing authority by supporting
the Byrd amendment.
In 1857 the Senate approved
a three-year development loan
fund with an initial appropria-
ton Of $500 million for 1858
and authority for Mr.. Eisen-
hover to borrow $3.50 million
each year in 1859 and 1860.
But the House insisted on
striking out the borrowing au-
thority.
Senator Morton said no one |
could be expected to run a sue
cessful development loan pro-
gram on q year-to-year basis.
II didn't think Foster Dulles
and Christian Herter should
have been compelled to-" said
Senator Morton. II don't think
Dean Rusk should be put in
this straightjacket either. Yet
that's exactly what the Byrd
amendment would do"
Senator Aiken said President
Kennedy has asked Congress
Ito give him authority to bet
So billion in the game of poll
tics, with no assurance that it
will not be lost"
Calls It UnSOund
Senator Aiken said the loss
of such q sum should not be
regarded lightly, but it is not
the amount that disturbs him
most.
1T is the continuing efforts
to whittle away the powers of
the legislative branch Of Gov
eminent that should cause us
most concern"
Answering the administra-
tion argument that Congress
has granted borrowing author
ity to a score of other Govern
ment agencies, Senator Aiken
said that in nearly every case
it was granted with a reason
able expectation that the loans
to be made with the borrowed
money would be repaid in full
with interest.
I'm other words, Congress has
granted to the President the