Johnson Forecasts Senate Will Approve Middle East Resolution; Russia Loses Plea for U.N. Talks

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14--Senate approval of the modified Middle East resolution was forecast today by Sen. Johnson (D-Tex.), the majority leader.

Johnson said he favored the legislation, which proclaims the readiness of the United States to fight Communist aggression in the Middle East if President Eisenhower deems it necessary.

He predicted it would be passed by the Senate in substantially the same form it came out of the Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees yesterday. Meeting jointly the committees approved the resolutions on a 20-8 vote.

Sen. Knowland of California, the GOP leader, said the State Department is making a study of the new language. The White House reported last night that both Eisenhower and Secretary of State Dulles are inclined to believe the language is designed to give the President the authority he asked for.

No Debate on Ike Doctrine

UNITED NATIONS, N.Y., Feb. 14--The U.N. Steering Committee beat down today a Soviet demand for immediate Assembly debate on the Eisenhower doctrine and other alleged aggressive acts by the United States.

The committee voted 8-6 against the Russian move after U.S. Chief Delegate Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., denounced the complaint as "stupidly false" and a "gigantic cock and bull story."

Lodge, however, conformed to the standing U.S. policy in favor of airing all charges against the United States. He voted with the Soviet delegation for a debate. Others voting for debate were Czechoslovakia, Egypt, India and Britain.

Britain to Cut Forces

LONDON, Feb. 14--Britain formally told her NATO allies today she must cut the number of British troops in Western Germany.

A strained economy and a new nuclear concept of military strategy lay behind the move. Details are still secret but it is reported Britain will reduce her forces in Germany from 80,000 to about 50,000.

The decision was announced as French Defense Minister Maurice Bourges-Manoury arrived in London and told newsmen that France too wants to slim down her military system. He is here for talks with British officials on coordinating the two nations' cuts.

A.P. News in Brief

The Treasury announced yesterday it wants to raise the interest it pays on U.S. savings bonds to 3 1/4 per cent. The present rate is 3 per cent. If Congress approves--as expected--the change will be retroactive to Feb. 1.

Secretary of the Interior Seaton yesterday proclaimed his opposition to peacetime price-wage controls and said there is nothing he can do about recent oil and gasoline price increases. Investigating senators jumped him on grounds he had not appealed to the oil industry to hold down prices.