NEW MARSHALL PLAN AID

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27860, 7 January 1956, Page 9

NEW MARSHALL PLAN AID

Counter To Soviet Aims In Asia (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) WASHINGTON, January 6. The Western nations today welcomed President Eisenhower’s plan, announced in his State of the Union message to Congress yesterday, for a return to the Marshall Plan as a means of countering the Wiew Soviet strategy in the Middle East and Asia. The proposal, which President Eisenhower touched on only briefly in the outline of his legislative programme for the year .will be detailed in further messages to Congress. It is regarded in Washington as the Eisenhower Administration's reply to the Soviet Government’s resumption of the cold war in a new form after the failure of the Geneva conferences. It is expected to involve a 10-year “tong haul” programme of open economic.assistance to areas whose lack of development and resultant poverty and unrest make them what the President called "a special target of international communism.?

MIXED U.S. REACTION

Parties Divided On Message (Rec. 10 n.m.) WASHINGTON. Jan. 5. Republicans generally welcomed President Eisenhower’s State-of-the-Union message today as assuring a continuation of peace and prosperity. Democrats, for the most part, called ft a weak repetition of Democratic policies ar.d a bow to big business. But there was approval in both parties for. the President’s assurance of a balanced Budget and his call for a modest reduction in the national debt before cutting taxes.

Mr Joseph Martin, of Massachusetts, the House Republican Leader, said: “Once again the President reveals his leadership for the good of all Americans—all free men and women everywhere. This, to me. is the touchstone of his State of the Union message—a message that brings to each of us the glowins realisation that decency, peace, abundance and stability are the goals he seeks for each of us to share.”

Senator William Knowland. of California. the Senate Republican Leader, said; “I believe a substantial part of the recommendations will be adopted before the adjournment. Underlying his remarks was the counsel of caution in all our endeavours, foreign and domestic—caution lest in our haste we create situations worse than those we attempt to alleviate.” Mr Michael Kirwan < Democrat, Ohio), the chairman of the Democratic Congressioial campaign committee, said he fo.ind ‘’nothing much” in the message tbat had not been proposed by President Truman “and that the New Deal hasn’t been pounding for 20 years.” Senator Walter George (Democrat. Georgia), the influential chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. told re?orters that he would await foecific recommendations from the President before commenting on the proposal fcr a long-range foreign aid programme “Mistakes Glossed Over” Senator Estes Kcfauver (Democrat, Tennessee), a candidate for the Democratic Presidential nomination, said Mr Eisenhower’s message glossed over ‘‘glarng mistakes of the Administration n foreign policy.” Senator Wayne Morse (Democrat, Oregon, who was elected as a Republican. switched to an Independent political label and then became a Democrat—all during the same term of office—said the message -presented a view oi the world and domestic problems through "rose-coloured glass.” Later, the Democratic Leader in the Senate, Senator Lyndon Johnson, of Texas. .aid in a statement approved by the Democratic policy committee that the “political overtones” of the President’s message “are the subject of deep disappointment and great regret. ‘Most Americans know that the domestic stuation is not as rosy as it has been pictured and that the international situation is one of deep concern,” he added. In Lordon, "The Times” praised President Eisenhower for his State of the Union message. "In general, it was shot throigh with those liberal and humane spirations which have won him persoial popularity far beyond his own country. For its details as well as its brojder scope, it should be remembered as the basis of sound action.” The "Duly Telegraph” said: “The President has outlined worthy goals in a spirit" unusually free from party calculation” The plan for long-term economic aid in the President's message was welcomed in Taris as a potential answer to the Soviet Unions new “rouble diplomacy.” The President’s plans for relaxing immigration regulations were also welcomed. A French Foreign Ministry spokesman said the message contained proposals that could make a valuable contribution to the organisation of the free world.