Secretary of State John Foster Dulles conferred today with top advisers on the Middle East arms situation in preparation for his appearance tomorrow before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. It is considered likely that Mr. Dulles will confer with the President on the arms question.
Mr. Dulles, reportedly, will justify the sale of tanks to Saudi Arabia with four excuses:1. The danger of a Saudi Arabian arms deal with the Communists; 2. The need to gain Saudi Arabian agreement for renewal of the Dharan airbase agreement; 3. The need to protect strategic oil interests, and 4. The view of the Administration that the sale of the 18 tanks would not upset the Arab-Israel power balance.
Chairman Walter F. George of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said today the American people should have “fuller knowledge” of the Middle Eastern situation. He expressed hope that his committee can lay the groundwork for better understanding tomorrow when Secretary of State Dulles appears before an executive session.
The Senator said there was too much “confusion” in the public and Congressional mind about the Middle East development. He revealed he knew absolutely nothing of the Saudi Arabian tank deal until he read the newspapers. He indicated he expected fuller information from the State Department.
It is not expected that Mr. Dulles will complete his testimony before the committee on Friday. If a Saturday session is not held, the committee may call Mr. Dulles back on Monday Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey urged that a hearing at which answers will be demanded of Secretary Dulles be opened to the public because the American people “have too much at stake not to get the answers.” Later, Sen. George announced the hearings would be open.
Rep. Clement J. Zablocki, a ranking Democratic member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said today in a letter to his Wisconsin constituents that the Administration’s “on again, off again” position on the shipment of army tanks to Saudi Arabia “will undoubtedly hurt our prestige abroad, and only aggravate the Arab-Israeli controversy.”
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