A good deal of the military mat6riel in question might well be part of United States lendlease. the $24.000.000.000 balance of which was settled with the British in March 1946 for $650.000.000 on longterm partial payments at very low interest and with a very generous escape clause. We certainly have a right to consider this factor in assessing the whole British policy of arms sales to the Arab states. In a previous effort to establish a positive policy for the United States in respect to the Near East. 44 Representatives and 6 Senators on May 18. 1949. introduced House Joint Resolution 427 et sequentia and Senate Joint Resolution 93 calling for the appointment by the President of a Near East Development Commission to investigate and make recommendations on. first. immigration and resettlement of displaced persons and ref ugees. second. improvement of standards of living. social services and educational opportunities. third. establishment and development of agricultural and industrial projects to increase productivity. and fourth. improvement of opportunities for technical and university education. At that time it was pointed out by this group that vast potentialities exist in the Near East for redeeming 10.000.000 to 15.000.000 new cultivatible acres of agricultural land. as these areas now being neglected had in ancient times supported great civilizations and great population centers. An estimate of $500.000.000 was given as the cost of such projects largely to be located in the river valleys of the Jordan. the Tigris. the Euphrates and the White Nile.
Keywords matched
immigration