ESTABLISHMENT OF A WHITE FLEET

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP61-00357R000100220017-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 20, 2013
• Sequence Number: 17
• Publication Date: June 8, 1960
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/08/20: CIA-RDP61-00357R000100220017-9
11228 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD ? SENATE
officials are conducting themselves ac-
cordingly.
While this personal attack goes on, the
Soviets continue to negotiate. Such ac-
tivity is commendable. I hope that we
shall follow the guideline laid down by
the President in his message to the
American people and by many of us in
lesser position, namely, we shall seek
to expand the areas of contact and
cultural exchanges; that we shall main-
tain the programs of negotiation that
we have with the Soviets; that we shall
not, as I said, permit ourselves to be
distracted to a point where we forget
that our objective is peace with honor.
I hope that we shall do everything to
set an example of a determined people,
a people determined to do justice for
umanity everywhere.
ESTABLISHMENT OF A WHITE
FLEET
Mr. HUMPHREY. Mr. President,
speaking of doing justice for humanity
everywhere, I ask unanimous consent
that a broadcast by Mr. Edward P. Mor-
gan and the News, American Broadcast-
ing Network, relating to the establish-
ment of a White Fleet, be printed in the
body .of the RECORD at this point in my
remarks.
There being no objection, the com-
mentary was ordered to be printed in the
RECORD, as follows:
COMMENTARY BY EDWARD P. MORGAN, AMERICAN
BROADCASTING NETWORK
On a day of homage to the war dead it
seems not untimely to pay respects to those
occasional humanitarian ideas to keep people
living?ideas which, if brought to full flower,
could conceivably obviate the need of new
Memorial Days in the future.
About Christmas time a year and a half ago
in Washington, a doctor, a lawyer, and a
businessman formally incorporated an idea.
They called it the People to People Health
Foundation Inc., or, for short, Project
HOPE?Health Opportunity for People Every-
where. The idea was simple: Take a Navy
hospital ship out of mothballs, load it with
medical supplies, a trained civilian staff of
doctors, nurses, and technicians and sail it
off to Asian ports as a floating storehouse and
schoolroom for health with a mission of
mercy as an added assignment in case of
disaster, like the recent quakes in Chile, the
tidal waves in the far Pacific.
Attorney Eugene Zuckert, a former Atomic
Energy Commissioner; Industrialist Joseph T.
Geuting, Jr., and Dr. William B. Walsh, medi-
cal officer on a destroyer during the war, were
all three driven by this philosophy: Poor
health and illiteracy are the two heavy
horsemen riding down the hopes of the
underdeveloped countries. The unwell can-
not learn properly. Poor health leads to pov-
erty, poverty to hunger, and hunger to de-
spair. This chain reaction, unchecked, makes
the illusory paternalism of communism at-
tractive. As an antidote, Dr. Walsh took the
idea to President Eisenhower who was struck
by its potential in real people-to-people
diplomacy. He promised to put a hospital
ship in operating condition if Project HOPE
could raise enough money to run it as a
citizens' venture, not a Government project.
Redtape being what it is, even in goodwill,
the U.S.S. Consolation?to be rechristened
HOPE?is still being readied in the Bremer-
ton, Wash., Navy Yard, but by mid-September
it will be off to Indonesia with a staff of 60
doctors, nurses, and assistants aboard, all
volunteers. Already Dr. Walsh is oozing
optimism: the ship is still in drydock but
already schoolchildren's dimes, pledges from
industry and labor have subscribed a third of
the $3,500,000 budget. So impressed was
AFL-CIO President George Meany with the
idea that he sent a special letter to all unions
urging contributions equivalent to 10 cents
a member?this alone could net more than a
million dollars. A Detroit milk container
company will spend $250,000 to film a docu-
mentary of the project. The petroleum in-
dustry has pledged $300,000 worth-of fuel,
enough to run the hospital ship for a year
and the American President Lines, in coop-
eration with maritime unions, will operate
the vessel.
Indonesia was the first of half a dozen
Asian countries to invite HOPE in. And no
wonder. The country has 1,500 trained doc-
tors for a population of more than 85 mil-
lion.
Admittedly this is a tiny drop in the great
bucket of need. There, are bigger plans.
Minnesota's Senator HUBERT' HUMPHREY has
been working for some 2 years with other
Members of Congress of both parties on a
grandiose project to demothball a number
of excess naval ships and embark them as a
permanent "Great White Fleet" of peaceful
missions for public health training, other
technical assistance programs and to sup-
ply food and first aid in catastrophes. A
resolution calling on the President to estab-
lish such a disarmet1 and disarming armada
is grounded somewhere in committee and
with the last fortnight's headlines of dis-
aster as added impetus, HUMPHREY is trying
to refloat it.
Dr. Walsh is sympathetic toward such
moves but with pardonable pride in his own
project he hopes to get HOPE afloat first.
He has an old-fashioned idea that people
will respond if they have a sense of participa-
tion?something that can easily get crushed
in the wheels of bureaucracy. _ The job,
though, is plainly so vast that to have more
than a feature-story meaning, however in-
spiring, it will need all the combined sup-
port of government and public and all the
imagination that bureaucrats and private
citizens can give it. At any rate the idea
strikes me as more fitting to the occasion
of Memorial Day than the prospect of nu-
clear carnage or the carnage of combat on
the highways with which we currently cele-
brate it.
This is Edward Morgan saying good night
from Washington.
Mr. HUMPHREY. Mr. President, last
year, I introduced legislation, Senate
Concurrent Resolution 66, calling for
the establishment of a White Fleet?a
force of mercy ships ready to rush as-
sistance to disaster areas in any coastal
region in the world. This force, com-
posed of ships already owned by the Gov-
ernment and armed with donated and
surplus supplies, would bring immediate
relief to the victims of disaster as well
as engage in year-long teaching pro-
grams for underdeveloped areas.
I have received thousands of letters,
overwhelmingly endorsing the White
Fleet proposal, but unfortunately. the
Administration has not supported the
idea.
In the last 2 weeks, we have been
confronted with a tragic example of the
dramatic need for a Great White Fleet.
As we all knew, gigantic tidal waves
killed over 5,000 and left 2 million home-
less in Chile. In view of the great dis-
aster, public support is again expressing
itself for the White Fleet proposal.
Mr. President, I note that my col-
leagues have commented on the author-
ity of the President to be of help to the
June 8
people of Chile. I wish to join in that
expression. Under our current foreign
aid program the President has a con-
tingency fund, and in that contingency
fund there are available, by the will of
Congress, the authorization of Congress,
and the appropriation by Congress,
substantial sums of money which can
be used to relieve the suffering which is
going on in Chile.
While I wish to commend the Govern-
ment of the United States for its air-
lift of supplies to the people of Chile
and for the establishment of a field hos-
pital for the people of Chile, this is
only a beginning of what is needed.
We went through the same procedure
in Morocco and we merely scratched the
surface there. What we really need is
substantial, massive help to these peo-
ple. I can think of nothing that would
be more helpful to us now in Latin
America than a big demonstration of
our compassion to the people of Chile.
I read that Mr. Khrushchev is con-
templating a visit to Cuba.
A visit of a White Fleet of ? mercy
ships to the people of Chile to relieve
their suffering, to heal their sick, and
to feed their hungry will be much more
impressive to the people of Latin Amer-
ica than any visit Mr. Khrushchev
could make to the people of Cuba.
I suggest that we make a visit of
trained technicians, doctors and nurses
with materials and supplies who can
feed the hungry and heal the sick, as
an example of our desire to set a pat-
tern of future conduct for the people
of Latin America and as a pattern of
our relationships with the people of
Latin America. Let Mr. Khrushchev
answer that.
The people of Chile have suffered
grievously. Mr. Khrushchev's prop-
agandists spew their poison into Latin
America, but where is their helping
hand? Where is their mercy and their
compassion? Let America set the ex-
ample, as we are doing. If we do so, the
ordinary people in Chile, Cuba, Argen-
tina, Brazil, and all the other countries
of Latin America, from the Rio Grande
down to the very tip of South America,
will clearly understand that the United
States of America loves people. Mr.
Khrushchev loves trouble. We love peo-
ple. I hope the Congress, before it ad-
journs, ? will do something by way of
resolution to express officially our sym-
pathy and concern for the unfortunate
victims of a terrible disaster that still
plagues vast areas of the Republic of
Chile.
Mr. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Presi-
dent, I should like to commend the Sen-
ator from Minnesota. I did not hear
all of his speech, but I heard the last
part of his statement. Yesterday I re-
corded a broadcast to my people in con-
nection with the matter of which he
spoke and discussed the situation along
the same lines as he discussed it. I
wonder if he would have any objection
to my inserting that statement in the
RECORD at this point to confirm my feel-
ing in the matter?
Mr. HUMPHREY. I would consider it
an honor if the Senator from Texas
would do so. It is always good to be sup-
_ Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/08/20: CIA-RDP61-00357R000100220017-9
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/08/20: CIA-RDP61-00357R000100220017-9
1960
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD ? SENATE
ported by the majority leader. I am not
only delighted to have his leadership in
the Senate, but his support yesterday
of the program of which I have just
spoken.
Mr. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Presi-
dent, I .ask unanimous consent that the
text of the broadcast be inserted in the
RECORD at this point.
There being no objection, the text was
ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as
follows:
WASHINGTON RADIO REPORT
(By LYNDON B. JOHNSON, U.S. Senator)
Hello, my friends and fellow Texans.
Many of us have read in recent days of the
near-crushing tragedy that has befallen some
of our neighbors to the south?I'm talking
about the brave people of the Republic of
Chile.
I've always believed some good comes, of
everything?even the happenings that seem
to be 'all for the bad. I believe that at the
very least some lessons can be learned. I
think this is true in the case of Chile, a
peace-loving people whose country has been
wracked by earthquake and devastating acts
of nature.
Reports from Chile indicate that one of
the greatest needs is for money?money to
rebuild shattered homes?money to replace
leveled commercial plants?money to restore
battered port facilities. This is sorely
needed. I'm told that the homes of about
one-third of Chile's population have been
damaged or destroyed by the recurring earth-
quakes.
Chile's population is about 7 million. You
can tell by that how many people have felt
the impact of this national disaster. These
are people who have had brought home to
them what many of you have heard me say
so often: "If all we ever lose is money, we
should Count our blessings and be thankful.
Money?material possessions?can be re-
placed. The lives of loved ones cannot."
This sad truth was brought home with
numbing force to countless thousands in
Chile. These are neighbors who need help.
We can be proud of our great Government.
We have again set an example for the world
to follow.
I'm proud to say our Government slashed
away redtape, and moved swiftly in a merci-
ful response to Chile's obvious and urgent
needs. There were huge planes to help
transport refugees from the stricken areas,
strong arms to help shoulder the exhausting
burdens of recovery, skilled and comforting
hands of doctors to aid the injured. There
was this and more. And our Government
offered this help with humility, it offered it
with understanding.
We must, as a nation, nurture and cul-
tivate this quality of humility and under-
standing. We must, as a nation and as a
people, know the meaning of compassion.
For without those qualities, we will even-
tually succumb to the godless philosophy
dictated by other nations now bent on
dominating the world. None of us wants
this to happen.
Unfortunately, our diplomatic relations
with some countries of Latin America have -
been on the decline. Our relations with
Cuba are at the lowest ebb in history. This
Is symbolic of a situation that benefits no
one. It contains a threat to the future of
all of us. It is a trend that must be
stopped. It is a trend that must be
reversed.
Our attitudes, our policies need to be re-
viewed. Our relationship with these coun-
tries of Latin America, our hemispheric
neighbors, needs to be studied in the light
of today's conditions.
Can we safely assume?as we have in the
past?that because our country and the na-
tions of Latin Ainerica share common in-
terests, share common problems that they
will continue to look to us for leadership?
Are we safe in assuming that the people of
these nations will continue in the ranks of
free men? Can we assume that these peo-
ple will spurn the bribes of the Kremlin and
recognize the evil that we call communism?
Friendship can be easily obtained. Re-
taining friendship is still another matter.
Keeping friends takes patience, it takes un-
derstanding. Above all it takes work.
During recent days our Nation has dem-
onstrated these qualities of friendship to-
ward a neighbor in trouble * * * toward
the people of Chile. And we did this the
way it should be done?neither for gain nor
selfish motive. We offered this help the
way all help should be offered, because it
was the right thing to do, because it was
the neighborly thing to do.
Thank you for listening. This is Your
Senator, LYNDON JOHNSON, speaking to you
from the Nation's Capitol in Washington,
the greatest nation in all the world, our own
United States, and saying goodby and God
bless each of you, my Texas friends.
EXEMPTION FROM THE DISTRICT
OF COLUMBIA INCOME TAX COM-
PENSATION PAID .TO ALIEN EM-
PLOYEES BY CERTAIN INTERNA-
TIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ?
Mr. FREAR, Mr. President, I ask
unanimous consent that the Senate pro-
ceed to the consideration of Calendar
No. 1572, S. 2954, and ask for its immedi-
ate consideration.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. That bill
is the pending business.
The Senate resumed the consideration
of the bill (S. 2954) to exempt from the
District of Columbia income tax compen-
sation paid to alien employees by certain
international organizations.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The bill
is open to amendment. If there is no
amendment to be proposed, the question
is on the engrossment and third reading
of the bill.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed
for a third reading, was read the third
time, and passed as follows:
Be it enacted by the senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled, That section
2(b) of title III of the District of Columbia
Income and Franchise Tax Act of 1947; as
amended (D.C. Code sec. 47-1557a), is
amended by adding at the end thereof the
following new paragraph:
"(16) COMPENSATION RECEIVED BY ALIENS
FROM CERTAIN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZA.
72ONS.?In the case of an individual who is
not a national of the United States, salaries,
wages, or compensation for personal services
rendered as an employee of an international
organization (as defined in section 1 of Inter-
national Organizations Immunities Act' (22
U.S.C. sec. 288) ) which is entitled to enjoy
privileges, exemptions, and immunities pro-
vided by such Act."
SEC. 2. The amendment made by this Act
shall apply only to taxable years beginning
after December 31, 1960.
INCREASE IN FEE CHARGED FOR
LEARNERS' PERMITS
Mr. F'REAR. Mr. President, I ask
unanimous consent that the Senate pro-
ceed to the consideration of Calendar No.
1577, S. 3257.
11229
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The bill
will be stated by title for the information
of the Senate.
The LEGISLATIVE CLERK. A bill (S.
3257) to amend the District of Columbia
Traffic Act, 1925, as amended, to increase
the fee charged for learners' permits.
The PRESIDING OrTICER. Is there
objection to the present consideration of
the bill?
There being no objection, the Senate
proceeded to consider the bill, which had
been reported from the Committee on
the District of Columbia, with an amend-
ment, in line 6, after the word "Code",
to strike out "1951, supp. VII" and insert
"1951 edition", so as to make the bill
read:
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled, That sub-
section (a) (2) of section 7 Of the DIstrict of
Columbia Traffic Act, 1925 (43 Stat. 1121),
as amended (62 Stat. 173; 68 Stat. 732; sec.
40-301(a) (2), D.C. Code, 1951 edition), be
amended by striking "$1" and inserting in
lieu thereof "$2".
The amendment was agreed to.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed
for a third reading, read the third time,
and passed.
AMENDMENT OF CERTAIN PROVI-
SIONS OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
TAX LAWS RELATIVE TO OVER-
PAYMENTS AND REFUNDS
Mr. FREAR. Mr. President, I ask
unanimous consent that the Senate pro-
ceed to the consideration of Calendar
No. 1578.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The bill
will be stated by title for the informa-
tion of the Senate.
The LEGISLATIVE CLERK. A bill (HR.
10000) to amend further certain provi-
sions of the District of Columbia tax
laws relating to overpayments and re-
funds of taxes erroneously collected.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there
objection to the present consideration of
the bill?
There being no objection, the Senate
proceeded to consider the bill, which had
been reported from the Committee on
the District of Columbia with amend-
ments on page 2, line 16, after the word
"is", to strike out "founded," and insert
"founded"; in line 17, after the word
"the", where it appears the first time,
to strike out "assessor" and insert
"Assessor"; in the same line, after the
word "the", where it appears the second
time, to strike out "assessor" and insert
"Assessor"; in line 18, after, the word
"for", to strike out "refund" and insert
"refund,"; in line 25, after the word
"the", where it appears the second time,
to strike out "Board" and insert
"Board,"; on page 3, line 4, after the
word "as", to strike out "amended" and
insert "amended;"; and in line 8, after
the word "by", to strike out "law" and
insert "law;".
The amendments were agreed to.
The amendments were ordered to be
engrossed and the bill to be read a third
time.
The bill was read the third time and
passed.
riDeclassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/08/20: CIA-RDP61-00357R000100220017-9