The 1960 Republican platform promised: "To seek an end to transit and trade restrictions, blockades, and boycotts * "To secure freedom of navigation in international waterways, the cessation of discrimination against Americans on the basis of religious beliefs * The 1960 Democratic platform states: "We will encourage an end to boycotts and blockades, and unrestricted use of the Suez Canal by all nations." During the 1960 campaign, in response to inquiry, presidential candidate John F. Kennedy wrote: "There can be no doubt of where I stand on this problem. I wholeheartedly joined with other Senators-during the most recent Congress-to support an amendment to mutual security legislation which called on the President to withhold U.S. assistance from those countries that engaged in economic warfare, including boycott or blockade against other States who are beneficiaries of our mutual security program. As President, I would certainly implement an act, expressing the sense of the Senate, when I so enthusiastically supported that piece of legislation. I would also carry out the mandate, twice expressed by the Senate, that the President act affirmatively to protect all American citizens from the practice of religious or racial discrimination by foreign governments." As recently as May 3, 1961, Senator Keating entered in the Congressional Record a letter from Brooks Hays, Assistant Secretary of State for Congressional Relations. Although emphasizing that the Government "does not recognize or condone the Arab boycott," Mr. Hays gave no indication that any effective action was contemplated to support this position. Nor have the policy declarations by other bodies, State and National, or by President Kennedy himself, evoked any constructive response from the administrative officers of the Federal Government. Yet no arm of our Government can remain forever impervious to thoughtful and sustained expressions of public opinion. The time has come for conscientious citizens and citizen groups to make themselves heard; hence this testimony. The principle at stake was never more succinctly summed up than in the words of William Howard Taft: "National prestige must be used not only for the benefit of the world at large, but for the benefit of our own citizenship; and, therefore, as we gain in international prestige we ought to assert our insistence that our passport certifying our citizenship should secure to every man, without regard to creed or race, the same treatment, the same equality of opportunity in every nation of the globe." Public opinion should demand a return to our Government's traditional insistence that it cannot acknowledge as legitimate, much less accommodate itself to, practices or policies which deny the equality of American citizenship. Foreign countries have no sovereign right to discriminate among American citizens. As recent court decisions have underscored, no such right is vested in our own States, or in the Federal Government. That any other power should presume to tread on liberties declared inviolate by our Constitution is an assault upon the American people, an invasion of American rights. The dignity of the United States, its status as a champion of universal human rights, demands that this invasion be promptly repelled. Both the 1960 (sec. 113) and the 1961 (sec. 108) Mutual Security Appropriation Acts include this language: "It is the sense of Congress that any attempt by foreign nations to create distinctions because of their race or religion among American citizens in the granting of personal or commercial access or any other rights otherwise available to United States citizens generally is repugnant to our principles; and in all negotiations between the United States and any foreign state arising as a result of funds appropriated under this Act [Title], these principles shall be applied as the President may determine." Section 102, "Statement of Policy," of the pending bill states in part: "*** In addition, the Congress declares that it is the policy of the United States to support the principles of increased economic cooperation and trade among nations, freedom of navigation in international waterways, and recognition of the right of all private persons to travel and pursue their lawful activities without discrimination as to race or religion * This language is a reiteration of the enactments previously referred to. The American Jewish Committee strongly urges that it be retained in any foreign aid legislation enacted by the Congress. To do otherwise would be a retreat from the forthright pronouncements of the Congress with respect to the rights of American citizens abroad. In addition, the American Jewish Committee urges that the pending Act for International Development be strengthened by the inclusion of language similar to section 108 of the Mutual Security Appropriation Act of 1961, quoted above, to emphasize the feelings of this Congress on this issue and thus to sustain the hand of the State Department as it pursues its pledged objective of protecting the rights of American citizens and businesses wherever impinged upon. NATIONAL FARMERS UNION, OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, Washington, D.C., July 7, 1961. Hon. J. W. FULBRIGHT, Chairman, Foreign Relations Committee, DEAR SENATOR FULBRIGHT: I respectfully request that this letter be made a part of the record of hearings on the foreign aid program. The recent submission to the Congress by the President of the United States of a program to reorganize, but expand, our country's efforts in economic aid and technical assistance raises again the most significant of all questions in our relations with other peoples and countries in the world. These are, How best can the United States perform its role of destiny of world leadership in this second half of the 20th century? and, What are the most effective means by which our country and the other developed countries can assist the developing countries attain a higher standard of living with freedom and security? The sixties are being called the decade of development. The have-nots will continue to seek economic development and a better way of life. The revolution of rising expectations will not be stemmed. The challenge to the United States is, quite simply, Will we be instrumental in shaping this development in freedom or will the long detour through tyranny be taken? There is no question as to the need for economic aid, technical assistance, and provision of capital far exceeding the sizable request being made for the programs of international development. The size of the problem, with the population of the underdeveloped countries being 21⁄2 times as large as that in the developed countries, is of such magnitude that even an allocation of 10 percent of our GNP, or $50 billion, if it could be directly applied would have only moderate effect on the standards of living in the developing countries. May the following comments, therefore, be made in behalf of the proposals on this matter now before your committee: 1. The unification of the administration of economic aid and technical assistance is essential to successful planning of total programs and effective operation abroad. Programs with a need for unique appeal and of special requirements however, such as Food for Peace and the Peace Corps, do need to have a degree of autonomous status if they are to be effective. 2. Provisions for continuity of programs through longer range commitments and long-term planning are most important. The in-and-out process of a yearby-year approach must be modified in such a way as to make aid and assistance programs adjust to the long pull. Review, modification, and change are needed from year to year, but planning should proceed on a long-term basis. 3. Increasing emphasis needs to be given to the problems faced in the needy nations for developing their human resources. Programs need to shift as soon as possible from emergency and short-term economic aid to long-term assistance in know-how. 4. Joint planning with participating countries needs to be engaged in every instance where economic aid and technical assistance is proposed and contemplated. 5. The resources of the entire free world need to be mobilized. Coordination of multilateral programs with our own efforts can make for more effective results in both instances. It is to be hoped that the amount of our multi lateral effort could be increased and that the multilateral agencies would be enabled to make lengthening commitments. 6. Programs of economic aid and assistance should, in every instance, be separate from military aid programs. There can be no turning away from the preponderant challenge of this decade. Face these challenges we will, one way or another. If we continue to apply our resources toward development as is proposed in the President's program for 1962 with longer range planning authority and in the measure he has requested, there is every chance that the cause of freedom and our own security will be served. On the other hand, if we fail to make the full effort we may, in this generation or in those to come in this century, not have such opportunity again. I respectfully urge your committee and the Senate to give favorable consideration to the foreign aid and assistance proposals of the President. Sincerely, JAMES G. PATTON, President. SUMMARY INDEX (List of witnesses appears alphabetically in contents) Act of Bogotá, implementing the Administration of aid program Page 238 14, 33, 38, 46, 48, 54, 61, 101, 114, 142, 149, 154, 184, 252, 317, 323, 347-349 Advantage of borrowing over appropriations method.. 201 230 Afghanistan: Details and copy of contract with Nathan Associates for survey in.. 367-389 742 United Nations operation in Congo... Aiken, Senator George D.: Agreement to restrict arms race in... Aid to Morocco and U.S. bases__. Areas of importance in development. Arms control in__. Coordination of programs in. Free world countries aid to.. How loan program would be applied in. Importance of long-range program in.. Military assistance to.. Per capita annual income in. Problems in Libya.. Tide of nationalism in... Tracking station in Union of South Africa__ Use of contingency fund in military program. U.S. food-for-peace contribution to Congo- Agency for International Development, makeup of the_ Aid funds spent in United States-- Examination of witnesses: Ide, Carter. Labouisse, Hon. Henry... 758 458, 461 447 759 218 446, 451 446 420 444, 445, 450 255 447, 454 480, 754, 756, 757, 761 Lemnitzer, Gen. Lyman L. McNamara, Hon. Robert S. Palmer, Gen. W. B. Rusk, Hon. Dean. Stevenson, Hon. Adlai. |