HELP EUROPE PROMPTLY

Chronicle (Levin), 8 January 1948, Page 5

HELP EUROPE PROMPTLY

• (N,Z.PJL.-

- Reuter ;

President Truman's PleaTo Nation

Comiright)

Received Wednesday, 11.25 p.m. ' • W ASH1N GITOX, Jan. 7. President Truman, in a "state oi union" message today cailed on (Jongress to abandon party politics despiie che oneoming elections, ratifv the European recovery programme promptly anu gi\-e him effective weapons with whicn to ffght domestie infiation. The President set forth an exhaustivb legislative programiue paralleling aua enlarging^on the '"'new deal" policies. He said "We ean inerease the nation 's output at least one-third over tne present level, I-ift the standard of living to nearly double ten years ago, and go far tow-ard stamping out poverty in our generation. ' ' President Truman declared that it was of highest impovti.nce that Congress should approve the (3, 800,()00,00t; dollar appropriation for the iirst lo months of the. Marshall plan to start 011 April 1 at the latest. He repeated his demand for wageprice controls and rationing powers to bait undermining the standard of living' and- threat to a new depression. The President set forth objeetives in bettering the living standards antl improving the general welfare of the people .of the United States, and submitted a scheme to give tax relief to low income famiJies l)y increasing company taxation. He outlined a broad programme of sociai security measures ineluding better unemployment and pension benefits and health aids. Dealing with inflation, he said it was undermining the living standards or millions of families, sending housmg costs to fantastie heights and bringmg schools and hospitals into fmancial ctistress, but worst of all it held the threat of another depression. He declared that his anti-inflation programme vvhich tiie Republicans rejected in Deceinber, was now desperatelv needed. President Truman recommended 1ns public works sclieme to develop the nation 's resonrces and a continuation ot the present price support programme to assure farmers fair price levels. Defending his foreign joolicy the President proclaimed: "We are foilowing' a sound construtcive and practical course in carrving out our determination to aehieve peace. We are iightmg poverty, liunger ^and suffering. This Jeads to peace — not to war. We are building a world wliere all nations, large and small alilce, may iive free from fear of aggression. Above alt else we are striving to aehieve concord among the peoples of the world, baseu on the dignity of the in.dividual and the brotherhood of man. ' ' President Truman made only indireet reference to Russia and her neiglvoours when he said that unfortunately not all tTOvernments shared the United tftates' hope that economic reconstruction ni many areas of the world eould be achieved through a cooperative effort among the nati'ons. "In spite of these differenees we will go forward with our efl'orts ot overcome the economic paralysis, " he said. The President promised that he would submit to Congress soon an aid iirogramme for China and liinted at a x->os-sible need for additional funds for Greeee and Turkey, Hailing Unite'd Xations' attempts to revive world economy, he said: " We leamed that a healthy world economy is essential to world peace— that economic distress is a disease whose evil effeets spreail far beyond the boundaries of the afflicted nation." President Truman said the present minimum wage of 45 cents an hour in the United States should be increased to 75 cents.