REPLIES TO LETTER OF MISS LE-MY, A VIETNAMESE GIRL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP60-00321R000300300009-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 14, 2014
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: March 10, 1958
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

STAT '
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!At
3322 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD ? SENATE March 10
?
STAT
Senator JOHN F. KENNEDY, of Massachusetts,
and Representative EUGENE J. MCCARTHY, of
Minnesota.
Their plan would provide Federal assist-
ance to States during transition to greater
payments.
Administration officials are examining the
Democratic proposal, but so far the admin-
istration position has not changed from that
stated in each of President Eisenhower's five
annual economic reports,
LIBERALIZATION URGED
These have suggested that the States lib-
eralize their programs and have suggested a
maximum of 26 weeks.
The Kennedy-McCarthy proposal calls for
payments of up to $40 a week for a maximum
of 39 weeks.
Few States have done anything to carry
out the President's suggestion.
About 43 million workers are covered by
the insurance plan. This is about four-
fifths of the Nation's nonfarm wage and
salary workers, and a little more than two-
thirds of all workers.
New York State pays up to $36 a week for
26 weeks. Florida pays up to $30 for a
maximum of 16 weeks. Louisiana pays up to
$25 for a maximum of 20 weeks. Pennsyl-
vania's maximum is the longest-30 weeks.
Many of the workers now reaching the end
of their benefits were laid off last fall, when
unemployment started to climb.
In January, 147,000 workers exhausted
their benefits, against 111,000 in December
and 107,000 in January of last year.
Even after business starts picking up there
will be heavy exhaustions, because the man
who was laid off first?that is, the longest
time ago,?is usually the man who is taken
back on the job last.
Insured unemployment at mid-February
was 3,130,200, and still climbing. This was
7.3 percent of all insured workers?the high-
est percentage since the system began in
1938.
Unemployment insurance is a Federal-
State program financed almost entirely by
special Federal and State taxes on employers.
Two States, Alabama and New Jersey, also
Impose a small tax on employees.
Essentially, the State taxes provide the
funds that are actually paid out to the un-
employed and the smaller Federal tax covers
the cost of running the many State pro-
grams.
Mr. MANSFIELD. Mr. President, will
the Senator yield?
Mr. NEUBERGER. I yield to the
Senator from Montana.
Mr. MANSPIELD. Mr. President, if it
Will make the Senator from Oregon feel
any better, although it does not affect me
in that way, the State of Montana has the
very important distinction of leading the
States in the number of unemployed
drawing compensation insurance: The
latest figure is 14.4 percent..
I wish to say, as a cosponsor with the
Senator from Oregon of the bill intro-
duced hy the Senator from Massa-
chusetts [Mr. KENNEDY], that I think it
is about time the administration is wak-
ing up to the economic facts of life in
this country. I hope that from now on
the administration will give as much at-
tention to the domestic economy as it
seems to be giving to the reciprocal trade
and foreign-aid programs.
Mr. NEUBERGER. I thank the Sen-
ator from Montana. If I am not mis-
taken, the Senators from the Pacific
Northwest States of Montana, Oregon,
Washington, and Idaho have the unen-
viable distinction of representing that
region of the Nation which has the high-
est rate of unemployment in the United
States.
Mr. MANSFIELD. The Senator is cor-
rect. I is a very important distinc-
tion. ?.
REP
LE-MY, A VIETNAMESE GIRL.
Mr. THYE. Mr. President, in the
Washington Post and Times Herald for
Sunday, March 9, 1958, a number of re-
plies were printed to the letter sent Mr.
Friendly by Miss Le-My, a Vietnamese'
girl. On February 27, I had printed the
editorial from the Washington Post of
February 26, 1958, entitled "How We
Look" in the Appendix of the RECORD,
and it is found on page A1832. On
March 3, I had printed Mr. FriendleY's
reply to Miss Le-My, and it is found on
pages 2783, 2784, 2785, of the March 3,
1958, CONGRESSIONAL RECORD.
I now ask unanimous consent that the
letters found in the Washington Post of
March 9, 1958, be printed at this pbint in
the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD and that the
permanent CONGRESSIONAL RECORD may
be corrected so that all of these inser-
tions may be made a part of the perma-
nent RECORD as of February 27, 1958.
The VICE PRESIDENT. Without ob-
jection, the letters will be printed in the
RECORD, as requested, and the transpo-
sition will be made in the permanent
RECORD, as indicated.
There being no objection, the replies
were ordered to be printed in the RECORD,
as follows:
READERS ANSWER THE LETTER OF A
'VIETNAMESE Gnu.
(By Alfred Friendly)
(Publication of the question-laden letter
Orom a Vietnamese girl in the Washington
Post on Sunday, February 23 along with an
invitation-to readers" to reply, has resulted
In a flood of correspondence. As of last
Friday, a total of 197 replies to "Miss Le-My"
had been received, with the flow still con-
tinuing. In addition there have been 74 let-
ters to the editor relating to the topic. Of
the latter group, some 35 expressed the
opinion that the girl's motives were less
than sincere, that she was a Communist
dupe or that the letter was a hoax. ,Directly
or otherwise, most of the communications
of this sort attacked the Washington Post
for publishing a letter which, it was charged
or implied, would have damaging effects
on the United States aid program and on the
conduct of its foreign policy. Of the 197
replies to "Miss Le-My," however, only 1
attacked the principle of American foreign
aid. Almost-Without exception, all of the
rest were expressly or indirectly defenses
and explanations of the rationale of the
United States overseas aid program and its
foreign policy. In view of the assertively
critical tone of the Vietnamese girl's letter,
it was noteworthy that only two of the re-
plies to her could be considered hostile or
abusive in attitude, and less than a dozen
were even sharply worded. The remainder
were universally gentle, tolerant, infinitely
patient, and overwhelming in expressions of
good will. Some of the most moving and
effective were written by non-Americans
now in this country and by "Miss Le-My's"
contemporaries, American teenagers. Almost
without exception, the writers expressed the
hope that their comments and answers would
serve to further understanding between this
country and Vietnam. Many asked the girl
to be their guest if she came to the United
States. The letters and excerpts published
on this and the following page are typical
and representative of the total. All of the
replies will be forwarded to "Miss Le-My."
In all, 89 of the 271 who wrote to the edit/or
and to the girl commended her for writing
the letter, or congratulated the Washington
Post for printing it, or both.)
If the Washington Post could arrange your
transportation, I would like very much to
have yoil come and visit my family during
your next school holiday. I have an extra
bed in my room and, perhaps by living with
us for a little while, you might come to know,
understand, and even like us a little.
Our "Man, the Citizen" Class discussed
your letter. When I came home from school,
I decided to answer you. Do you think that
your newspapers in Saigon, Cholon, Hanoi,
or Haiphong would print my answer to you
as I have written it?
We are no* living in Washington, D. C., /
where I am a student in the Immaculata
High School. However, I grew up in Tien-
tsin, China, Singapore, and Taipei, Taiwan.
Because our family still has many very good
friends in Asia, and because the Mints and
uncles there are still very dear to my brother,
sister, and myself, I will answer your ques-
tions honestly. I do hope that you were
sincere in asking them.
3. We go overseas because my mother and
father believe in our Government and what
it is trying to do. Some people go overseas
because they are orderecl to. These people
are possibly the ones who make you feel as
you do about Arneridans?but if you would
only give them a chance.
Mother says that whether a woman is
Indian, Dutch, Chinese, or American, she has
the same problems of family, children, hus-
band, money, illness. She likes to drink a
cup of coffee or tea with a friend and share
her happinesses, troubles, or a bit of gossip.
When we are overseas, it hurts to see people
living in compounds, visiting among them-
selves, missing so much of the country in
which they are stationed, and it is often
because the people of the country will not
meet them halfway and because Americans.
like anyone else, are sensitive about being
rejected.
5. Can you tell me how you arrived at the
figure 95 percent? For 95 percent of one
country's people to dislike all of another
country's people is completely frightening.
Can you tell me why you feel that your
people dislike Americans so much, and what
you feel it is necessary to do to change that
dislike to friendship?
It is true that all people find it easier to
give than to receive. The recipient is often
resentful of the donor if he considers him-
self unable to return what he has been
given. But, could you cook up 4 cups of
rice for yourself while your neighbor tried
to make 1 cup do for his entire family, es-
pecially if you knew that he could have had
enough rice if someone had given him a
hand with the planting? This is how Ameri-
cans feel about their overseas neighbors. If
we can help our neighbors to provide for
themselves, then we can enjoy the blessings
of our own land more.
8. Our country is still iery young and w,
have moved so fast that our growing pains
have not yet caught up with us. Consider:
I am an American. Some of my ancestors
were among the early settlers?yet I am the
product of Rumania, Russia, Scotland, Ire-
land, Switzerland. Can you realize the
amount of absorbing and assimilating that
has gone on in the United States in less '-
than 200 years? In Asia, where the cultures
and histories are thousands of years old,
there are still feelings among Chinese about
Indians and Malays, Asians about Africans,
all peoples about their aborigines or hill
peoples, Asians about Eurasians. Yet we, in
America, in less than 200 years are supposed
to have eliminated all prejudices against
race, color, and religion, which became paq
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t
1958 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD ? SENATE 3323
of our life through migrants from all over
the world. I think we're doing a pretty
good job if you compare us factually with
other parts of the world.
11. If it is true that, in Vietnam, Jimmy
Dean is more popular than President Eisen-
hower, I do not believe that Hollywood is
responsible for making him so. I think it
only suggests that, on the whole, the people
have a more spontaneous reaction to a for-
eign movie star than to a foreign political
figure.
FLITABETH ANN NADLER.
Your picture is on the front page of my
newspaper this morning, and an invitation
to answer your letter. I should be writing
to my own teen-age daughter who is away
from home at college, but instead I am
going to write to you. Her letters are always
full of questions, too, and in my family we
like people who ask questions. In my coun-
try, we encourage people to ask about many
things, and to think for themselves. So I
welcome this chance to try to answer some
of the questions in your letter ? *.
4. Is it true that Ngo Dinh Diem is an
American puppet? I am glad you ask this
question. It means that you do not like
the idea of being controlled by any large
country. You are afraid that Ngo will sell
out Vietnam to us, a foreign power. In
your part of the world, rulers have acted in
that way in the past. You fear him, prob-
ably, more than you fear America.
But look at it this way: Perhaps Ngo sin-
cerely believes that we want to help Viet-
nam become a strong independent nation,
and then go away and leave you alone. Ile
has given us his trust. He believes us when
we say we will never assimilate Vietnam.
He is cooperating with us. Then he is not
a traitor, and never will be. He is working
for the good of Vietnam.
5. You ask if we know that 95 percent of
the Vietnamese people do not like Americans.
This is very sad. But it is true that Amer-
icans are not very well liked in other coun-
tries. "Americans, go home," are words we
see written on walls. We know. What can
we do about it? Perhaps you can help us.
We want to be liked. In your country, we
have much money to spend, and we spend it
freely. We make you look poor by compari-
son. We talk in loud voices. We are used
to voicing our opinions at home because we
cannot be put in jail for our opinions. We
have no political prisoners. We like to
talk and discuss, and we are not afraid be-
cause we are free. We have not learned to
adjust our ways to our host countries when
we go abroad. All this we know. Is there
anything more you can tell us? We need
your help.
MTS. LUCIA M. HYMES.
I RITI a United States Congressman. I
decided to write to you because I think I
can answer some of your questions you ask
about America.
My special work in the Congress is on the
Committee on Foreign Affairs. As a member
of this committee, I visit foreign countries
together with other Congressmen. We study
foreign aid, relations with other countries,
what their needs are, what we can best do
to help them.
Our principal aim is the securing of world
peace.
We look upon the peoples in foreign coun-
tries as fellow human beings. We know
there can be no peace while there are forces
of evil determined to exploit these people to
advance their own power and expansion.
We ourselves seek no additional territory.
We do not seek to exploit the economy of
any country, large or small.
We seek to raise the standards of living
of people all over the world without lower-
ing our own.
The hest defense against the evil of com-
munism is a secure, prosperous people en-
joying a good standard of living and able to
share in the many wonderful developments
of modern civilization.
Communism's evil encroachment and pos-
session of the mind is one of the greatest
dangers to the youth of the world. When
youth, with its norinal zeal for knowledge,
is able to learn current events and history
as it really is, undistorted by insidious propa-
ganda, then, I hope, such letters as yours
will not be necessary.
ALBERT P. MORAN?,
Member of Congress.
Being a southerner, I have a natural feel-
ing of superiority over the Negro because I
was brought up in the section that fosters
such a feeling. But we are realizing that we
are wrong. We want to make amends, but
we can't change overnight. It is as difficult
for us to change as it is for your people to
like the Americans. But as I have said, we
are traveling the road of change and we will
reach one day the goal?complete equality in
action and in thought among our people.
As for the Little Rock incident, yes, it was
a big shame hung over our country. Yet
the American character has come off of the
floor before to win the fight, and we are
rising from the floor now. Do not think
harshly of us because of Little Rock. There
are too many peaceful settlements of our
racial problem already accomplished to judge
us because of this one incident. We are
trying to achieve equality, and we are moving
closer to that goal every year. But only
time heals deep wounds.
JIMMY Dam%
At Mr. Friendly's invitation in his news-
paper, I am going to try to answer a few
of your very intelligent questions.
First, let me tell you who I am. I work
in the city of Washington, but I have noth-
ing whatever to say about the United States
Government, for we have no vote in this
District. ]either do I work for the United
States Government. (If I had a vote, I
would not have voted for Mr. Eisenhower,
for I do not agree with many of his policies,
nor do I approve of his political party). I
am a private citizen?I work for a depart-
ment store, and I work hard for the money I
earn.
The reason I refer to the money I earn is
that about $1 out of every $5 that I earn
is taken from us in United States income
taxes, and since a substantial part of my tax
money has been spent since World War II on
what we refer to generally as foreign aid in
places like Vietnam. I believe I have a right
to answer your questions. (And you can be
sure, Miss Le-My, that my Government is
completely powerless to either censor or in-
fluence my opinion, or dictate the publish-
ing of it.)
Your question No. 1 is most important,
to me as well as to you, because it concerns
my hard-earned money that is being spent
in your country.
Allot' as I, a private citizen, am concerned,
my money is being spent in Vietnam so that
you and your people can build a free, pros-
perous, democratic and happy country, com-
pletely free of domination by any other
country in the world.
Millions of us Americans feel exactly the
same way. I know that because we private
citizens would never contribute such enor-
mous sums in taxes for "foreign aid" if our
money were to be spent on selfish or sinis-
ter projects, for evil reasons, for commercial
reasons, or simply for "strategic reasons."
We Americans believe in liberty. The idea
of liberty has made us prosperous and strong,
and we are constantly working to make the
idea work better. We Americans are so con-
vinced of the practical success of this devo-
tion to liberty that we have spent many
billions of dollars (I don't know how many)
to help other nations realize its objectives.
If you Vietnamese decide, by a free vote,
that you wish to have a Communist govern-
ment, we Americans will regret it, 'but we
will not try to prevent it. We want you to
decide your own future. What we will try
to do is to prevent, and help you to prevent,
the seizing of your country by men who are
quite literally agents of the Soviet Union
and who do not like liberty for you, nor
democracy.
I am sorry the Vietnamese do not like
Americans. Perhaps we would not like you
either, if we knew you and associated with
you closely here; I don't know.
But I do ,know this?and millions of ray
fellow Americans pay their tax dollars to
help the Vietnamese because they feel the
same way?we hope you will become strong
and free, and have no further use for our
help. When that day comes, as we know
it will, we American private citizens will
have a feeling of satisfaction and accom-
plishment. We will feel pride in your
strength and your freedom and happiness,
even if the price has been many of our
dollars, and your dislike.
WALLACE M. DAVIS. t
I have decided to write to you mainly be-
cause of the last paragraph of your letter,
which reads: "If America is really a demo-
cratic country. I am sure that your Govern-
ment will let you answer all of my ques-
tions."
At first it seemed incredible that anyone
would think that freedom to answer a letter
could be denied. Then it occurred to me
that we Americans take such elementary
freedoms for granted, and that there are
many places in the world where they do not
exist. This is certainly the most impor-
tant point you raised, and I hope that you
can understand that it is our freedom which
we cherish and which makes our country
great, however imperfect we may be in other
respects.
I. The American Government helps other
Nations, because we believe it is in our own
best interests to do. We also believe it is in
the best interests of those we help. This can
hardly be viewed as an unfriendly policy; if
It is considered a gesture of friendship, so
much the better.
2. Who is James Dean?
MTS. NANCY P. HANIMILL.
I am an American Negro, and I should like
you and all of the people of Vietnam to know
that I am really very proud to be both. An
American, because I am proud of all_ my
country's progress and consideration for all
Its peoples; my race, because we have been
able to accomplish much, and not without
the help of other Americans. There is no
other country I would rather call home, and
I believe the overwhelming majority of my
people feel the same.
' Mrs. Erzzsorrn A. Raptors.
America was cut off from the rest of the
world by wide oceans fer a long thne, and
like all isolated corners of the world, we be-
came quite provincial in our outlook.
America was all the world we could see, and
It was easy to forget the rest of the earth in
such a huge country.
,Now the world is suddenly much smaller,
and Americans are beginning to see that peo-
ple in Africa, Asia, South America, and Eu-
rope have become our neighbors. This is a
,big surprise to most Americans, and it has
not been easy for us to remember bow many
new neighbors modern technical advances
have given us.
What shall we do about these new neigh-
bors if they need help? The easiest thing
would be to say, "They are still thousands of
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3324 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD ? SENATE March 10
miles away. Let's continue to forget their
existence."
But then someone tells us that one of our
distant neighbors is in bad trouble of one
sort or another. We might be able to help
them if we wanted to make the effort. We
cannot be comfortable and enjoy our lives
with a good conscience, no matter how hard
we try to justify ourselves. In the back of
most American minds is the unpleasant half
thought that we are not doing right to live
in ease when somebody else is in terrible
trouble. The only thing we can do to get
ri21 of this uncomfortable feeling is to help
as best we can.
It is extremely hard for a proud person or
nation to bear being helped. We would all
prefer to stand on our own feet and never
need help. Unconsciously, every human
being resents the necessity for being helped
and takes out this resentment on the person
or group who is there to do the helping.
This is not a beautiful trait of human char-
acter but it is well-nigh universal. /
regret to say that I believe if Vietnamese
were in the United States to help Americans
in some dire extremity, we should probably
begin to dislike our helpful rescuers very
soon. We should all be ashamed of ourselves
for this. It is a bad kind of pride that nearly
all human beings have.
PH/LINDA KRIEG.
/ am a 24-year-old Bolivian citizen.
Although I admire your clear exposition
of facts and opinions, shared by many mil-
lions of people throughout the world, I don't
agree with most of them. I have been liv-
ing in this country for more than 2 years
during which time I have had many oppor-
tunities to find the truth about many facts
propagated by the enemies of America.
Now let ,me answer all the questions in the
same order in which you asked them.
1. Does American Government help us be-
cause of friendly reasons or by its own in-
terest?
The American Government helps your
country as well as mine and niany others for
both reasons.
(a) Friendly reasons: I have found that
the majority of Americans are generous be-
yond duty. This is probably due to the fact
that Americans are, as a whole, unselfish
and easily moved by compassion. Many of
the American agencies now operating to re-
lieve poverty in different parts of the world
are maintained through private contribu-
tions of the American people.
(b) Own interest: The American Govern-
ment prefers to have other countries as
friends rather than allies of its enemies.
10. Do you agree with me that Americans
do not have man-made moon because Amer-
ican spies could not work in Russia?
America has its man-made moon and cer-
tainly without need of having spies in the
Soviet Union.
In the parenthesis you put that the Rus-
sians control their country very rigidly.
Would you like to have your country con-
trolled like that? I wouldn't like to have
mine so regulated.
JAIME A. PERO.
No, little friend, white Americans do not
consider Negroes their slaves. I hope that
all white Americans consider Negroes as I
do?that is, each person on his or her own
individual merits. I have known Negroes
and white people whom I would not want to
be associated with. And I count both
Negroes and white people among my friends.
Also, if you are interested, our family has
as friends a lovely Korean girl; a Chinese
family; a Persian family; people from Eng-
land, France, Spain, and Mexico. We have
numbers of friends and i.cquaintances who
are Negroes, but I don't even think of them
as Negroes, just people. One of the most
brilliant men I know (a Negro) teaches Eng-
lish in a college in the District of Columbia,
our Capital. He teaches white and Negro
students as well as students from various
other countries.
Yes, the trouble at Little Rock was a big
shame hung over America, and I particularly
feel the shame of Little Rock, because it was
brought about by fellow Americans. Little
Rock is in the South, and I was reared in the
South, but I aril not proud of the way some
few southerners act. Neither am I proud of
the way some Americans in all parts of our
wonderful country behave. But, surely, you
must have found that not all Vietnamese are
perfect? We do not claim perfection for our
country or our people, but, believe me, little
friend, we are trying very, very hard to out-
grow the childishness that makes a Little
Rock situation possible.
We are also striving to have mutual under-
standing with all nations and their peoples.
We want peace in the world, but we will not
give up our democratic way of life, because it
gives everyone, just ordinary citizens like
myself, an opportunity to have a voice in the
Government and to say what we please,
whether it is criticism or praise.
I feel a little sad to have read your letter.
and to discover that you don't like me?an
American you have never seen. I feel that
I could not possibly have offended you, be-
cause all my thoughts toward you are kindly,
as I'm sure the thoughts of thousands of
other Americans are. That is why I am
writing you this letter. You don't have to
necessarily like us, but you really should give
us the understanding and consideration that
you expect us to give to you and to all people
everywhere.
REBA K. HUGHES.
Your letter reveals with crystal clearness
the following facts about you:
Whether you know it or not, you have been
brainwashed by communism and each of your
questions is loaded with Communist ideologY.
You have been misled by Communist prop-
aganda to think many things about America
which are not true; for instance, that white
-Americans do not get along with black
Americans; that Russian moons and subma-
rines are a big mortification for our Govern-
ment; and that America wants to assimilate
a lot of smaller nations.
If you came here to America, you would
get to like America, you would discover how
democratic we are here and you would no
longer say that Vietnamese people don't like
the American people.
VINCENT GODFREY BURNS.
You end your letter by saying: "If America
is really a democratic country, your Govern-
ment will let you answer all of my ques-
tions. * ? e" Here you may find one of
the many great differences between our de-
mocracy and communism.
Every American, without asking permis-
sion of Government, works where he pleases,
works at what pleases, refrains from working
If he pleases, goes and comes anywhere in the
United States or in the world where he wants
to go, and when he goes he may take his
money and possessions with him if he pleases,
and also his friends and family.
This is not all that it takes to make a de-
mocracy. But we think the freedom to come
and go without permission of Government is
one of the greatest blessings men can enjoy.
And it is precisely this great blessing that
communism denies men. I believe, then,
you will agree with me in this:
Communism is a cage in search of a bird.
Did you ever try to count the millions of
birds caged now in Soviet Russia and Red
China alone? Did you ever ask yourself: Do
the birds like to be caged? Do they benefit
by being caged? _ Would they rather not be
free to sing and fly as they did before the
cage closed over them?
DAVID L. COHN.
1. American helps Vietnam and its people
for mixed motives. No nation is altruistic,
and self-interest plays its part in our aid to
all the nations we help; but over and beyond
any self-interest, we have a genuine feeling
of friendship for an unselfish desire to aid
less fortunate people.
Our trade with Vietnam is a negligible part
of our vast world commerce, so surely we are
not in Vietnam for the benefit of our traders.
From the strategic standpoint, Vietnam
forms a formidable bastion against the ad-
vance of communism?an advance which we
believe will, if unchecked, enslave the whole
world. To deny that we are motivated by
strategic considerations is to deny the obvi-
ous.
Self-defense is a universally reccignized
right, and we are sure we are acting only in
self-defense when we set up barriers, in Viet-
nam or elsewhere, against communism. We
believe we are helping you as well as our-
selves. ? ? *
4. We do not see Ngo-Dinh-Diem as our
puppet, but as our partner. We regard him as
a loyal friend and a worthy ally, the free
leader of a free people to whom we gladly
lend a helping hand without requiring knee-
bending obedience to our desires.
M. SGT. HENRY AVERYLL.
1?-???-?
Your letter is directed to Americans, and I
have no doubt that you have heard from
many of 'them. However, as a Vietnamese
student in this country I am adding a, few
comments to your questions with the hope
that you will find them of interest.
Judging from your picture, I believe that
you are less than 16 years old. The nature
of your questions, therefore; leads one to
conclude that either you are extremely pre-
cocious or you are not the author of the
letter. While admitting that conditions of
hardship and misery such as those prevail-
ing in Vietnam for the last 10 years or so
tend to mature people before their age, I
find it difficult to believe that they could
accomplish such a miracle on such a young
mind as yours.
Naturally, you have the liberty to ask as
many questions as you like. However, when
you present falsities as facts with the pos-
sible consequence of harming the friendship
of two nations, you have gone too far. I refer
to your question 5, which is stated as follows:
"Do American people know that 95 percent
Vietnamese people don't like them?"
I would like to know the methods of re-
search you use to come up with such an
impressive statistical figure. Again, you may
personally love or hate as many persons as
you want. But when you authoritatively
state that 23 million Vietnamese don't like
Americans without giving any evidence to
back up your statement, you have gone too
far.
On the contrary, I believe that Americans
are well liked in South Vietnam. I know of
many Americans who have spent several years
in our country and who are very much im-
pressed with the hospitality, love, and friend-
ship which our people have shown them.
Moreover, the feelings seems to be mutual
since many of these Americans would like to
have stayed longer in our country if it were
possible. ?
In your question 4 you ask:
"Do American people know that Ngodinh-
Diem is an American puppet as some of the
Vietnamese think?"
Now I would agree with you if you were to
say that Mr. Tran. van Him or Mr. Nguyen
van Tam were French puppets. To classify
Mr. Diem in the same category, however,
would be unjust and inconceivable. In
fairness to Mr. Diem, I like to say that the
outstanding progress achieved by South Viet-
nam under his leadership during the last few
years eloquently speak for themselves.
I do not intend to go over all your ques-
tions,' but bi general let me tell you this.
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD ? SENATE
The wheel of history have turned in such a
way that South Vietnam and the United
States have a common enemy, I. e. commu-
nism. We As a people know that we cannot
shake off French colonialism to fall under
Communist totalitarianism. One is as bad
as the other. On the other hand, America
knows that it would not be to her advantage
to have all of Vietnam under communism.
That's why both countries join efforts to stop
communism.
I hope that you understand now and will
not seek to destroy this precious friendship
between the two countries, which is so vital
to Vietnam at the present time. I hope that
your letter has not substantially damaged
the existihg friendly relations between Amer-
ica and Vietnarri and that readers of your
letter will not be misled in thinking that you
speak for 25 million Vietnamese people.
Ncoc-Tkru.
Probably there are other people who can
answer your letter much better than I. I am
neither old nor wise, being a high-schdol
graduate of average mentality. My answers
will be of no interest to a statesman or
scholar. It's just a letter from one young
lady to another, and I hope you read it.
When people anywhere are hungry, we
send them food; when they're cold, we send
them clothing; when they need a new start,
we send them money; when they need refuge,
we take them in. But most important of all,
we try to be a friend when they need
one.
_ We are not aggressors. We go in to help
when and where we can. We do all we are
asked to and when we are no longer needed
we leave.
, This all sounds rather pompous. I don't
mean it that way at all. America is not per-
fect. Americans are not perfect. We make
mistakes like everyone else, but it's better to
try to do right and make a ?few mistakes
than to sit back and do nothing and make
no mistakes at all.
President Eisenhower is not our Govern-
ment. He is representative of our Govern-
ment. We are our Government, and we are
not influenced by anything but our own
conscience.
BARBARA MEEK.
You have asked questions about the prob-
lem of colored people and white people living
together. Let me tell you about the school
of which I happen to be principal. We have
about 70 deaf and hard of hearing children.
Half of them are Negroes, the other half
white. They live together, go to classes to-
gether, play together. We have no cOlor
problem.
In our school we train young people to be-
come teachers of the deaf. In this class are
two young men from India. They are learn-
ing so that they can go back to their native
country and help deaf boys and girls who
cannot now read and write. All this is done
without cost to them. Two or three years
ago we trained a young woman from Vietnam
who started the first school for the deaf
there. During the past few weeks we have
had as visitors, teachers from Australia,
Africa, Europe, and South America.
These people come at the expense of our
Government. Perhaps the critics of our
country would say that we are merely trying
to buy friendship, but I can assure you that
we who meet and work with these visitors
and students do our best to share with them
the things that have helped make the deaf
people of America the most prosperous, best
educated, and the most free of any in the
world.
JOHN A. GOUGH.
One of the great experiences of my life was
the chance to participate in the Interna-
tional Farm Youth Exchange program?a
part of our 4-H Club program. This gave me
the opportunity of learning a lesson in
understanding firsthand.
As an IFYE, I lived for 6 months in the
Philippines?not to study in their schools or
live in their cities but to go into the rural
areas and live and associate with the farm
families and the people there. Grassroot am-
bassadors, we are called. My trip home took
me to the shores of your land and I spent
3 days in Saigon. As a farm girl in Utah, I
never dreamed I would have the opportunity
to visit other lands.
Have you ever been to the Philippine
Islands? The Philippines are certainly evi-
dence that the American Government does
not want to assimilate all the countries liv-
ing under its help. The Philippines are also
evidence that we want all people to enjoy
the same freedom we enjoy.
Perhaps you have studied about the
Philippines in your history classes. If you
have, you will remember that the- Philip-
pines were a possession of the United States
for nearly 50 years. They wanted to be in-
dependent?to have their freedom. Knowing
that they desired freedom, we helped them
establish a government of their own and
then we gave them their independence in
1946..
The Philippines no longer belong to the
United States. They are free and independ-
ent?a separate country. They govern them-
selves. They are our friends, but they are
not bound to us.
When I was in your land I did not feel
that your people were unfriendly. The time
I spent there was most enjoyable. Life in
your country is like life in my country in
many ways?people are much more alike
than they are different.
We have not solved all of the problems
that arise in our country. Sometimes things
happen that we are not proud of?and often
these are the ones that get the most pub-
licity.
The college at Price, Utah, that I attended
for 2 years had students of many national-
ities and races. All of the students partici-
pated in student-body activities. A Negro
boy, Japanese students, Greeks, Italians,
Mexicans all held offices in the student body
arid classes. There was never any feeling of
animosity?no feeling of racial prejudice.
You and other people never hear about
this kind of situation. You hear only of
the few cases where there is trouble, because
that is sensational and makes news head-
lines. Probably you never hear about an
average American or an average family. This
is one reason why I should like to talk to
you and give you the opportunity to meet
some average American families. It is also
one reason why I was interested in taking
time out of my studies to go to the Far East
to live with rural families.
RUTH E. BRASHER.
We are 9th graders in a ctivics class at
Western Junior High School near Washing-
ton D. C. We are very interested in your
letter and. we would like to reply to the
best of our ability.
In answer to your first question, it is our
opinion that the United States Government
is helping Vietnam for the mutual benefit
of our two countries. Our greatest aim is to
promote world peace and freedom.
The intention of the United States is to
aid other countries in building and main-
- taming strong and independent govern-
ments, not to assimilate them. A good ex-
ample of this policy has been our treatment
of the Philippines. Mutual respect and good
will now exist between the people of the
United States and of the Philippines.
The Americans who are in Vietnam ?are
there in the interests of your people, not to
hinder but to help them. It is their purpose
to assist you in your resistance to commu-
nism. No one knows how long some Amer-
icans will be in Vietnam, but they will most
,V
3325
likely remain as long as they can be of serv-
ice to you.
We, as young Americans, are honestly sur-
prised by your statement that so large a
majority of your people dislike us. We are
very concerned about this attitude, for we
earnestly desire your friendship.
We are certain the Ngo Dinh Diem is not
a puppet of the United States. We regard
him as a most outstanding man, dedicated
to his country's welfare.
Regarding your question about "Black
Americans" and "White Americans," we can
understand your doubts as to the equality
of races in our country as a result of the
incident at Little Rock last fall. However,
this tragedy does not give a complete picture
of the situation throughout the United
States. The majority of our schools have
been successfully integrated. At Western,
people of all races and nationalities attend
our school, and all are accepted on an equal
basis.
Everyone has the opportunity to be elected
to school offices, play on athletic teams, at-
tend our school social affairs, and enjoy the
responsibility and privileges of high-school
life.
The President of the United States is
elected by the people and, therefore, is di-
rectly responsible to all the people.
Our Government is organized in such a
way that no man may gain dictatorial con-
trol. General Motors. General Electric and
other companies are composed of many mil-
lions of Americans. The President must con-
sider the opinions of such a large number
of citizens, and at the same time he must
also consider the thousands of other indus-
tries, large and small, as well as labor unions,
religious organizations and community prob-
lems.
We fully recognize the great scientific ad-
vances made by the U. S. S. H. However,
we are also aware of the means which were
used to achieve these ends. Please consider
the many other fields of science in Which the
Free World has excelled. Among our ad-
vances have been the first atomic subma-
rine, Nautilus, the development of the great
Salk vaccine which is already saving many
lives, and our reasearch on cancer, heart dis-
eases and tuberculosis.
There is no comparison between the es-
teem with which we regard our President
and the popularity of Hollywood stars.
We appreciate the cultural accomplish-
ments of all nations, but we do not compare
national leaders with athletes and enter-
tainers.
We hope our replies to your questions have
enabled you to gain a better understanding
of our country and our way of life.
(The Ninth Grade Civics Class, Western
Junior High School-31 signatures).
I am an American college student, and I
was very interested and shocked by some of
your questions * *
After the Spanish-American War, the
United States received the Philippines and
made Cuba a protectorate. In Cuba, yellow
fever was stamped out by the work of two
American doctors, Reed and Gorgas. We
soon left Cuba * *
I have not had to ask the Government for
permission to write this letter and would
not live in a country where I did.
KENNETH S. BEALL, Jr.
I am an American housewife who has lived
in 6 other countries in the past 15 years.
Your letter could have come from the people
of any 1 of those 5 countries where I have
been. So you are not alone in your bewil-
derment. But you are unique in searching
for the answer, and in going to the source for
the information.
I am sorry to say that I am not qualified
to answer all of your questions. You will
get the answers to those from other letters.
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?
3326 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD ? SENATE
But I do have some ideas on some of the
questions that perhaps will be of help to
you ? " ?
8. One of the saddest periods in the Ills-
tory of our country was the Civil War. No
war is more vicious than a civil war, and
none leaves so many scars. The Negro peo-
ple, through no fault of ther own, were
caught in the middle of this most terrible
war, and to many people they are still a
constant reminder of the tragedy.
Inconsistent, unfair, illogical? Of course
it is. But if all peoples in this world thought
logically all of the time, there would be no
problems.
Prejudice, like weeds, takes a long time to
kill off. The affair at Little Rock was indeed
most shameful, and many, many of us feel
that shame. In this letter, I can't point
out to you how much progress has been made
in this matter. But the situation is steadily
Improving.
These improvements unfortunately do not
make headlines, while one isolated incident
like Little Rock does. There have been other
smaller incidents; but they are just that?
incidents. This will take a long time, for
people tend to hang on to their prejudices
like grim death. Think now. Aren't there
some prejudices in your own country?
9. What do Americans think about the
Russian manmade moon and 150 atomic sub-
marines? Many think just as- you do, that
we are mortified and shamed before the
world. But why? Must America always be
first? Are we the only nation with brains?
We are feared and criticized because so often
we are first. But why should you feel that
we should be mortified? Honestly, isn't it
more a feeling of gloating that this giant,
even this monster (in the eyes of many), has
at last shown a weak spot? Perhaps you
personally don't feel this way, but isn't this
the general feeling? * ? *
11. In Hollywood, their business is to make
movies, and then to sell them. They must
make us want to see their movies. So they
spend large sums of money in advertising.
The American Government is far too busy,
and has too many other uses for the money,
to indulge in a popularity contest. Most of
us do not know offhand the name of the
President of Italy, but we have all heard of
Sophia Loren. This is true in many coun-
tries.
MTS. WELDON L/TSEY.
I am a boy 18 years old. I read your letter
in the paper and it interested me because of
your curiosity to find out from the American
people the answers to your questions. * * *
3. My country is not an aggressive coun-
try and is not crazy for land or power. I am
very sure that when my Government feels
that your country can stand on its own two
feet and no longer needs our help, we will
leave your country to govern itself. ? ?
11. This is an example of American de-
mocracy. A person unknown can rise to be-
come one of the best loved and best known
people in the world and have a chance to
make something of himself. This is not only
true in the theatrical world but also in sci-
ence and politics.
LANNY LIEN.
I am foreign born. I came to America in
1949, which was my first contact with this
country. I became an American citizen in
1954. I believe, therefore, that I observed
the American people with an unprejudiced
and uninhibited mind and that my answers
to your questions might interest you.
1. The American Government has no funds
of its own for helping Vietnam as it helps
many other nations. The money comes
from the pockets of the American citizens,
who pay the heayiest taxes in the world.
These taxes can be neither levied nor spent
by the Government without a specific and
itemized permission of those who pay them?
that is, the American people, expressed
through their elected representatives to the
Congress. In particular, the people's repre-
sentatives give their permission to spend
money to assist various foreign countries,
such as Vietnam, and decide how much
money will be spent for that purpose.
The reasons for the American help to other
countries are, of course, mixed. It is a fact
that the American people feel friendly in-
deed toward any nation wanting to assure
its, independence and the welfare of its
people and to protect its freedom and integ-
rity. And they are friendly toward individ-
ual foreigners as well.
But they also think that it is in the
American interest to help other nations of
the free world to raise their standards of
living, develop education, improve health
conditions, offer a better existence to large
numbers and acquire or preserve their free-
dom and national sovereignty, because they
believe that freedom, peace and well-being
are indivisible for all the nations of the
free world and must be secured, defended
and shared in csomrnon.
In that sense, undoubtedly, the Americans
feel that they have an interest in helping
Viet-Nam. However, I doubt that this in-
terest would have been recognized by the
Americans were they not of a basically
friendly and neighborly disposition. More-
over, this is not a kind of selfish and merce-
nary interest which should either reflect on
the honorability and sincerity of the Ameri-
can intentions or cause the Vietnamese to
resent American help.
Besides, while I understand your concern
about the intentions of the American people
in helping' other countries, I wonder whether
you should not at the same time, and per-
haps in the first place, consider the effects
of this help: Does it contribute to develop
the education of the people of Vietnam, to
build better and more numerous hospitals
and schools, to provide for abetter care for
children, for the sick and disabled, to make
more goods available to more people, improve
the methods of agricultural and industrial
production?
Or else, would the Vietnamese be better
off without the American help? For, you
see, the American taxpayer is not so over-
happy to give out his hard-earned money;
and if it were proven that Vietnam does not
profit from his help, he would rather keep it
than waste it.
UmvEssrrY PROFESSOR.
I am a 16-year-old exchange student from
Austria, spending 1 year in the United States
for studying and learning about American
people and their way of living.
Dear Le-My, you will think I have praised
Americans so much, and maybe you even
will not believe what I said. But I really
tried to be honest.
My opinion about Americans is that they
want to love people of other nations and to
be loved by them. Everybody has his faults
and everybody makes mistakes, but to have
the good will to try as hard as one can to be
tolerant and unselfish; to do the best for
the family, the state, the nation,- and the
whole world is the difficult thing and every-
body wants to reach this, in many different
ways and with many different ideas.
.GERDA KROIS.
I am a young housewife who finished col-
lege last June, so I am not much older than
you. I am hardly an authority on govern-
ment, even my own, bitt,perhaps my opinions
will interest you.
I think of Vietnamese as people, just like
'anyone, with ideas and behavior, likes and
dislikes, just like the many different people
I know here. But I know there are plenty
of people who look down on anyone who isn't
just the same as themselves. There are peo-
ple like that among your own acquaintances
also, I expect, just as there are probably
people who think as I do.
March .10
James Dean was in business to make money
for himself and his employees, whereas Mr.
Eisenhower is not. Hollywood is definitely
big business, and big business knows that
the best way to sell a product is to make
you and me want to buy it. They spend
unbelievable amounts of time and money
bringing the product to our attention and
making it look good.-
Many people say that politicians and gov-
ernments should Use the same technique
to make themselves popular. But I am not
so sure. I believe that people should be al-
lowed to think for themselves about their
government and their leaders., This can only
be done by people finding out the truth.
No man, and no government, is all good and
no bad.
MTS. MARGARET C. SCHOENE.
3. Will Americans go home soon or will
they stay in Vietnam for a hundred years?
This question hits home, in a manner of
speaking. It made me. feel unwanted and
disrespected. I am a serviceman and have
been in many countries throughout the
world. I am proud to say that I have done
nothing to cause shame or disrespect upon
my country of the uniform I wear.
An American serviceman has faults that
are easily seen by the people of other lands.
He is boastful, wild, and, in many instances,
inconsiderate. There are numerous reasons
for this type of behavior. He is also the
first to give his bread to the hungry.
As to your original question, I don't have
the slightest idea as to when the Americans
will leave Vietnam. That is a subject which
our combined Governments must decide.
4. Do American people know that Ngo
Dinh Diem is an American puppet as some of
the Vietnamese think?
Th Americanpeople are made up of many
nationalities. Our forefathers came to the
United States seeking freedom. They fought
for this freedom; many died for it. The prin-
ciples and ideals of our forefathers are
realized and practiced today.
We cannot visualize or accept any nation
or leader as a puppet to us. If a nation is
down, we will pick her up; if she cannot
stand by herself, we will hold her up until she
can stand. We will walk beside her and
surely not hang on to burden her. We want
friends, not slaves.
T/Sgt. NORMAN VAN RYz.
?
14he Greek people will always be very grate-
ful to the United States for the help without
which they could not keep their independ-
ence.
What has the American Government asked
as repayment? A commercial market for its
products? No.
Did it ask military support against Russia?
No.
What, then? You would be surprised, my
dear young lady, when I tell you?nothing
at all.
The American Government still helps
Greece financially. The money that the
Greek Government receives comes from the
pockets of the American people. But still
Greece has never been asked to do a thing
against her independence and the inde-
pendent opinion of the Greek Government
and the Greek people.
Rev. DEMETRIUS NELIOPOITLOS.
Your letter requires the consideration of all
Americans. It has helped many of us, I am
sure, to clarify our thinking about our rela-
tionship with the people of Vietnam.
As an American housewife, I would like to
knOw snore about the Vietnamese people;
possibly I can help you to know more about
us. Unfortunately, Americans are not al-
ways well informed about other peoples, even
those whom their Government assists. We
do not share uniform views and are certainly
not equally aware of your country's plight.
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD ? SENATE 3327
At most, we understand only vaguely the
pressures which you are experiencing, and
your letter therefore' has been helpful to us
and we appreciate the opportunity which it
affords us to help you to reevaluate your
impressions of us.
When you say "living under the help" of
our country, you imply that this assistance
dominates you and perhaps it is that feeling
which offends you; this would be especially
true if you do fear assimilation. _
As an American who believes in our giv-
ing aid to Vietnam, I would describe our
motivations as "friendly." I do not feel
that your country offers important markets
for our commerce and industry. Surely, if
all of our efforts are predicated on material
gain, many of the Communist-dominated
states would be far more lucrative markets.
Nor do I believe that we are using Viet-
nam to stop communism. Most well-in-
formed Americans regard that form of politi-
cal domination as destructive of the dignity
of man and thus oppose it in principle
everywhere. A basic concept of democratic
government is that the people should be
autonomous. Intercession in the affairs of
government of another people, therefore,
must only be temporary and in this instance
is motivated, by the belief, supported by
much historical and current evidence, that a
Communist form of government will de-
prive the Vietnamese people permanently
of such freedom. I feel confident that when
the strife within your country has abated
the Americans will go home.
President Eisenhower is a political leader;
James Dean was an actor with tremendous
emotional appeal. There is no way to evalu-
ate a comparison of their popularity with
your people, or with ours for that matter.
However, it may be noted that in countries
where control is very rigid, ?no one, actor
or -other, can attain such popularity and
recognition as would shadow its political
leader. A. J. Y.
I was looking through the paper this
morning when I happened to see your letter.
I am 15 and in my sophomore year at high
school.
The Americans will stay in your country
only to protect it. If you value any sort of
personal dignity, you should not mind hav-
ing them there. Since my father is in the
Army and now serving in the Orient, I know
that themericans do not want to stay in
foreign countries any longer than they are
needed. We send our men overseas so that
your country can be protected long enough
to be able to stand on its own two feet.
Our President is influenced only by the
wishes of the people and his personal con-
cern for our welfare. The companies you
mentioned are very important in the United
States but do not influence the actions and
decisions of Mr. Eisenhower.
The greater number of white Americans
do get along with the black Americans, as
you put it. All my life I have grown up and
gone to school with Negroes and have no
prejudicies or dislikes toward them. The
people who still dislike and mistreat the
colored people are either of the older genera-
tion or have grown up within prejudicial
surroundings. These people we can only
pity.
Because no person or no thing is perfect,
we have to accept the bad along with the
good. So we have to trust to time to help us
iron out our difficulties. JANE FLINN.
Your questions regarding the Little Rock
incident and the racial problem in our
country are worthy of serious thought. To
most thinking Americans, the Little Rock
affair is deplorable. We realize that it has
hurt our prestige abroad and we are ashamed
of that proportion of Americans who have
been raised on racial prejudice.
No. 37-15
In their defense, we must admit that they
think they are right. Thinking one is right
does not make one right, but it does explain
one's actions to some extent. These people
will in time come to realize that they are
wrong; and if not they, then their children
will change.
Prejudices are not easily laid aside, as you
must realize, else why would your people dis-
like us without knowing us? If you lived in
our country you would know that there are
many cities completely opposite to Little
Rock?cities where all races go to school to-
gether in friendship. In the school my own
daughtef attends are girls from all over the
world, girls from various countries of Europe,
Africa, Asia, and South America. They are
all friends and never think of each other in
racial terms but rather in terms of charac-
ter of the individual.
Lastly in connection with the racial prob-
lem, let me say that I wish you could know
the majority of our people about whom
headlines dre never written. We are the
people. We live quietly and enjoy our homes,
families and friends; we don't hate anyone
and we want to be liked by all. We will see
this thing through in our own way and in
our own time.
ELEANOR CRAIIN.
As a citizen of Turkey, a country which
along with yours receives yearly American
military and economic aid (awarded by a
suspicious and highly undecided United
States Congress), I perhaps underestand bet-
ter than most Washingtonians your be-
wilderment so guilelessly expressed in your
letter.
Americans may not have turned out to be
what some of the younger people in your
country and mine imagined them to be, but
following your questions I cannot help feel-
ing that you have some of the issues mixed
up. This, of course, is the privilege of any
young man and woman living in a free and
democratic country. By the same token, I
would like to be Glble to tell you where I feel
certain issues were confused.
To begin with, you must not feel that you
live under American aid. No country can
live under aid from another country; if it
does it has ceased being a country. Amer-
ican aid is not designed for that anyway. If
you believe in Vietnam, you should be sure
that there shall be a Vietnam, with or with-
out American aid.
Foreign aid, no matter how large, will not
hold together a country which has no other
reason for being. Once you start feeling in
your country that you can take American aid
or leave it alone, you will stop having presi-
dents you think are Amercan puppets and
you will also start liking Americans. You
will stop wondering if they will be in Viet-
nam, for a hundred years. Because you will
know that what makes Vietnam what it is
are the Vietnamese and not American for-
eign market or strategic needs. I ain.sure
that most Americans will ?want you to feel
that way.
For instance, we do not mind in Turkey
the thousands of American families who
have moved in since 1945. Some we like and
others we dislike. To us they are just folks,
and we believe they will behave right if we
treat them right. We knows and they know
they are in Turkey. We are not worried as to
how long they will stay. In fact, it makes
us feel good to see them moving about as
long as the threat of Communist invasion
from the north persists.
We like to tell Americans that we feel they
are our friends because they believe like we
do that the poeple of a country should be
free to elect the government they feel is best
and organize their lives in a manner they
consider is best. We do not like the Commu-
nists because they want to tell us who should
lead us, how and whbre.
You must not also, Miss Le-My, be shocked
In case American businessmen try to influ-
ence the President toward gainful but un-
idealistic ends. Businessmen's high ideals
are only measured in terms of profit, the
world over. However, they are not the only
people in America and their boundless en-
thusiasm is curbed more often than not by
opposing forces?and there I think lies the
beauty of an efficient democracy; for it can
make a great public benefactor out of a howl-
ing egotist, because it remains sensitive to
changing human values and their impact on
society.
A final point: I hope that the poeple of
Vietnam realize that by accepting American
aid they accept America as it is?good or bad.
They realize that it is a collection of widely
different individuals whose various ideals
clash all the time but who nevertheless stand
united to keep the U. S. A. going because they
feel it is the only setup that will tolerate
them and their way of life. This is the way
things are on both sides of the fence. I hope
you like it, because in a general way you are
part of it.
We in Turkey think we understand this.
We realize that neither America nor the
Americans are perfect. They have, for in-
stance, race problems that we do not under-
stand?problems whose origins go into dark
corners of American history and which are
further complicated by deep atavistic feel-
ings. We sympathize both with the Negroes
and the white. This is a complex matter
which is becoming increasingly difficult for
all concerned?whether one is a top-dog or
under.
EETAT Knox.
I have just seen your letter in the Wash-
ington Post. It does not say how old you
are, but I think it is a very intelligent letter.
Because I am 10 years old, I do not think
I can answer all of your questions, but I do
want to try to answer a couple of them.
You asked if Americans know that the
Vietnamese don't like them. I did not
know it, and I am very sorry to hear it.
While not all Americans are perfect, or any-
where near perfect, there are many nice peo-
ple in this country and I am sure you would
like us if you came here.
You asked about the trouble at Little
Rock. Have the people bf your country ever
done anything that you were ashamed of?
Many Americans are very ashamed of what
happened at Little Rock, and most Ameri-
cans would never do such a thing.. We cer-
tainly do not treat colored people as slaves,
and the colored girls at my school are just
the same as I?except one girl in my class
who is almost always getting A's, which is
not quite the Same as I.
As for what we think about Vietnamese
people: I only know one lady from Vietnam,
and I think she is very sweet. She is very
tiny and very pretty. She always wears the
dresses of her country and I think they are
beautiful.
As for what we think of all people, it de-
pends on the person. If they are nice, we
like them very much, and if they are not so
nice, we don't care for them. Mostly we are
very friendly.
I hope you will come to visit here some-
day, and I hope I will get to visit your coun-
try, too.
KAREN VINER.
I am replying to your questions not be-
cause you asked them, but because I think
many of them are questions being asked by
people not only in Asia, but in other parts
of the world. ?feel these are questions which
thoughtful and reasonably informed Ameri-
cans should put to themselves and attempt
to formulate honest answers.
1. It would be naive to suppose that gov-
ernments normally extend aid to other coun-
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3328 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD ? SENATE
tries, except perhaps in cases of great emer-
gency such as a natural disaster, for reasons
other than what they conceive to be in their
own interest. Here one must draw a dis-
tinction, I believe, between governments and
peoples.
I have lived in many countries outside the
United States, but I have not yet been in
one where the people responded as gener-
ously as do those in the United States to
appeals to help others in their misfortunes.
Governments are another matter. It is their
business to protect the national interest, and
the American Government is no exception.
With regard to the motivation for Ameri-
can aid to Vietnam, I believe that your sec-
ond suggestion comes closer to the truth
than the first, but I doubt that many Ameri-
cans would expect to use Vietnam to stop
communism.
Americans fear communism?perhaps un-
duly so; but rightly or wrongly, they fear it.
They consider communism to be a philosophy
and a form of government which is repug-
nant to everything they admire and hold
dear. They have seen the manner in which
countries which have been brought under
the yoke of Moscow have been deprived of
their liberties and reduced to the status of
dependents. They are resolved that this shall
not happen to them, and they are prepared
to extend substantial assistance to other
weaker countries which likewise show de-
termination to resist the Communist menace.
Surely this is the basic motivation in Ameri-
can aid to Vietnam.
FRANCIS B. STEVENS.
I am a young American girl and was very
Interested to read your letter. The questions
you ask need answering if one is ever to
understand the United States.
The United States sends help to other
nations because it wishes to protect itself
and its allies from the spread of communism.
America believes in what President Wilson
once called self-determination, that is, that
nations and people should choose their own
governments and rulers. Because Commu-
nists want to rule others by force, as in Hun-
gary, America supports its belief in self-
determination by helping countries build
strong defenses against communism. Amer-
ica does not want to assimilate the countries
that accept its help, for that would be de-
feating the very principle we wish to protect.
Vietnamese want the Americans to go
home, and Americans in Vietnam some-
times want very much to go home them-
selves. It is the threat to _your country
and mine that keeps them-there. Perhaps
it will take 10 years or 20, but our genera-
tion will accomplish the hopes of both
countries.
America is a, very large Nation, larger than
Vietnam and many countries that surround
it. But the people of America are no bigger
or more important than the people of Viet-
nam or any nation. All people have faults,
and in a nation of 175 million people it is
impossible that we could have no unthink-
ing people. Those people were the., cause
of the Little Rock incident you asked about.
I am a white American and my school
has many Negro students. They are friendly
and intelligent people. Their clothes are
good quality and their homes are well fur-
nished. In Washington, Negro and white
students have attended sChool together for
4 years, and we have never had soldiers
near our schools. Little Rock was a terrible
thing for America, but it was world news
because it seldom happens. If it were typ-
ical of America, no one would bother to read
about it.
Jmn,rm ECKERSON.
/ am an ordinary American citizen. I
happen to work for a labor union. In my
job, I learn a lot about how other ordi-
nary Americans think and feel; what they
fear and don't understand, and what they
dream about and aspire toward. I thought
that you might be interested in my view-
point on your questions.
So far as question seven is concerned,
I'd have to guess at it. My guess_ is that
President Eisenhower, as a person, is prob-
ably not influenced by the big capitalists you
mention. However, it seems to a great many
of American working people that the politi-
cal party to which the President happens to
belong does reflect the philosophy of the big
capitalists and to that degree, and in that
sense, the party is influenced.
However, there is really nothing wrong
with the ideas of capitalism?so long as al-
ternate ideas are allowed to exist and ac-
tively compete in the marketplace of ideas.
Tom Jefferson, who wrote our Declaration of
Independence, once said that "even if there
be some among us who would change our
Republican form (of Government), let them
stand as monuments of the safety with
which error of opiniort.may be tolerated so
long as reason is free to combat it."
Some people in our recent American his-
tory have forgotten that principle. But
most of us, I think (and hope), still hold
fast to this principle. Don't worry about
the power of big capitalists to influence the
President. Other people and groups are
equally capable of influencing good govern-
ment.
On questions 9 and 10, we are proud of the
scientific achievement of the Russians in
their man-made moon projects. We are mor-
tified that the Russians got theirs up first,
and with such a magnificent product. But
that's partly because we are a bunch of people
who like to compete and take our competition
seriously.
Actually, though, the sad thing about the
American reaction to the sputniks was that
it showed that we didn't think anyone else
could be better than we are?in anything.
I suppose that we have a failing in this re-
gard. We tend to look at ourselves with a
lot of pride.
Because we have free institutions, and
plenty of opportunity to do almost anything
we set our hearts on, we have enormous con-
fidence in ourselves and what we can do.
The way most of the people I know feel about
the sputniks is simply that we were beat to
the deadline?but, as you probably know by
now, we have gotten our own first man-made
moon up, and are working on plenty of
others.
I happen to have worked some time ago
on the early development of some of the stuff
which was later used in the earth satellite
program. I know for a certainty that we
weren't depending on any spy information in
order to develop our engineering for our
rockets and other accessory equipment. The
only thing we were worried about, if any-
thing, was that maybe the Russians might be
able to get our plans and use them. Of
course, each country has competent scien-
tists, and you can't keep a natural law a
secret from anyoe?for long, that is.
I don't know anything about Russia's
150 atomic submarines. We've had atomic
subs for some time. The only reason that I
know that we don't have 150 of our own is
that it costs a lot of money, and we citizens
tend to keep a tight grip on the national
pocketbook. If we had a dictatorship in this
country, which could do as it pleased with
the National Treasury, we'd probably have
beat the Russians into space and would prob-
ably have 500 atom subs, if we wanted to.
But, thank God, we don't have a dictatorship
here yet.
HAROLD BARRETT, Jr.
This American did not know that 95 per-
cent of the Vietnamese do not like us. I am
sorry to hear it. However, it is not sur-
prising. You see, tact is not one of our
great national charactertistics. We feel
March 10
open-hearted. Many civilizations are more
subtle than we are and they cannot believe
that we are without ulterior motives in try-
ing to help.
You know, it is much more difficult to
receive aid than it is to be gracious in giv-
ing. My country has yet to learn how to
proffer its gifts graciously. Until we learn,
to do this and to convince the people of
the other countries that we truly don't want
anything in return for our help (except that
they in turn will help others), then we
cannot be hurt if that help is accepted or
rejected ungraciously.
I am grateful to the Russian moons, be-
cause we have been forced to examine criti-
cally our educational system. We have
found it needs improvement and we will be-
gin to give the educators the public support
they need to start that improvement.
In closing, I would like to thank you for
your thought-provoking questions. I am
grateful for the opportunity to sit down and
think about them. I am a woman in my
middle thirties with 6 children. It is my
sincere hope that they will grow up with the
same open mind and inquiring spirit that
you have. God, bless you and yours,
JEANNE K. ANDRIOT.
AGRICULTURAL NEW FRONTIERS IN
RESEARCH
Mr. THYE. Mr.' President, I should
like to comment on those parts of an
editorial which appeared in the Minne-
apolis Star, of March 5, 1958, which I
think are vital to an understanding of
the farmer's dilemma today.
The remarks from an address I de-
livered in Austin, Minn., to the Minne-
sota-Iowa Swine Institute, are pertinent,
I believe, to the excellent questions raised
in the editorial.
At Austin, I observed that it was ironic
today that achievement in production
has worked against our farmers. The
farmer of today has advanced faster in
the expansion of production than has
any other phase of our national econ-
omy. Industry has increased its produc-
tion by about 3.2 percent a year during
the past 10 years. Agriculture has ad-
vanced 6 percent a year. In terms of
total productive output, agricultural pro-
duction is 60 percent higher than it was
10 years ago.
Even though the farmer may agree to
curtailment of his production at present,
there remains the problem of surplus
products. At Austin, I again stressed
the need for new frontiers in research to
find uses for surplus products.
The Congress must enact legislation to
establish a sweeping program of research
into industrial uses of agricultural products.
We have research facilities, both pri-
vate and public, that can go into the
problems of finding new uses for our
present surpluses. I have cosponsored a
bill (S. 2306) to accomplish exactly that
result.
We have land-grant colleges, univer-
sities, and the extension services, which
are willing and capable to investigate
and to look into the new frontiers of
agricultural research.
My purpose in inviting attention to the
excellent editorial in the Minneapolis
Star is to bring again to the attention
of Members of Congress the research
facilities which I think can do much to
reduce present surplus products and solve
?
I
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