Speech #810285140

It seems to me to be reasonable. inasmuch as the figure was put in the bill after consultation between the Senator from Tennessee and other members of the Appropriations Committee and the President of the United States. that it would be unwise to cut this figure. Therefore I have asked that it be exempted from the ByrdBridges amendment. The third item I have added is in title 3. chapter XB. under the heading "Aid to Palestine Refugees." I think we are in danger of overlooking the importance of this matter. because along with other appropriations it would receive a 10 percent cut. Mr. President. I have received from friends of mine who have been very intimately acquainted with Middle Eastern affairs for some time. especially Mr. Henry Sloane Coffin. who is head of this Palestine refugee movement. earnest representations that a reduction in this particular appropriation now might have very damaging psychological effects in the Arab world. These Palestine refugees are Arabs who have lost their homes because of the unfortunate warfare in the Palestine area. The United Nations in making an effort to do something for them. and our share of the amount needed for that purpose. on the basis of a study made by the special commissioner whom we sent there for that purpose. is $27.450.000. That figure has been restored in the bill and it stands at that. If a 10percent cut were made in the amount provided for in this program it is felt that a serious psychological mistake would be made in our dealings with our Arab friends. Therefore at the request of my friends. who are vitally interested in this work I added the item Aid to Palestine Refugees as an exemption from the ByrdBridges amendment. Let me point out that the total of these three items. International Childrens Welfare Work. International Development. and Aid to Palestine Refugees. would be $66.850.000. of which we would save only $6.000.000 by a 10percent cut. and probably give a devastating psychological blow to the work being done in these areas. Therefore I have decided to add these items to my amendment as well as the paragraph headed "Economic Cooperation." I desire to emphasize again that my real concern in this matter is over the item of Economic Cooperation. because if we subject it to a 10percent cut we would take $272.000.000 from the operations of the ECA. I am absolutely certain from my contacts with the leaders of the ECA and In going over the figures carefully. that there would be a detrimental effect on the work of the ECA in bringing about production in Europe by the building up of plants for military production. and building up transportation systems for military transportation. which although not immediately necessary. are vitally essential to the military.