The Key West Citizen

Taft Believes S.S. Expansion And Revision Of Tax Set-up May Top Congress' Work; Foreign Policy Agreement May Avoid Split

WASHINGTON, Jan. 4.-(A.P.)-Sen. Robert A. Taft (R-Ohio) thinks that expansion of Social Security and revision of the nation's tax set-up may turn out to be the most important accomplishments of the new session of Congress. The Ohio senator says this is because Congress is meeting "in a political atmosphere which is most unfavorable to constructive legislation."

By that, Senator Taft means that most lawmakers will have next November's elections in mind, every time they say aye or nay. All House seats and 36 Senate terms expire at the end of the year.

Senator Taft hints that he'll go along with the administration in expanding Social Security coverage. The House already has approved a Social Security measure. The Senate Finance Committee is due to begin hearings on it within two weeks.

However, Senator Taft is ready to resume the battle against much of the President's domestic and foreign program. In a report to Ohio voters, the head of the Senate Republican Committee takes another swipe at the administration's spending program.

Says he: "I cannot conceive of any more dangerous permanent policy or one leading more certainly to economic disaster."

Taft-Vandenberg Foreign Policy Agreement

Senator Taft has reached a quiet agreement on foreign policy with his fellow Republican, Arthur Vandenberg of Michigan.

The agreement may avoid an open split between the GOP's chief spokesman on domestic matters and the party's Number-One man on foreign affairs in the Senate.

Senator Taft won't say what the agreement provides. He's disclosed only that he drew up the statement on over-all Republican foreign policy aims, and Senator Vandenberg endorsed it.

Both Taft and Vandenberg apparently feel that the Republicans should continue to co-operate with the administration on major foreign policy decisions so long as the Republicans are kept informed. Vandenberg's agreement with Taft would put the Michigan Senator in a better position to handle the members of his party who want to junk the bi-partisan foreign policy.

Taft and Vandenberg won't agree on everything. For example, the man from Michigan wants to continue the military aid program to Western Europe, while the man from Ohio has been against the program from the start-and still is.

State Department Keeping Secret Document Secret

Meanwhile, the State Department is holding out against Republican efforts to see a secret document on American policy in Formosa. Senator William Knowland of California wants to take a look at the paper, but Undersecretary of State James Webb has denied his request.

Senator Knowland says the document contained instructions to our diplomats in the Far East: The document is said to have been written off the Island of Formosa—the last stronghold of Chiang Kai-Shek.

Senator Knowland adds that the paper told American officials to prepare public opinion for the "inevitable fall" of the island—one-hundred miles off the coast of China.