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Show j WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS President Truman Asks for Unity As Nation Builds Up Armed Might; U.N. Forces Continue to Pull Back (EDITOR'S NOTE: When opinions are expressed In these columns, they are those of Western Newspaper Union's news analysts and not necessarily of this newspaper.) TAFT: Constructive Criticism In a speech which he called "constructive "con-structive criticism" of the administration, admin-istration, Sen. Robert A. Taft oi Ohio served notice that the Republican Re-publican party pledged itself to securing a greater voice in policy pol-icy making. The senator based his criticisms on what he called the President's legal right to send American troops to Europe. He added that we "had better commit no American troops to the European continent at this time." Mr. Taft expressed a tide of thought that has been growing throughout the United States since reverses in Korea, namely, that the defense of Europe was primarily western Europe's responsibility, not ours. Undoubtedly the most powerful Republican in the senate, Taft seemed to be serving notice on the administration that congress intended in-tended to cut in on the President's power to formulate foreign policy. If the Republicans are willing to push the question it could lead to a state of confusion in congress never before seen in a time of crisis. One of the most startling statements state-ments of the senator's speech was the one when he said the U.S. ought to go along, for the time being, in the U.N. for its value as a world forum, but that the instrumentality was mortally weak fa having been founded, not upon "justice" but upon the power of its leading mem- 250 ALl-TIME HIGH DECEMBER JULY' 1948 YEAR AGO 2J06 '3 ' ,.-..... 206.7 1 1 200 i 175 : z. o ;::::;;; mmwm ; ifi if mi 31 ' -J I 1 , 100 LBwiiU- 1935-39 AVERAGE ivir-T11I f 1 I With food prices near the all-time high of July, 1948, which was nearly 217.3 per cent of the 1935-39 average, the government drafted a 30-day moratorium on all prices increased. The chart above traces the food price spiral. The moratorium was delayed by disagreement within the government's economic-control organization. A-Bomb I I 9 - ' ; ' . I - 'i &L ? -fr ar-. i -tog aca XijJk TRUMAN: Drops Fair Deal President Truman opened his "State of the Union" message to congress with the words "our country coun-try is in a healthy condition." From that point he stressed strength and unity in the face of Communist aggression throughout the world. One of the remarkable points of the President's message was his apparent willingness to drop his much debated Fair Deal program for the time being in order to get on with the business of building build-ing up the free world's ability to wage "a full-scale war against Russia," if such conflict becomes necessary. Mr. Truman's plea for unity was impressive and undoubtedly won him some new friends in a hostile congress. "I ask the congress for unity .... I do not ask, or expect, unanimity .... Let us debate the issues, but let every man among us weigh his words and deeds," he said. Many legislators called the President's Pres-ident's speech conciliatory. And despite v certain routine political sharpshooting which some Republicans Repub-licans indulged in after his address, it was obvious that the opposition party was affected favorably by his effort to find unity of purpose. It seems likely that an era of greater co-operation and political peace is in store for the 82nd congress con-gress than could have been hoped for a few months ago. The people along the main streets of America may at least see swift and vital decisions made to meet the crisis. It was also evident from the President's speech that on one point he would not give an inch. He stood unyielding on the issue of military co-operation with western Europe. -tv me ycuyie 111 me iiuuie towns of the country who had placed their faith in the United Nations it was like a blow below the belt. Was is possible that some of the nation's leading legislators believed that the United Nations was as dead as the League of Nations? Was it possible that some of our prominent promi-nent leaders favored U.S. withdrawal withdraw-al from the United Nations? Taft's speech put those questions into the minds of many. Two days after his "policy" speech. Senator Taft announced he was in favor of pulling U.S. troops out of Korea and setting up a new Pacific defense line based on Formosa and Japan. For these he would fight, he said. He then warned that if Russia attacks at-tacks western Europe "it means war." CONTROLS: A Matter of Time Wage and price controls appeared ap-peared certain for the nation as it moved toward full mobilization. To the average housewife the need for price controls on food was becoming becom-ing desperate. A disagreement within the government's gov-ernment's economic-control organization organ-ization blocked action on a planned 30-day wage-price freeze. The action ac-tion was a temporary measure to hold the line until enforcement machinery ma-chinery could be set up about March 1. Price controller Michael V. Di-Salle Di-Salle reportedly will need 30,000 workers for a nationwide staff, of whom more than half would be charged with tracking down black marketeers, hoarders, price goug-ers goug-ers and other control chiselers. Some temporary plan to stop the price spiral was considered necessary neces-sary by most people. At the present pres-ent rate of increase, food prices Atomic energy commission chairman, Gordon Dean (above), reported recently the Russians do have the atomic bomb. He made the announcement announce-ment during a news conference confer-ence in which he told newsmen news-men that the government will have to cut down its development develop-ment of atomic energy for peacetime uses because of the international situation. KOREA: Pattern Repeated The pattern of the Korean conflict con-flict continued to repeat itself. Following the January 1 attack by Chinese and North Korean Communists Com-munists on United Nations forces south of the 38th parallel, a general gen-eral retreat to the south and the old Pusan beachhead continued. The retreat was along the old "Heartbreak Highway" down which Americans and South Koreans first retreated before the North Korean invaders last July. Although Communist casualties were reported heavy, the Reds continued to attack and push southward. south-ward. It seemed unlikely that United Nations Na-tions forces would be able to es- would be at an all-time high by March 1 and would bring hardship for fixed income groups. Millions of workers have contracts which grant pay increases as the price index climbs and this group would not suffer. The people on pensions and white collar workers are hardest hit by any price spiral. Eisenhower ' S r-Mt -V p. - ; f The Program President Truman outlined a 10-point legislative program in his "State of the Union" message mes-sage to congress: 1. Appropriations for the armed forces build-up. 2. Extension and revision of the, draft 'law, presumably to induct 18-year-olds and extend the draft term from 21 to 27 or 30 months. 3. Military and economic aid to the rest of the free world. 4. Revision and extension of his authority to expand production produc-tion and control wages, prices, and rents. 5. Improvement of the agricultural agri-cultural laws to help "obtain the kinds of farm products we need for the defense effort." This might include a direct subsidy sub-sidy to farmers to keep from setting farm price ceilings at less than parity. 6. Improvement of labor laws to "help provide stable labor-management labor-management relations" and assure as-sure "steady" production. 7. Housing and training of defense de-fense workers and "the full use of all our man-power resources." 8. Legislation to increase the supply of doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel. 9. Federal aid to the States for elementary and secondary education. 10. A "major increase" in taxes. tablish a line short of the Pusan beachhead. What would happen after that is anyone's guess. Some military leaders believe U.N. troops will be able to stand off Communist thrusts with the aid of U.S. fleet guns. It seemed unlikely, un-likely, however, that a counter-offensive counter-offensive could be launched for months. It was obvious to every observer observ-er that the position of U.N. troops in Korea was steadily growing worse. And there was no indication indica-tion that their position would get better. FARMING: Some Curbs Lifted The government removed all restrictions re-strictions on production of wheat and corn for 1951 in an effort to maintain safe reserves of these vital bread and livestock feed grains under the national emergency. emer-gency. The only crops still under production pro-duction controls are some types of tobacco, peanuts and rice. It is possible that restrictions may be eased on peanuts and rice. The action came too late for ad-ditioal ad-ditioal planting of winter wheat but is expected to increase spring wheat planting which makes up 30 per cent of the nation's crop. Farm experts predicted that the unlimited corn acreage would increase in-crease the nation's meat supply by at least three pounds per person per-son this year. There was enough meat available in 1950 to supply each person with 145 pounds. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower (above), is surrounded by lens-men lens-men as he speaks for newsreel and television cameras in the Pentagon during his first press conference after being named commander-in-chief for European Euro-pean armies. He left for a tour of European capitals shortly afterwards, declaring that the defense of western Europe cannot can-not be carried out successfully unless sacrifices of other Atlantic At-lantic pact nations equal those of the U.S. DRAFT: For All 18-Yeor-Olds Any day now the defense department depart-ment will ask congress for a blanket blank-et draft of all physically fit 18-year-olds to serve 27 to 30 months in uniform. There is a question, however, whether or not congress will approve ap-prove immediately. A number of legislators were reported splitting hairs over the request. Many felt that 18 was young enough and 24 months long enough. |