American Assembly and including the names of its trustees and officers. (The pamphlet text follows:) EXHIBIT 174 "THE AMERICAN ASSEMBLY" The American Assembly presupposes that the practice of democracy The American Assembly was established by Dwight D. Eisenhower at Columbia University in 1950. It holds nonpartisan assemblies and publishes authoritative books to illuminate issues of U.S. policy. An affiliate of Columbia, with offices in the graduate school of business, the assembly is a national, educational institution incorporated under the laws of the State of New York. The assembly seeks to provide information, stimulate discussion, and evoke independent conclusions in matters of vital public interest. AMERICAN ASSEMBLY SESSIONS The preparation: At least two national assembly programs are initiated each year. Authorities are retained to write background papers presenting essential data and defining the main issues in each subject. The Arden House Assembly: About 60 men and women representing a broad range of experience, competence, and American leadership meet for several days to discuss the assembly topic and consider alternatives for national policy. The assembly technique: All assemblies follow the same procedure. The background papers are sent to participants in advance of the assembly. The assembly meets in small groups for four or five lengthy periods. All groups use the same agenda. At the close of these informal sessions participants adopt in plenary session a final report of findings and recommendations. This is circulated widely. Other assemblies: International, regional, State, and local assemblies are held following the national session at Arden House. Thus far, assemblies have been held in Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and in most areas of the United States. Over 75 institutions have cosponsored 1 or more assemblies. AMERICAN ASSEMBLY BOOKS The background papers for each assembly program are published as cloth and paperbound books; the conclusions of the assemblies in pamphlets. These studies are put to use by individuals, libraries, businesses, public agencies, nongovernmental organizations, educational institutions, discussion and service groups. this way the deliberations of assembly sessions are continued and extended. American Assembly publications: 1951-U.S.-Western Europe Relationships. 1952-Inflation. 1953-Economic Security for Americans. 1954-The U.S. Stake in the U.N. The Federal Government Service. 1955-United States Agriculture. The Forty-Eight States (State Government). 1956-The Representation of the United States Abroad. The United States and the Far East. 1957-International Stability and Progress. Atoms for Power. 1958 The United States and Africa. United States Monetary Policy. 1959-Wages, Prices, Profits and Productivity. The United States and Latin America. In 1960-The Federal Government and Higher Education. The Secretary of State. Goals for Americans. 1961-Arms Control: Issues for the Public. Outer Space: Prospects for Man and Society. 1962-Automation and Technological Change. Cultural Affairs and Foreign Relations. 1963-The Population Dilemma. The United States and the Middle East. 1964-The United States and Canada. The Congress and America's Future. 1965-The Courts, the Public, and the Law Explosion. The United States and Japan. 1966-The United States and the Philippines. State Legislatures. Revised editions: 1962-The United States and the Far East. 1963-The United States and Latin America. The United States and Africa. 1964-United States Monetary Policy. 1965-The Federal Government Service. The Representation of the United States Abroad. HOME OF THE AMERICAN ASSEMBLY Home of The American Assembly and scene of the national sessions is Arden House, which was given to Columbia University in 1950 by W. Averell Harriman. E. Roland Harriman joined his brother in contributing toward adaptation of the property for conference purposes. The buildings and surrounding land, known as the Harriman Campus of Columbia University, are 50 miles north of New York City. Arden House is a distinguished conference center. It is self-supporting and operates throughout the year for use by organizations with educational objectives. The American Assembly is a tenant of this Columbia University facility only during assembly sessions. HOW THE ASSEMBLY IS FINANCED From the beginning, the American Assembly has been financed by contributions from individuals, foundations, labor unions, farm groups, and corporations interested in promoting vigorous and informed consideration of major public questions. Senator GRUENING. Mr. Nelson has quoted some of the resolutions and recommendations contained in the final reports of the various regional assemblies on the population dilemma held in the United 54-459-66-pt. 3A-12 States during the last 2 years. I believe it would be very useful to the population dialog to enter the entire final reports as well as the list of participants, whenever these are available, and pertinent speeches and proceedings for each of the 13 assemblies in the hearing record at this time. They demonstrate the widespread attention and concern being shown all over the country for the problems we are discussing. (The reports issued following the 13 conferences follow:) EXHIBIT 175 "THE POPULATION DILEMMA, A STATEMENT OF POLICY" (San Francisco Assembly, June 27-29, 1963) [Issued by World Affairs Council of Northern California, San Francisco, Calif.] The San Francisco Assembly, presented by the World Affairs Council of Northern California in cooperation with the American Assembly, Columbia University, met in San Francisco on June 27 through June 29, 1963, to consider the "population dilemma." The report that follows was drafted on the basis of the discussions held and was reviewed by those participants who were present at the closing general session. Although there was general agreement on the final report, it is not the practice of the American Assembly for participants to affix their signatures, and it should not be assumed that every participant necessarily subscribes to every recommendation included in the statement. The American Assembly is a program of conferences which brings together representatives of business, labor, farm groups, the professions, political parties, government, and the academic community. These meetings develop recommendations on issues of national concern. The American Assembly is a nonpartisan public service designed to throw light on problems confronting citizens of the United States. The assembly was established in 1950 by Dwight D. Eisenhower, as president of Columbia University. PREAMBLE Burgeoning population, particularly in the less developed areas of the world, is a major factor contributing to economic underdevelopment, political instability and social tension. The major reason for this population increase is the recent progress achieved by medical science in prolonging life and reducing infant mortality. Public awareness of and concern about this population dilemma has developed very slowly in the United States and abroad. The potential availability of newly developed methods of reducing fertility at lower costs presents opportunities for purposefully controlling population growth. Countries can, if they desire, formulate explicit domestic population policies, services, or information programs to help reduce the rate of growth. It is vital that the American public become interested in and informed about the population issue itself and the alternatives available to confront that issue, both domestically and internationally. This assembly has dedicated itself to the task of presenting the issue to the American public. Population growth and its implications for the United States The spurt in postwar population growth in the United States has had impacts on many aspects of the society. Whether these impacts have, in the aggregate, been harmful or beneficial is extremely difficult to assess in the absence of explicitly stated and agreed upon criteria. Despite this difficulty in overall evaluation of the effects of population growth on American life, there is concern about particular aspects of the issue, such as the shift of population to urban areas, the pressure on educational facilities and teacher supply, and the ability of the economy to absorb young people into the labor force. Problems such as those associated with accelerated population growth are leading to increased public awareness and acceptance of responsibility for remedial action. However, increased population may have a positive effect by broadening consumer markets needed for sustained future economic growth. The need for conservation of natural resources in the United States is increased by population growth but is desirable no matter what the future population trends appear to be. In general, the present and projected future conservation measures offer hope for wise use of our natural resources. Progress is being made in water conservation and in soil management. However, preservation of land for park and recreational purposes may be proceeding too slowly to assure ample future availablity. Birth control is a special problem. Decisions in this area are a matter of individual family prerogative. However, the United States should formulate a national domestic population policy that recognizes individual privacy and freedom to choose or refuse family planning and birth control. Family planning information and assistance should be made available by both public and private agencies. Funds should be provided for increased research and development of new birth control methods acceptable to various groups in this country. The U.S. immigration policy should be reviewed now and periodically hereafter to eliminate obsolete discriminatory criteria such as national origin quotas, and to enforce stricter standards with respect to criteria such as literacy and health. Relationships of population to economic development A general cause and effect relationship between population growth and economic development is difficult to isolate. In the case of economically advanced countries, economic development began when population growth was proceeding at a relatively slow pace. In the underdeveloped countries today, rapid population growth is occuring before sustained economic development is well underway. Per capita income is thereby kept at a low level and present consumption may tend to limit savings needed for capital formation. In economically developed countries, where per capita income is sufficient to provide adequate savings for capital formation, moderate increase in population growth could further economic development. On the other hand, it appears that a limiting of population growth is one of the necessary conditions for fostering desirable levels of per capita economic growth in the underdeveloped countries. Other critical needs are political stability and effective monetary policies, heightened incentives to development, increased savings and capital investments, better education and training, improved opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurial activity, and more effective long-range planning. The birth rate is not likely to adjust automatically to tolerable levels as economic development proceeds. Therefore, a specific policy which encourages moderation in population growth is desirable. Successful economic development is important to help insure world political stability and to limit the encroachments of communism in the emerging nations. To the extent that population growth must be moderated to assist economic development, it, too, is important in achieving political stability. U.S. policy on world population Citizens of the United States should support the statement of the U.S. policy on population issued by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Richard Gardner in December 1962, and should encourage its implementation by our Government. Underdeveloped countries should be encouraged in their search for solution to domestic population problems. This aspect of development should be included in the U.S. Government's aid discussions with underdeveloped countries. In addition, the United States, if requested, should extend population control assistance to less developed nations. This assistance, from both public and private sources, should include not only information but direct aid in the form of supplies, research, and technical experts. Special attention should be given in this regard to Latin America because of its high rate of population increase, its proximity to the United States, and its stake in the Alliance for Progress. The United Nations, its specialized agencies and other aid-giving countries should be encouraged and supported in their work on population problems. The United Nations should take more initiative in the promotion of population research, the dissemination of these research findings, and the extension of technical assistance and supplies to those member nations requesting help in the limitation of family size. International migration holds little hope as a factor in easing world population problems. Freedom of international trade, encouragement of international investment, and prudent use and development of world natural resources should be fostered as means of contributing to world economic growth and of easing w population problems. In conclusion, the members of the San Francisco Assembly, in view of the great importance of the population issue, respectfully recommend that the President of the United States appoint a Commission including leaders in religion, sociology, demography, medicine, health, and welfare to study the entire problem of population growth in both its domestic and worldwide aspects and its probable impact on our citizens, and to make appropriate recommendations to the President and to the people of the United States. PANEL DISCUSSION BY DR. KARL BRANDT, DR. GEORGE L. MEHREN, AND DR. SANFORD DORNBUSCH The following are excerpts of remarks by Dr. Karl Brandt, director of the Food Research Institute, Stanford University. Individual rights "I left my native country, Germany, in 1933 when a self-appointed, halfeducated superman began to tinker with such affairs belonging to human rights of individuals as marrying according to their choice, having legitimate children and rearing them. I have never regretted the decision. While enjoying the freedom of this country my partner in life and I have become the parents of four American-born sons, who are not only of age but are increasing the American population, both by marrying European partners and by having children of their As I have learned this afternoon from some members of this audience, this sort of comportment by your speaker and his family is considered by them as something seriously harmful to the well-being of this great Nation. own. "Fortunately enough, our Nation and my family will survive these strange views. But I may say that if, in 1933, it had looked as though such views might spread and enter into the stage of shaping the mores and values of the United States, I would probably have chosen some other country as my future homeland-maybe Canada, maybe Australia." Dire predictions "On the basis of demographic projections about the anticipated population increase in different parts of the world, public opinion is being stirred and persuaded to sense that a genuine crisis and potential worldwide catastrophe are imminent ***. It is claimed that something has to be done not only to control, but to reduce fertility. Mostly the disaster is predicted for other countries, chiefly in Asia. Yet it is said that it is the duty of the American people to do something to avert the disaster in other nations which are recipients of American aid ***. The main action is conceived as informing the people about practical methods of birth control *** and making such means available to them * * "What are the predicted disastrous effects if nothing or not enough is done fast enough? It is claimed that there will not be enough food and famine will break out. ***Natural resources will be exhausted, it is said. Poverty will increase to abhorrent severity ***." Complexity of problem "It seems an absurd oversimplification and an insult to any intelligent group of people to assume that poverty, human suffering, and degrading social conditions would suddenly and effectively be cured in any country and that hunger and malnutrition of poor people would be reduced or abolished if all people had contraceptives freely available * * *. "***The sad truth is that this enormously complex set of economic, social, political, moral, and ethical problems of nations and ethnic groups requires far more study, research, and comprehension than is at present available ***. "Do we perhaps adopt the arrogant verdict that wealthy people and wealthy nations have the right to large families because they can afford them, but that the poor people and less industrialized nations have no right to the happiness of larger families because they cannot afford them? What a mockery of decency and respect for others this would be." Population as the chief resource "There prevails a deplorable confusion even in basic economic and social concepts. One talks about resources as if they were a fixed given entity in a fixed geographical location. To me, the only genuine resources on this earth, from which wealth can flow in ever-increasing volume, are the intelligence, the skill, the creative mind, the determination to manage, and work of people * * |