Support of the present U.S. policy of granting arms to Arab countries was indicated today by Rep. James P. Richards, South Carolina Democrat who will become chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee in January.
Rep. Richards has just returned with Republican John M. Vorys, present Foreign Affairs chairman, from an Asiatic survey mission which included a tour of Israel and the Arab states. In addition to expressing favor for Arab arms aid, he said American policy in the Near East should be carried out “regardless of pressure groups.”
Emphasizing his views, Rep. Richards said he was “not at all in favor of efforts to stop military aid to the Arab states.” It was, he said, “in our national interest” to send munitions to the Arabs. He urged such arms aid in connection with global defense being erected by America against Communism.
Rep. Richards, who met with Israel Foreign Minister Moshe Sharett and Arab League leaders, said he found “awful prejudice on both sides” with both Arabs and Israelis portraying “everything as either black or white.” Israel should be considered as no more significant than any single Arab state, he said, and “no country should be considered better or worse.”
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