Marshall Aid As Weapon: U.S. Republican’s Move

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 June 1950, Page 8

Marshall Aid As Weapon: U.S. Republican’s Move

WASHINGTON, June 21.—Marshall Aid was involved in moves by the Republican Party in'Washington today on the questions, of British policy on the Schuman Plan and also the Chinese problem. ■

Senator William Knowland (Republican, California), an outstanding opponent of recognition of Communist China, said in the Senate that he would offer an amendment in the Appropriations Committee to provide for only a seven months’ allotment of Economic Co-operation and arms aid funds. • ‘ Red China Issue

He said that such a provision would enable Congress when it returned in January to have additional facts about whether the British Government and other governments receiving United States aid were going to sOat the Chinese Communist regime in the United Nations. Senator Knowland, in a statement outside the chamber,, said that if his proposal were adopted Congress, when it resumed in January, could decide whether to withhold or to adjust its appropriations “in light of developments.” He added that there was an indication that the British Government was “now at work” in ah effort to seat the Chinese Communists, in the United Nations. He- also said that if the State Department were unwilling to take the lead in resisting Soviet pressure to seat the Communists, it was time Congress did so.

Senatoi- Knowland made his announcement while a group of Republicans was studying the rough draft of another proposal which would reduce Marshall Aid to Britain by 340,000,000 dollars unless the British Government joined in the Schuman Plan for pooling Europe’s coal and steel.

The’ Republicans today revived their agitation for revision of the Administration’s opposition to any new aid programme for the Chinese Nationalists. The renewal of the Republican demand followed American press reports from Tokio that General MacArthur was urging the United. States Government to assist in the defence of Formosa against the Communists.

Press dispatches attributed to General MacArthur’s staff take the view that Formosa might become a danger to the United States defence line in Okinawa and the Philippines if it fell to the Chinese Communists.