U.S. AID IN GREECE

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25129, 10 March 1947, Page 7

U.S. AID IN GREECE

Reported Plan for Loan And Arms Supply

TRUMAN CONFERS WITH CONGRESS LEADERS

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 7 p.m.) WASHINGTON, March 7. Congressional sources say that the postponement of President Truman s holiday in the Caribbean was caused by the need for immediate action on a loan to Greece.

Mr Truman, it is stated, will meet Congressional leaders on Monday before sending a message on Greece to Congress. It is reported that he plans to ask for a 250,000,000-dollar loan. The President is also expected to ask Congress for permission to ship 12a,000,000 dollars’ worth of arms and ammunition to the Greek Army. Official sources consider this as important as financial assistance, because money can accomplish little if the Greek Army is not strong enough to “stabilise the situation.”

“Mr Truman tentatively plans to ask Congress next week for armaments andjjconomic aid for Turkey as well as Greece to bolster these Mediterranean outposts against Communist expansion, says the Washington correspondent of the New York “Herald-Tribune.” “The State Department had recommended that the problem of supporting both countries should be presented m a package’ in whatever plan is decided upon following the extraordinary conference between Mr Truman and 15 Republican add Democratic legislative leaders. “Aid to be recommended for Turkey may be as much as 100,000,000 dollars, in addition to a tentative plan for 250,000,000 dollars in assistance to Greece.”

Washington sources sav that the United States hopes to establish Greece on a sound financial basis within two years. Although Mr Truman plans to lend 250,000,000 dollars imjnediately, this gum may be increased by a further 100,000.000 dollars before the rehabilitation programme is completed. The White -House earlier announced that President Truman had postponed his trip to the Caribbean indefinitely “because of developments.” The President had summoned Congressional leaders of both parties to the White House for a conference on the international situation on Monday. The Presidential secretary (Mr Charles Ross) declined to elaborate on the conference, but Senator Taft, chairman of the Republican Party’s policy committee, said that he and other Congress members had been invited to the White House to discuss Greece’s appeal for aid and the prospective British withdrawal of aid from Greece. This conference coincides with the opening of the Moscow meeting of the Foreign Ministers.