RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PEACE CORPS AND POINT 4 PROGRAM Senator SPARKMAN. Mr. Pollak, I noticed you said in the concluding part of your statement that you believe this Peace Corps is a new direction in foreign policy techniques. Don't you think it follows rather closely the pattern established in the old point 4 program? Mr. POLLAK. Well, it seems to me the efforts to establish this socalled middle manpower go beyond the point 4 experience, which seemed to emphasize, for the most part, advisory types of personnel. I am reminded in this connection of a letter which I received from a friend in Baghdad, Iraq. He points out that in Iraq there are many skilled people qualified to give that in Iraq, rather, there are needs for giving basic training in nearly every field, as is the case in so many underdeveloped countries. Iraq has many trained university people, but still not enough, and rather lying in between these academic and well-meaning people, and the unskilled workers, there is a marked dearth of skilled manpower. He says that there are many architects and engineers, for example, who can design buildings, but there are relatively few electricians, pipefitters, and the like who are trained in modern techniques of their craft. He says that if training could be arranged for these people, preferably through vocational schools financed from private funds, and managed by nongovernmental organizations, Iraq would benefit greatly. Well, the point is that there is a gap between the adviser and the worker which can be filled, in part, by the Peace Corps recruit, and it is to that group that we would like to direct our attention in recruiting. The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, Mr. Pollak. Mr. POLLAK. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. The next witness is Mr. Edward F. Snyder, Friends Committee on National Legislation. STATEMENT OF EDWARD F. SNYDER, LEGISLATIVE SECRETARY, FRIENDS COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL LEGISLATION Mr. SNYDER. Mr. Chairman, my name is Edward F. Snyder. I am legislative secretary of the Friends Committee on National Legislation. The policies advocated by that committee are supported by many members of the Religious Society of Friends, but it does not claim to speak for all Friends because the democratic organization of the Society of Friends does not lend itself to official spokesmen. We appreciate the opportunity to appear before the Foreign Relations Committee to give our strong commendation to the bill to create a Peace Corps (S. 2000), which is sponsored by Senator Hubert H. Humphrey and 14 other Members of the Senate. INTEREST AND ENTHUSIASM GENERATED FOR PEACE CORPS This imaginative new Government program is supported by many Friends across the country who have had worthwhile experience in similar programs carried on by Friends groups and others. The Friends Committee on National Legislation gave strong support last year for the proposal by Representative Henry Reuss and Senator Richard Neuberger to study the feasibility of a point 4 Youth Corps and for Senator Humphrey's bill to create a Peace Corps, and has followed the progress of this concept closely since. The interest and enthusiasm which has been generated for this proposal, especially among young people, is a reassuring sign that in our Nation many people stand ready to serve and to sacrifice in order to help bring a measure of hope and assistance to less fortunate people throughout the world. This enthusiasm has been buttressed by much hard thinking about the whole Peace Corps concept by Maurice L. Albertson and his colleagues at the Colorado State University Research Foundation who have carried on the study authorized by Congress last year, by the pooling of the very considerable experience of the voluntary agencies, many of which have conducted similar programs abroad for years, by the pilot Peace Corps created by President Kennedy last March 1 and directed by R. Sargent Shriver, and by the contributions of thoughtful citizens across the country. We hope that the many recommendations for the establishment of a permanent Peace Corps will be accepted by this committee and the Congress. PEACE CORPS SHOULD INCREASINGLY WORK THROUGH INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS I would like to make these very brief comments about this bill and the direction we hope this program will take: 1. The Peace Corps should increasingly work through international organizations like the United Nations, its specialized agencies, and regional organizations. We are glad to note that international agencies are one of the channels for using Peace Corps volunteers, and that Adlai E. Stevenson has asked the U.N. Economic and Social Council, meeting in Geneva in July, to consider the use of volunteers from U.N. members in U.N. programs. The growing use of Peace Corps volunteers through the U.N. and other international agencies would assure doubting neutrals that Peace Corps members are serving the broad interests of mankind. It would enable them to serve in more countries than might be possible under a strictly bilateral program. It would allow young Americans to pool their skills and talents with those of people from other developed and developing countries. And it would help to strengthen further these essential international institutions. PEACE CORPS SHOULD CHANNEL EFFORTS THROUGH COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES, AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES 2. The Peace Corps should also channel much of its efforts through colleges, universities, and voluntary agencies, insofar as is practical and feasible. In its initial stages the Peace Corps has made considerable use of voluntary groups. We hope this will continue. Representative Henry Reuss in stressing the value of private efforts in our pluralistic society has suggested to the Peace Corps: Where possible don't do it yourself. Let the colleges, universities, and nongovernmental organizations do it. There are instances where nongovernmental organizations, because of their unofficial status, their extensive experience and local contacts are more acceptable than Government programs. Nongovernmental organizations have distributed nearly a billion and a half dollars in agricultural commodities in 11 years for the U.S. Government. Furthermore, every year Congress in the mutual security bill appropriates about $2 million to pay for ocean freight for the shipment of relief supplies abroad by voluntary agencies. PEACE CORPS SHOULD UTILIZE NATIONALS OF OTHER COUNTRIES 3. Peace Corps programs should make full use on a reciprocal basis of nationals of other countries. Many ways have already been suggested. We hope even greater efforts will be made to bring people to this country to participate in the training and orientation process. Abroad it seems most important that Peace Corps volunteers work side by side with citizens of the other country so that they will leave behind them on departure able people prepared to carry on the work. Peace Corps volunteers could work with nationals of other countries on projects in this country-on Indian reservations, in city slums, in needy rural areas as part of their training or on specific Peace Corps projects. NEED FOR OPERATING FLEXIBILITY 4. Congress should permit the Peace Corps considerable flexibility in operation. This is a new program. It is complex because it attempts to work through many channels, governmental and nongovernmental, national and international. It is important that the enthusiasm and dedication which young people bring to the venture be stimulated, not dampened, sidetracked, or muffled. EMPHASIS ON FRIENDLINESS, HUMILITY, AND SERVICE 5. Training and orientation programs should emphasize attitudes of friendliness, humility and service to others. The attitudes of the present leaders of the Peace Corps have in large measure reflected this spirit which is essential for a successful program. As Americans we have much to learn as well as much to share. As a nation we have our own problems of social and economic development. The people of Asia, Africa, and Europe can teach us much if we are prepared to listen and to receive. Americans can also contribute by stressing the dignity of common labor, by showing the values of cooperation and by setting forth a truer picture of the role played by different groups and individuals in our complex democratic society. SHARING EXPERIENCES WITH OTHER AMERICANS 6. Upon their return, Peace Corps volunteers and leaders should be urged to share their experiences with other Americans. Returning Peace Corps members can provide intimate firsthand reports of conditions in the less developed countries to their friends and neighbors, to hometown newspapers, service clubs, unions, and church and civic groups. Sensitive reporting can add significantly to the essential task of increasing our understanding of events and conditions around the world. Former Peace Corps members also provide an invaluable reservoir of able people who can be called upon for other governmental or nongovernmental tasks. POSSIBLE JOINT PROJECTS WITH COMMUNIST COUNTRIES 7. The Peace Corps should search for joint projects which could be undertaken with young people from Communist countries. There is a desperate need to expand the areas of cooperation and to end disruptive competition between the Communist and non-Communist world. The International Geophysical Year accomplished a great deal in furthering cooperation among scientists around the world. The Antarctica Treaty has helped assure cooperative, nonmilitary exploration and development of that vast area. Cultural and educational exchanges have provided a basis for better understanding. Russian and American soldiers fought together in World War II. Should we not now explore whether Soviet and American young people can join together to wage peace? Projects in the field of better health, malaria eradication, pure water and sanitation facilities might be one place to begin. Exploration would show whether success might be more likely through a U.N. or a bilateral project. PREPARATION FOR EXPANSION OF PEACE CORPS 8. The Peace Corps should be prepared to expand considerably to meet the limitless needs of the underdeveloped areas for able dedicated workers. Raising the standard of living significantly in the underdeveloped countries is a staggering but essential task. It requires a much greater commitment of time, energy and resources by people in the developed and underdeveloped nations than has yet been achieved. In many ways real progress depends on providing assistance at the community level, where Peace Corps volunteers can play a useful role. If Peace Corps volunteers are well received and are successful in performing the arduous tasks assigned them, the demand for volunteers may well increase sharply. This will afford a greater opportunity for the American people to share much more fully in the present struggle of most of the world's people to free themselves from ignorance, poverty, disease, and hunger. We urge this committee to give its full support to the creation of a permanent Peace Corps. The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, Mr. Snyder. Any questions? Senator SPARKMAN. No questions. The CHAIRMAN. The next witness is Dr. Robert E. Van Deusen, of the National Lutheran Council. STATEMENT OF DR. ROBERT E. VAN DEUSEN, WASHINGTON SECRETARY, DIVISION OF PUBLIC RELATIONS, NATIONAL LUTHERAN COUNCIL Reverend VAN DEUSEN. Senator Fulbright, I would like, first of all, to make one factual correction. In the list of witnesses my address is listed as Minneapolis, Minn. My home and office are in Washington, and the headquarters of National Lutheran Council are in New York. We have a substantial segment of our people in Minnesota, as Senator Humphrey knows, but it is not our headquarters. COMPOSITION OF THE NATIONAL LUTHERAN COUNCIL My name is Robert E. Van Deusen. I am the Washington secretary of the division of public relations of the National Lutheran Council. The council is a cooperative agency of six national church bodies, having a total membership of approximately 5,500,000 in 11,000 local congregations. These churches and their headquarters are: The American Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, Minn. The United Lutheran Church in America, New York City. The Augustana Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, Minn. The Lutheran Free Church, Minneapolis, Minn. The Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church, Hancock, Mich. STUDY OF PEACE CORPS BEING UNDERTAKEN The executive committee of the National Lutheran Council, at its meeting on March 23, 1961, authorized the staff to study the organization and objectives of the Peace Corps and to explore the feasibility of possible cooperative relationships between the churches and the Peace Corps. This study is still in progress and no policy determination has been made as yet in regard to specific relationships. My comments at this time are therefore personal rather than official, They are, however, based on active participation in the staff study mentioned above, which included several conferences with Peace Corps officials. I will attempt to reflect general consensus or lack of consensus among Lutheran leaders as to the basic idea underlying the Peace Corps, its values and its risks, and the advisability of the participation of church-related agencies in Peace Corps projects. IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING PEACE CORPS MOTIVATION ON AN 1. Basic Peace Corps idea IDEALISTIC BASIS There is substantial agreement among church people that the idea of sending Americans abroad to work with nations of developing countries is a good one, providing it is done in the right spirit and after careful preparation. In fact, such service has been rendered under church auspices for many decades and church mission boards have an intimate working knowledge of the problems and possibilities involved in projects in the field of education, medicine, agriculture, and community development. It will be important that the motivation for the program be kept on an idealistic basis. If the emphasis of the Peace Corps should change from the "promotion of world peace and friendship" which is stated in its declaration of purpose to promotion of American military, economic, and political objectives, international acceptance of the program could change to resentment and rejection. |