AID TO GREECE AND TURKEY

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25178, 8 May 1947, Page 7

AID TO GREECE AND TURKEY

Debate Opens In U.S.

House

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Bee. 9.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, May 6. “If Russia is permitted to take Greece and Turkey, her next steps would be Persia, Afghanistan, India and China” declared Mr Charles Eaton (Republican), chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the United States House of Representatives, opening the debate in the House on the 400,000,000 dollars biU to aid Greece and Turkey. Mr Eaton admitted that the bill involved great risks but rejection of it involved greater risks. “Communism now bestrides the shattered world like a colossus. It has forgotten nothing and learned nothing from the frightful tragedies which darkened the first half of this alleged century of progress. No amount of wishful thinking or mawkish sentiment can disguise the grim facts of the Communist march toward world domination.”

Enumerating the countries now dominated by Russia, Mr Eaton said that much Ot this expansion had taken Site in complete disregard of the ob■jcations Russia had assumed in the Tftdted Nations, and she now hovered iinon the borders Of Greece and Turklv ready to absorb those essential pateways to the Orient. 6 Mr Clarence Brown (Republican) nnoosed Mr Eaton with the argument that if the bill was passed, the United states would be entering upon "a rinale game of pitch and toss” with Russia, resulting in an enormous drain on American resources while the United States was available to marshal world opinion against Communist agwe fight another war? The answer will be given by Russia rather than ourselves, but the United States cannot stand the winning of another Croat victory. It would mean the end of freedom for individuals here and the end of our free enterprise system.” Mr Brown claimed that passage of the bill would "drive a dagger into the very heart of the United Nations. He added: “Let us test Russia’s sincerity If she chooses, let her rrfuse to eo-operate and give her an opportunity to withdraw from the United Nations, or be expelled if she does not wish to keep her solemn promises. Mr Eaton read a letter from the Secretary of State, General G. C. Marshall, advising the House that the ‘iseat urgency” for aiding Greece and Turkey had been made even more positive by the results of the Moscow conference. The sitting was adjourned.