The Nome Nugget

Huge Foreign
Aid Bill

(By Alex H. Singleton)

WASHINGTON. (AP) —Spurred by alarm over strife in Greece and a widening split between Russia and the western powers, the House shoved along to the Senate Saturday a $1,603,199,094 appropriations measure carrying $1,353,900 to finance this nation's foreign policy.

House passage came last night by voice vote in just an hour's time. This is a peacetime record for a measure of its magnitude and international implication—amid cries for halting all aid to countries under Russian domination.

Assurance that such ban is intended came from chairman Taber (R.-N. Y.) of the House appropriations committee, speaking against the background of testimony—some secret, some public—from high ranking army and diplomatic chiefs.

He told the House that aid will be denied to countries ideologically and economically associated with the Soviet Union "unless they turn over a new leaf and show that they are willing to cooperate with nations which believe in freedom."

The foreign funds included the full $400,000,000 previously authorized to bolster Greece and Turkey against Communism; $332,000,000 for foreign relief; $550,000,000 to pay the costs of the army's relief-government occupation program in Germany, Korea and Japan; and $71,024,000 for the United States share in the international refugees organization.

Consideration of the omnibus aid measure came as Chairman Eaton (R.-N. J.) of the House foreign affairs committee said that "We are in sight of a shooting war at this minute" in Greece.

Eaton declared: "The Russians, as a result of the Marshall plan, have taken off their masks. There are alien armed forces now in Greece. Either America will stand firm and hold the fort, or Russia will take over. If Russia takes over, the destiny of mankind is once more at stake."