Wright Says Reagan Must Compromise on Contra Aid

House Speaker Jim Wright (D-Tex.) today put the political onus on President Reagan to bring Republicans into line before any new “emergency” request for aid to the Nicaraguan Contra rebels is considered on Capitol Hill.

After a White House meeting that exceeded its scheduled hourlong duration, Wright gave no indication of flexibility on either end of Pennsylvania Avenue that would clear the way for action on the latest Administration plea for Contra aid.

Speaking to reporters, Wright said the humanitarian aid package he offered in the House two weeks ago “was rejected by a solid phalanx of disciplined Republican opposition.”

Need for Compromise Seen

If the issue is to be revived, he hinted it will require compromise by Reagan on terms of the aid and a promise of Republican support to achieve the two-thirds majority needed to suspend the rules for swift consideration.

“We would be glad to run it again if they were mindful of passing it,” he said.

In remarks to a group of American Jews, Reagan today portrayed the Contras as vanguards against a tide of terrorism and anti-Semitism in Nicaragua and said, “It is the freedom fighters who must be sustained in this struggle.”

The White House sounded a call Monday for reconsideration of the aid issue this week, despite the defeat of two proposals since Feb. 3 for humanitarian aid only, to avert disaster in the days ahead for a rebel force described as low on food and supplies.

White House strategists were looking to Sen. David L. Boren (D-Okla.) and others to draft a bipartisan aid package in the Senate. However, the key still was in the House, where there was no rush to develop or vote on another aid request.

Jawboning Tried

In the absence of movement, the White House resorted to jawboning.

“We’re trying to get the heat turned up on Jim Wright,” an official acknowledged. “He did a lot of bold talk when he put down the President’s package, then offered something completely unworkable as an alternative. Now we’ll see if he’s really committed to see the Contras survive.”

It was Wright who engineered the Feb. 3 defeat of Reagan’s $36.25-million Contra aid request--one that included $3.6 million in lethal aid--by promising to offer an alternative limited to humanitarian aid. His $30.8-million alternative was defeated March 3.