AMERICAN AID TO EUROPE

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25243, 23 July 1947, Page 7

AMERICAN AID TO EUROPE

GENERAL MARSHAL! DISCUSSES PLAN

MEETING WITH MEMBERS OF LOWER HOUSE (Reo. 8.40 p.m.) WASHINGTON, July 21. The United States Secretary of State (General G. C. Marshall) met in closed session to-day members of all leading committees of the House of Representatives, thereby extending the groundwork for Congressional support of his plan for Europe. Mr Clarence Lea (Democrat, California) said that those present were pledged to secrecy, but he was impressed with what General Marshall had told them. AU that Mr Lea could report was that the international situation was grave. Mr Charles Eaton (Republican, New Jersey), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said that General Marshall had created a highly favourable impression that a workable policy would be evolved by the 16 western European countries now considering what steps could be taken to help themselves before presenting an over-all picture of their needs to

Mr Eaton declined to give any hope that the implementation of the Marshall plan might be attempted before Congress meets again in January. Mr Truman, however, has said that he will convene a special session of Congress in the autumn if the situation demands it.