U.N. COLLABORATION

Chronicle (Levin), 27 May 1947, Page 5

U.N. COLLABORATION

Press Assn.

President Truman Seeks Congress Aulhority

Bv Telegraph

-Copyright

Received Tuesday, 10.10 a.m. * ■ WASHIN GTON, May 26. President Truman, in a message ! from Kansas City today, asked Congress for authoxity to arm, I equip and train the armed forees of thec Western Hemisphere, including1 Canada, sayinf that, although Congress had not granted a similar request he made last year, world developments had since given hemisphere collaboration still greater importance. The legislation suggested would authorise the United States to instruct and train militarv personnel of other American countries, maintain, repair and rehabilitate their military and naval equipment, and supply them with arms and ammunition. The broad programme which President Truman outlines in his message read to Congress included the standardisation of armaments and military methods throughout the Southern Hemisphere, and stipulated that the -recipients should not transfer their equipment to other nations. President Truman said that the recipients would have to pay the costs of any material especially manufactured for them and could give the United States their present military equipment as partial payment. The United States would confine military support to "reasonable and limited purposes." President Truman added: "This Government will not in any way approve of or participate in indiscriminate or unrestricted distribution of armaments." The programme would be subject to any any general system of regulation of armaments which the United Nations might adopt. He emphasised that it- would be the Unit'ed States Government's poliey to encourage sound economic conditions in other American countries as a "prerequisite to internal peace and security."