Truman Asks For Big Arms Aid Vote

Wanganui Chronicle, 27 July 1949, Page 5

Truman Asks For Big Arms Aid Vote

(N.Z.P.A.—Copyright.)

WASHINGTON, July 25.—President Truman’s Administration asked Congress today to vote a 1450 million-dol-lar foreign arms aid programme, declaring that Russia and international communism made this outlay necessary. It was the first step under the North Atlantic Treaty with “future programmes” yet to take shape. A draft of the Bill submitted by the State Department simultaneously with a special message from Mr. Truman would give the President sweeping powers to ship guns and other weapons, but not atom bombs, to friendly nations all over the world. Today’s action was the follow-up to a long and bitter Senate debate over ratification of the North Atlantic Treaty which was passed by 82 votes to 13. The Bill provides for 125,000,000 dollars to be made available immediately it is passed, pending the appropriation of the full 1,450,000,000 dollars by Congress. The amount would be distributed as follows: (1) 940,000,000 dollars for military equipment and technical and training assistance to Western European pact signatories (2) 155,000,000 dollars to increase military production in these pact countries. (3) 300,000,000 dollars for military assistance to other countries, including Greece and Turkey. (4) A 45,00,000 dollars emergency fund. (5) 10,000,000 dollars for administrative expenses. - The Bill provides (1) that the President could obtain equipment for the programme by taking it from Government stocks, buying new material and helping other nations to produce it themselves. (2) The President also could accept materials from other Governments on the general principle of wartime reverse lend-lease. (3) Equipment to be supplied by the United States would have some strings attached. Receiving countries would have to agree to use United States assistance to build up their own strength against aggression; they could not transfer materials to other countries without the President’s consent. He could suspend grants to any country if he decided that continued aid to that country was no longer consistent with the national interests of the United States. (4) The whole operation would have to be consistent with the United Nations Charter. The President would be required to discontinue help to any country against which United Nations took preventive action. (5) In addition to the 1450 million dollars the Appropriation Bill would permit the President to buy or sell arms under foreign aid contracts up to a maximum of 100,000,000 dollars. This provision is designed primarily to help Latin-American countries to buy military supplies in the United States. (6) “Nothing in this Act shall alter, amend, revoke, repeal or otherwise affect provisions of the Atomic Energy Act of 1946." (This Act bars the Government from releasing atomic explosives).

Aside from the pact countries, nations it proposes to aid include Greece, Turkey, Korea, the Philippines and Persia. Amounts for these countries were not detailed.

The Bill would give the President power to permit certain countries which have not yet returned ships lent under the wartime Lend-Lease Act to retain the vessels. A state department report said artillery could be provided immediately from United States stocks. Small arms, mortars, special purpose vehicles, tanks and ships would require rehabilitation taking four to six months.

Approximately 5 per cent, of the value of arms to be sent to North Atlantic Pact countries is planned for delivery during the financial year which began on July 1. About half ol' the programme would depend on new arms production; the remainder would be drawn from United States reserves and surplus stocks. State Department estimated that the Western European nations are spending 5500 million dollars annually for arms, which is considered the maximum they can afford now. Opponents of the principle of the amount involved predict that the debate in both Houses will be long drawn out. The House may approve it m som e form or other before the current session ends, but there is a question whether it can get through Senate this year.