PART 6: LET'S KEEP THE RECORD STRAIGHT - A SELECTED CHRONOLOGY OF CUBA AND CASTRO - OCTOBER 22 - 29, 1962 EXTENSION OF REMARKS OF HON. DON L. SHORT OF NORTH DAKOTA IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 1963

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• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP65B00383R000200230037-7
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• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
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• Sequence Number: 37
• Publication Date: February 4, 1963
• Content Type: OPEN

1 Part 6: Lei's Keep the Record Straight-
A Selected Chronology of Cula and
Castro-October 22.29, 19- 2
EX'I`EI SXON O1' 1ARk,A11
OT,
HON. D& 1. WORT
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United States-accusing us of being too
soft-too hard-too vacillating-or too
concerned,, about, the whole subject of
communism-Latin American countries
and NATO allies alike-all lined up be-
hind _the United States and expressed
approval and support. Although some
proof that a threat really existed in
Cuba-such as G"rest Britain-it did not
take too long for the British as well as
Mexico and several of the Latin and
Central American countries to realize
that this threat indeed existed and could
swing in many directions-and that
whether they liked it or not, their na-
tional fortunes were also involved to one
degree or another.
The Soviets were, of course, shocked
and unbelieving. They accused us of
hysteria. Somehow they had formed the
opinion that we would not, as a nation,
Or NOTtT1 DAKOTA
IN THE HOVE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Thursday,- January. 24, 196$
Mr. SHORT. Mr, Speaker, this sixth
portion of , my continued chronology - on
Cups and;C,stxo.n begms With the action
by President Kennedy in imposing a sea
and air "quarantine" on the shipment of
military equipment to Cuba-of which
the public was informed on the evening
of October 21, 1962, -during a nationwide ,
TV broadcast.
to most people? in political and govern-
circles, as well as the press, that
ment
something unusual was afoot. The re-
turn of President Kennedy from his very
active speaking tour on behalf of Demo-
'ciat candidates for, Hpuse,ai ' la e
seats was mpre or less a tipp ,to many
that something out of the ordinary was
happening.
I believe it is safe to say that the
American public, although understand-
ably on edge, gave an almost collective
sigh of relief ,after the broadcast, was "
over. Altiloiigh many felt the action
taken should hay beeli stronger, most
were glad at least that -a' was not weaker.
The public, almost to man, expressed
their complete support of the action
taken by President Kennedy in finallY..
drawing a definite line 6f demarcation
on what t ` he tl,S Government , wou d
tolerate as far as Cuba and. the. Soviets .
were concerned, been public had for a
long long while been frustrated and un-
easy about efforts which had been made
for almost a,,generation to keep a steady _
footing and clear head In dealing with
the Soviets, T Q. I xaS i e asst llu , i-
iating thrusts from Castro in Cuba had
been almostmoxe than they could take-
therefore the action taken by, the Presi-
dent amounted at least to an assertion
of our .national pride-and a natural
concern over the safety, and welfare of
our Citizens and ti e secl}rity of our way
of life. ,A_ 11 seejned relieved that the,
President hadat long Iasi, "dropped
the other shoe." It appeared that this
had the effect of welding together
formerly warring factions, and we
seemed to be joined in a common ypur-
pose-'to protect our Nation
This same electric i pulse somehow
touched many foreign nations who
shared our love of freedom, but who had
obviously doubted for some time our will
to fight for it. One by one, many who
previously had engaged in sniping at the
seemed to have forgotten or overlooked
the fact that many times in the past we
had successfully held the line against
Soviet advances or threats-such as dur-
ing the Berlin blockade-airlift, our re
sumption of nuclear testing after the
U.S.S.R. had broken their . moratorium,
Korea, the Chinese Nationalist Govern-
ment in Formosa, and so forth. The
significance of these stands taken by the
United States had somehow been over-
looked by the Soviets and they had
'formed an unflattering opinion of what
they termed our "softness" as a Nation.
Thefollowing chronology of events
will refresh our minds on the variety of
charges, countercharges, threats and
counterthreats, which took place but
through it all, I do not, believe the spirit
of unity of the American, public ever
,really wavered. They had wanted firm
action by the President and others con-
cerned with our national and foreign
policy-and were overjoyed that this had
taken, place. The comment was often
heard that if President Kennedy had
been running for reelection in the fall
campaign, he would win "hands down"
against any candidate-and I am fairly
sure this was true.
I would like to point out here, how-
ever, that if the American public showed
their pride in President Kennedkr be-
cause of his action, the President had
even more reason to be proud of the
American public. For he had, whether
intentionally or not, created an atmos-
phere not only in foreign countries but
in his own as well which can best be
described by a paragraph taken from
the Globe and Mail, Canada's leading
conservative newspaper, in an editorial
entitled "Mr. Kennedy's Arrogance," and
printed on December 31, 1962:
Mr. Kennedy's high-handed attitudes and
ruthless methods attracted a great deal of
unfavorable comment in the United States
and abroad during his campaign for the
Presidency. His record in the White House
has not been reassuring; often he seems to
confuse willfulness with toughness, and bul-
lying with strength.
The chronology follows:
A. SELECTED CHRONOLOGY ON, CUBA AND CAS-
TRO-PART 6
October 22, 1962: In a speech of extraordi-
nary gravity, President Kennedy imposed a
sea and air "quarantine" last night on the
`shipment of military equipment to Cuba.
'Broadcasting to the American people and
listeners abroad, he said the Soviet Union
was building offensive missile and bomber
bases in Cuba. He said the bases could fire
medium-range nuclear missiles 2,000 miles.
Calling on Premier Khrushchev to withdraw
the missiles, he said any launching against
a Western Hemisphere nation would be met
by retaliation against the Soviet Union. He
made clear that Washington would not stop
short of military action to end the provoca-
tive threat.
American warships and planes quickly put
the quarantine into effect and a worldwide
alert went out to U.S. Forces. Destroyers,
submarines, and other units put to sea all
along the eastern seaboard to join a large
Caribbean fleet, which included 40 ships and
6,000 marines diverted from maneuvers.
After nearly a generation of trying to avoid
a direct United States-Soviet confrontation,
the United States drew the line-not with
.Cuba but with the Russians. Mr. Kennedy's
order, bore out, his decision to oust Soviet
missiles from his hemisphere at the risk of
"war. American ships have orders to attack
blockade runners that resist.
Havana radio said Cuba's armed forces were
alerted after Mr. Kennedy's speech.
"London sources said Britain would approve
the quarantine. Canada closed some of its
airbases to Soviet planes bound for Cuba.
Moscow radio charges hysteria in Wash-
ington. (Foreign Affairs Division, Oct. 22,
1962.)
THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS,
LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE SERVICE.
A SELECTED CHRONOLOGY ON CUBA, OCTOBER
23-25,1902
October 23, 1962: Soviet Government
statement (handed to the U.S. Ambassador
in Moscow) warns the United States that its
quarantine raises the threat of thermo-
nuclear world war. It says that the Soviet
Union has "repeatedly declared that not a
single Soviet nuclear bomb would fall either
on the United States or on any other country
unless an aggression is committed. * * *
But if the aggressors touch off a war, the
Soviet Union would strike a most powerful
retaliatory blow." The statement insists
that the weapons provided to Cuba by the
Soviet Union were "aimed solely at enhanc-
ing Cuba's defense potential." It adds:
"The United States demands that military
equipment Cuba needs for self-defense
should be removed from Cuban territory, a
demand which, naturally, no state which
values its independence can meet."
The U.S. blockade .against ships delivering
offensive weapons to Cuba goes into effect.
U.S. Secretary of Sefense McNamara an-
nounces that 25 Soviet merchant ships have
been spotted on the way to Cuba, and that
the first U.S. Navy contact with these ships
will be in 24 hours.
Premier Fidel Castro (in a televised
speech) describes the U.S. blockade of Cuba
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It had lbeexl apparent for several days "fight when the chips were down." They
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bn ;y 4
as an act of piracy. He says that Cuba will
"never" accept the U.S. plan for a U.N. inves-
tigating committee to check on Soviet missile
bases in Cuba.
The United States introduces a resolution
In the U.N. Security Council calling for the
removal of Soviet missiles from Cuba.
The Council of the Organization of Ameri-
can States (after granting Itself emergency
powers as a ministerial-level organ of con-
sultation under provisions of the 1947 Rio
Treaty) formally authorizes (by a vote of 19
to o, with 1 abstention) "the use of armed
forces" to carry out the quarantine of Cuba.
(Uruguay-which abstains on a technicality
due to a delay in Instructions from the Mon-
tevideo Government adds Its affirmative
vote.) "(In] the greatest display of Western
Hemisphere solidarity since the days of
World War U-Latin America acted swiftly
to join the United States In recommending
all necessary measures to halt the flow of
offensive weapons to Cuba from the Soviet
bloc."
The British Government expresses "deep
concern at the provocative action of the So-
viet Union in placing offensive nuclear weap-
ons in Cuba," and declares Its support of
the U.S. position. "NATO lined up solidly
behind the United States. The 14 other
members of the NATO Permament Council
at Paris took under urgent consideration
the question of a military alert for their
forces."
October 24, 1962: U.S. Defense Department
announces that some Soviet-bloc ships head-
ed for Ouba appear to have changed their
course, while others are still proceeding.
U.N. Secretary General U Thant sends ur-
gent appeals to President Kennedy and Pre-
mier Khrushchev asking them to suspend,
respectively, the blockade and the shipment
of arms to Cuba, for a period of 2 or 8 weeks
which would allow for negotiations.
In answer to a telegram from the British
philosopher and pacifist. Bertrand Russell.
who had appealed to Soviet Premier Khru-
shchev "not to be provoked by the unjustifi-
able action of the United States in Cuba,"
Khrushchev (in his reply) calls on the
United States to "display reserve and stay
the threat of execution of its piratical
threats which are fraught with most serious
consequences." and he suggests a summit
meeting "in order to discuss all the prob-
lems which have arisen, to do everything to
remove the danger of unleashing a thermo-
nuclear war"
October 25, 1982:
U.S. Navy intercepts the first Soviet ship
(an oil tanker) to penetrate the blockade,
and allows it to continue on Its way to Cuba
after it is determined that It carries no offen-
sive arms.
Soviet Premier Khrushchev accepts U.N.
Secretary General U Thant's proposal of
October 24 for a suspension of the U.S.
blockade and Soviet shipments of arms, and
for talks leading to a negotiated solution of
the Cuban crisis. President Kennedy (in his
reply to U Thant) says that "the existing
threat was created by the secret Introduction
of offensive weapons Into Cuba, and the an-
swer ties in the removal of these weapons"
He says that the United States is willing to
engage In "preliminary talks" with the U.N.
to see whether a satisfactory basis can be
found for negotiations on the Cuban crisis.
In the U.N. Security Council. U.S. Delegate
Adlai Stevenson displays photographic evi-
dence of Soviet missile bases in Cuba, after
Soviet delegate Valerian A. Zorin insists that
the U.S. assertion Is based on false evidence.
Stevenson-Zorin exchange In the U.N. Se-
curity Council, October 25, 1962:
Stevenson: "Let me ask you one simple
question: Do you deny that the U.S.S.R.
has placed and is placing medium- and inter-
mediate-range missiles in Cuba? Yes or no?
Do not wait for the translation. Yes or no'
Zorin: "I am not in an American court-
room, and, therefore. I do not wish to an-
swer a question that to put to me in the
fashion of a prosecutor.-'In due course you
will have your reply"
Stevenson: "You are in the courtroom of
world opinion right now, and you can an-
swer 'Yes' or 'No.' You have denied that they
exist, and I want to know whether r have
understood You correctly."
bases his answers on Khrushchev's private
letter of October 28 which-Kennedy says-
contains proposals "which seem generally
acceptable," i.e.. the Soviet Union would dis-
mantle its bases and remove its offensive
weapons from Cuba under U.N. supervision,
and would halt further shipment of such
weapons to Cuba, and in exchange the United
States would end the quarantine and give as-
surances against an Invasion of Cuba. Ken-
nedy adds: "I am confident that other na-
tions
prepared to do likewise." Kennedy empha-
statement? You will have your answer in
due course"
Stevenson: "I am prepared to wait for my
answer until hell freezes over. if that is your
decision. I am also prepared to present the
evidence In this room."
Canadian Government endorses the U.S.
position In the Cuban crisis. Prime Minis-
ter Dtefenbaker says (in the Canadian House
of Commons) that the Soviet offensive weap-
ons in Cuba are a direct and Immediate men-
ace to Canada and a serious menace to the
deterrent and strategic strength of the
whole Western alliance on which our secu-
rity Is founded. -
British Prime Minister Macmillan (in a
speech to the House of Commons on the
Cuban crisis) does not specifically endorse
the U.S. blockade, but says that the meas-
ures taken by President Kennedy are not ex-
treme. since they are designed to meet a situ-
ation without precedent. He expresses the
hope that a peaceful solution to the crisis
will soon be found which will make it pos-
sible to move to a wider field of negotiation.
However, he adds: "1 think what has hap-
pened in the last few weeks must confirm
our view that in these grave matters we can-
not rest upon mere words and promises.
These need, If they are to restore confidence,
to be independently verified and confirmed."
October 28, 1982: In answer to a new ap-
peal from United Nations Secretary General
U Thant, Soviet Premier Khrushchev agrees
to keep Soviet ships away from the U.S.
blockade area for the time being, and Presi-
dent Kennedy says that he will try to avoid
any direct confrontation at sea "in the next
few days" Kennedy points out, however,
that certain Soviet ships are still proceed-
ing toward Cuba, and that work on Soviet
missile bases In Cuba is still continuing.
The White House Issues a statement which
says: "The development of ballistic missile
sites in Cuba continues at a rapid pace.
? ? ? The activity at these sites apparently
Is directed at achieving a full operational
capability as soon as possible* ? ? there
Is no evidence to date indicating that there
Is any Intention to dismantle or discontinue
work on these missile sites. On the con-
trary, the Soviets are rapidly continuing
the construction of missile support and
launch facilities and serious attempts are
underway to camouflage their efforts."
The U.S. Navy stops and searches a So-
viet-chartered freighter of Lebanese regis-
try. The ship Is allowed to proceed to Cuba
after no offensive weapons are found on
board.
A massage from Premier Khrushchev
(which is not made public) reaches Presi-
dent Kennedy: "Never explicitly stated,
but embedded in the letter was an offer to
withdraw the offensive weapons under
United Nations supervision In return for a
guarantee that the United States would not
invade Cuba."
October 27, 1062; President Kennedy re-
celves a second message from Premier Khru-
shchev (made public in a Moscow broadcast),
which proposes that the Soviet Union will
dismantle its missile bases in Cuba and with-
draw Its jet bombers from the island, If the
United States will do likewise In Turkey.
In his reply to Khrushehev. Kennedy ignores
the proposal to link Turkey with Cuba, and
sizes that "the first ingredient ? ? * is the
cessation of work on missile sites in Cuba
and measures to render such weapons inop-
erable, under effective international guaran-
tees. The continuation of this threat, or a
prolonging of this discussion concerning
Cuba by linking these problems to the broad-
er questions of European and world security,
would surely lead to an intensification of
the Cuban crisis and a grave risk to the peace
of the world."
The White House issues a statement which
implicitly rejects Khrushchev's proposed
Cuba-Turkey deal: "Several Inconsistent and
conflicting proposals have been made by the
U.S.S.R. within the last 24 hours, including
the one just made public in Moscow. The
proposal broadcast this morning Involved
the security of nations outside the Western
Hemisphere, but it Is the Western Hemi-
sphere countries and they alone that are
subject to the threat that has produced the
present crisis-the action of the Soviet Gov-
ernment In secretly Introducing offensive
weapons into Cuba. ? ? ? The first impera-
tive must be to deal with this immediate
threat, under which no sensible negotiation
can proceed. ? ? ? As to the proposals con-
cerning the security of nations outside this
hemisphere, the United States and its allies
have long taken the lead in seeking prop-
erly Inspected arms limitation on both sides.
These efforts can continue as soon as the
present Soviet-created threat Is ended."
Well-informed sources [at NATO headquar-
ters in Paris) indicated that they regarded
the kind of horse trading proposed by Mr.
Khrushchev as dangerous to Western security
and the morale of the Atlantic alliance.
It was pointed out that the missile bases
in Turkey were put there on the openly
proclaimed decision of the heads of govern-
ment of the NATO states In December,
1957 ? ? * land] this was in direct response
to repeated threats of employment of Soviet
missiles against the West. It would be in-
tolerable, in the opinion of some Western
diplomats. to equate this action with the
clandestine installation of Soviet missiles in
Cuba at a time when the highest Soviet
officials were proclaiming that none but de-
fensive arms were being supplied to Cuba.
The U.S. Defense Department announces
that a U-2 reconnaissance plane Is missing
and presumed lost over Cuba, and that other
unarmed U.$. planes on surveillance missions
over Cuba have been fired on. The Defense
Department warns that measures will be
taken to "Insure that such missions are ef-
fective and protected." At the same time,
the Defense Department announces that 24
troop-carrier squadrons of the Air Force Re-
serve are being recalled to active duty. In
this connection. Defense Secretary Robert S.
McNamara says: "We must be prepared for
any eventuality." Premier Fidel Castro (in
answer to an appeal from U.N. Secretary
General U Thant) says that Cuba will sus-
pend work on missile bases while negotia-
tions are in progress if the United States
"desists from threats and aggressive actions
against Cuba, including the naval blockade
of our Country." He Invites U Thant to come
to Cuba "with a view to direct discussions
on the present crisis."
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - APPENDIX
Communist saboteurs in ' Venezuela blow
up 4 electric power stations of the US.-
controlled Creole Petroleum Co.'s in-
stallations at Lake Maracaibo, therebyy cut-
ting Venezuela's oil production by 500,500
barrels a day and reducing by $1.2 million
a day Venezuela's Federal oil revenues which
thftlce up 70 percent of its budget. It is esti-
mated that it will take 1 to 3 months to re-
pair the power stations.
October 28, 1962, Premier Khrushchev (in
a message to President Kennedy) announces
that he has ordered the dismantling' of So-
viet missile bases in Cuba and the return of
Soviet offensive weapons to the Soviet Union,
to be carried out under U.N. supervision.
President Kennedy issues a statement,
welcoming Khrushchev's statesmanlike deci-
sion, and says (in a message to Khrushchev)
that the Cuban blockade will be removed
as soon as the U.N. has taken the necessary
measures, and he pledges that the United
States will not invade Cuba. Kennedy says
that he attaches great importance to a rapid
settlement of the Cuban crisis, because "de-
velopments were approaching a point where
events could have become unmanageable."
Premier Fidel Castro issues a statement
which declares that the United States must
fulfill five conditions if thg present crisis
is to be resolved. These are: (1) End of
economic blockade and all measures of com-
mercial and economic pressure exercised
against Cuba by the United States. (2) End
of all subversive activities,. dropping and
landing of arms and explosives by air and
sea, organization of mercenary invasions, in-
filtration of spies and saboteurs, "all of which
actions are organized in the territory of the
United States and certain accomplice coun-
tries." (3) End of pirate attacks carried out
from bases in the United States and Puerto
Rico. (4) End of all violations of air and
naval space by U.S. planes and ships. (5)
U.S. withdrawal from the naval base of Guan,
tanamo and return of this territory to Cuba.
October 29, 1962: United States announces
it will lift the blockade of Cubs.for,,2 days,
at the request of the U.N. Secretary General
U Thant during the latter's mission to Cuba
which begins on October 30. (On the next
day, the United States also suspends its air
surveillance of CiTba during U Thant's 2-day
mission.)
President Kennedy appoints a three-man
coordinating committee (headed by John J.
McCioy, former disarmament adviser, Under
Secretary of State George Ball and Deputy
Secretary of Defense Roswell Gilpatric) to
carry on negotiations for a conclusion of the
Cuban crisis with U.N. Secretary General U
Thant and Soviet Deputy Foreign Minister
Vastly Kuznetsov (Premier Khrushchev's
special envoy, sent to the U.N. to negotiate
about the dismantling of the Soviet bases in
Cuba).
Proposed Supplement to the Peace Corps
EXTENSION O1 OEM
AR$S
or
HON. GALE A. McGEE
'Or WYOMING
IN THE SENATE OFT UI',)'ia`D b AT Monday, February 4, 1963
Mr. McG R, Ir. Prrsidepit, recently
there appeared in the Bloomington, Ind.,
Herald-Telephone daily newspaper an
editorial about one of our distinguished
Colleagues, the senior Senator from Indi-
ana, Senator VA1cc HARTKE.
The editorial suggests that Senator
HARTKE has proposed a valuable supple-
ment, to the Peace Corps, which is do-
ing an outstanding job for this Nation.
Senator HAari s's proposal would make
the talents of retired American business-
men and industrialists available to un-
derdeveloped countries by sending such
persons to those countries to assist and
direct in building business and industry,
which is the. key to dissipating poverty
and raising the standard of living.
Since this editorial deserves the at-
tention of the Members of this Sen-
ate, I ask unanimous consent to have
the following editorial printed in the
RECORD.
There being no objection, the editorial
was ordered to be printed in the RECORD,
as follows:
[From the Bloomington (Ind.) Herald-
Telephone]
HARTKE PROPOSES VALUABLE SUPPLEMENT
Irdiiana Senator VANCE HARTKE has come
up with a plan, a sort of supplement to the
Peace Corps, which seems to be a good means
of accomplishing several goals of this
country.
HARTKE would make talents of retired
American businessmen and industrialists
available to underdeveloped countries by
sending such persons to those countries to
assist and direct in building business and
industry which is the key to dissipating pov-
erty `and raising the standard of living.
HARTKE said that these retired persons
would use their vast reservoir of productive
talents to advise business leaders in coun-
tries including newly emerging African na-
tions. He urged Commerce Department Sec-
retary Luther Hodges to make available the
talents of these retired Americans.
The idea has much merit in that it ap-
parehtly would accomplish a great deal witli-
Of1t a tremendous outlay of taxpayers' cash.
Since most persons who would be avail-
able are already reasonably well fixed with
pensions, savings, social security, etc., they
would probably be willing to serve at com-
paratively low remuneration. It would give
them, however, an opportunity for foreign
travel and adventure with no outlay of their
fixed incomes.
- The United States has millions of people
who are still in the prime of life when they
reach retirement age. Age 65 is becoming
younger all the time. Look around the com-
munity and you will find a great many people
past 65 competing vigorously in energy and
vitality with people 20 years their junior.
Yet many industries and large business or-
ganizations have arbitrary rules that when
you are 65, you're through.
The Hoosier Senator said that his plan
would give the Nation an unparalleled op-
portunity to win friends and increase the
productive capacity of the world through
utilization of our vast reservoir of productive
talents.
a'Late last year, IiARTKE spent several weeks
in Africa, visiting the new nations on the
continent. It is not difficult to imagine
what' he found. He found a continent
abounding in natural resources but almost
totally lacking in business and industry
know-how and virtually devoid of ability to
create and expand industry.
t"klthough the heads of government, min-
asters and. leading businessmen were pro-
foundly interested in the various types of
aid we have made available to these new
countries," he said, "they were unanimous
in saying that of equal and perhaps para-
mount importance was the learning of the
business and production techniques which
havq made our, own country great.
u"Everywhere I went there was a thirst
for knowledge for American business methods
A467
which are admired by nearly all Africans."
He quoted I. N. N. Tambo, secretary general
of, the Federation of Nairobi Traders Asso-
ciation in Kenya, as saying "we need the
American business know-how to survey our
resources and markets, to set up small pro-
ductive facilities, show us how to create de-
maAd and how to sell, how to treat our
labor, how to make a profit, and how to
expand."
The reservoir of retired American talent
would be tremendous. There would be need
of people with experience in all types of
business and industry, large and small.
The idea in Itself should be exciting to
retired people in good health who have had
limited opportunity to travel. They would
not only be able to satisfy their desire for
travel and adventure, but also to serve their
country and humanity at the same time.
They would contribute to expansion of
American trade as underdeveloped countries
began to emerge from the darkness and be-
come consumers of world products as well
as producers.
They would strike severe blows at com-
munism by teaching Initiative and indus-
triousness.
HARTKE's plan would not be heavily de-
manding on the participating retirees. They
could work short hours and their service in
any one country could be of short or long
duration, depending on the desires of the
people. They could be provided adequate
earnings and expense money so that they
would not have to endure hardship.
It appears that the plan may make it
possible for many retired persons to find the
most rewarding work of their lives.
HARTKE is interested in obtaining the
views of his Hoosier constituents on the pro-
posed program. Why don't you give him
your ideas?
John Duncan: Georgia's Big Man in
Agriculture
EXTENSION OF REMARKS
or
HON. G. ELLIOTT HAGAN
OF GEORGIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Thursday, January 24, 1963
Mr. HAGAN of Georgia. Mr. Speaker,
under leave to extend my remarks in the
RECORD, I would like to insert an excel-
lent article on John P. Duncan, Jr., an
Assistant Secretary of Agriculture.
John Duncan is truly dedicated to
finding workable solutions to our agricul-
tural problems; and needless to say, all
Georgians are extremely proud of the
wonderful job he is doing in the Depart-
ment of Agriculture.
The article about Mr. Duncan, which
appeared in the Atlanta Journal and
Constutio?. El gazine on_ January 20,
1963, was written by Miss Margaret
Shannon, and I insert it in the RECORD
believing it will be of much interest to
my colleagues in the House:
JOHN DUNCAN: GEORGIA'S BIG MAN IN
. AGRICULTURE
(By Margaret Shannon)
WASHINGTON.-One day last month John
P. Duncan, Jr., of Quitman, Ga., and Alex-
andria, Va., got a four-line memorandum
from Secretary of Agriculture Orville L.
Freeman, It didn't amount to much in
wordage, but it just happened to mean that
the onetime south Georgia farm boy had
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A468 February 4
14,000 additional employees to , look _ altar Sometimes the bs and to Capitol Bill, fly farms couldn't and Mr. Duncan is con-
for a while. sometimes a 004vgt 4alx, , ty cetned about family farms. "You can't say
Mr. Duncan Is Assistant $a e~~y of Apr! press conference. works, too, a to these people, 'Look, we're going to wipe
culture for Marketing and StablIIza n. 'f' ha erica-to' make tie p wor~. you out duet because you're not big, ,? he
mum a al,gned regponsibil t' for the A large part' of the b o~ crop controls declared. "We just don't do things that way
Cooperative Extension Service to his once and surplus storage Is carried on by the Agri- in this country."
temporarily. It was the sixth agency of the cultural Stabilization and Conservation Serv- As the 88th Congress proceeds and the ad-
4.6, Department of Agriculture to come uh- ice one of the agencies that come under John ministration sends its farm proposals to the
der pis wing. Evidently somebody up hero Duncan's supervision. It is in a'sense not Bill, Mr. Duncan will be, among the Agricul-
likes him. only the center of the ilover'nment'e farm ture Department's salesmen seeking support
Secretary Freeman must. He continues program, but also the heart of Xmerican among the lawmakers. He gets a .good share
to pile work on him, and the 45-year-old agriculture. of the credit for swing 'the administration
formes president of the Georgia IF" Bu- When Mr. Duncan left his 807-acrq Brooks farm legislation from complete disaster last
reau Federation seems to tbr}ve on it.' Ris County farm and the presidency of the Geor- year. 'there was a series of cliff-hanging
hair is almost white, but It has been that way gla Farm Bureau to become Assistant Agri- votes and the Duncan influence helped to
for years. He keeps fit by playing squash culture Secretary at the start of the Kennedy turn the tide.
with Secretary Freeman at the Benttagon or administration, be was placed in charge of Mr. Duncan averages about a trip a week
loafing In the eighties on a Virginia course the Foreign Agricultural Service. this was to the White House to discuss farm problems
when he has time. new erupt to hlm. He held the, ss#gnment with Presidential advisers and, on occasion,
The highest and best evidence that John for 15 months, and became a well-traveled with President Kennedy himself.
Duncan Is a success In the shift"within the man In that time. There have been reports from time to time
Department last March that put him In He went to Punta del Nate, Uruguay, In that the President is bored with farm prob-
abarge of the Agricultural StabiUzation and August 1961, and took part In drafting the lems and doesn't know much about them.
Conservation Service right at the time of the Alliance for Progress. Ile went to Rome Mr. Duncan does not agree.
Billie Sol Estes scandal. Actuauy AbCS had In November that year and to the Philip- "I'll say this he's a lot more interested
been taken away from James T. 94h short- hies later. Be visited U.B. agriculural at- than President Eisenhower ever was," the
l before the scandal broke and It fell Mr. 9 around the world. Once he' flew to Assistant Secretary says.
Duncan's lot to straighten' out a mess he London one day and' back the next after When the Cuban crisis threatened to de-
hadn't made. opening an agricultural trade center there. velop into nuclear war, Mr. Duncan took
"We came out, all right on Bstee6" Mr. Dun- What impressed him most, he say`s, is the part in high-level conferences on how to
can said. "The Department didn't loss a ,Batt food can play In America's efforts to meet the Nation's food needs under enemy
nickel on him, and that's rime than can be atop communism and win the`peace through- attack.
said for anybody else who dealt with him. out the world. He also spends some time on the conven-
We have all our grain, and we are holding 'We can talk satellites and sputniks and tion circuit, usually as the invited guest.
$2 million In escrow until final dlaposition all that, but the h ngry man is more Inter- 'Me foray Into Atlanta for the Farm Bureau
of the ease." acted 14 seeding his children.' And we have convention was an unusual approach. Most
His presence in Dr. Ralph`s old job at a got so much more food `t0 offer tiie world of the time, farm-related organizations want
time like that, made him a target, too, and than have the Russians and other Commu- to hear the Government's side.
last July a Washington newspaper reported n. One of Mr. Duncan's most powerful jobs
that Mr. Duncan once went to speak to the "The hungry people In Africa, in South Is on the Board of the Commodity Credit
Tama Cotton Glnners. Aepp.b.titip and at America, and In east Al*, nwhere I visited, Corporation. The Corporation has borrow-
hotel free meals and hotel rooms from the were not much Interested In' whether we or Ing authority of $14.8 billion. It makes deci-
organization. the Soviets put the first man .in.. orbit or stone about commodity transactions that
Since Billie 8ol,b spreading of largesse which of us was ahesd'ln space. T ey are greatly influence prices. Outside traders
among agricultural workers had been much tW8fty Interested in getting food for them- make and lose fortunes in commodity deal-
talked of and testified about, this ,, nevus. solves and their families, and that's where ings. The CCC has a tremendous responsi-
Mr. Duncan at once asked, the 1igr1cultuze Our food-for-peace program in winiilng us bility.
Department auditor to check all h expense blends. How does it feel to have this responsi-
accounts. It turned opt the Government "r believe we can whip the Russians in the bility and an the others involved in being
awed him $150 in unpaid per diem. Mr. fight for men's minds If we can just'put the Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Mar-
Duncaa also said that accepting room and food where it is needed. And the men who keting and Stabilization?
board while on speaking engagements in a have given leadership to this fight are the "It gives you the feeling of wanting to
common practice for Government omclals American farmers with their abundant be pretty doggone careful before you make
and lies within the cone of conduct promul- Production:" a decision," Duncan says.
gated by the President. Last May, delegates from 88 countries, Any decision of his will come from a life-
Another kind of trouble came W. Duucanb meeting in Washington, elected Duncan as time of association with farming. His agri-
way-or he came its way-when he went to Chairman of the International Cotton Ad- cultural education began on the family farm
Atlanta In December during the American v1sor7 Committee, representing 95 percent 4 miles north of Quitman. Now rented out,
Farm Bureau Federation rConygntlon. Be of the world's cotton production. It produces cotton, tobacco, peanuts, and
didn't go to the convention; he, WW1 in- In the departmental reshufings last livestock.
vtted, He went to try to counteract on the spring, Mr. Duncan was given supervision After finishing at Emory, he took graduate
scene some of the drastiq, Farm Bureau criti- over the Commodity Exchange Authority, the work In agriculture at the 'University of
clam of the tloverninent's farm program. ;Kral Crop Insurance Corporation, the Georgia. He played professional baseball for
Dthey refer to Mr. Agricultural Marketing Service, as well as a short time, but went back to farming.
Around Duncan In this the Department,
role as Ane-man to Mr. ~ and was placed on the Board of Dl- His wife is the former Branch Ellis Orr, of
squad When the Farm a one an truth rectors of the Commodity Credit Corpora- Macon. They and their four children-Judy,
~ the ~ m ~e t ration's palm Isn't Lion largest corporation In the world. The 20; John, 15; Ellis, 8, and Nancy, 5-11ve in a
wfidkt the Id Duncan tired bapkr that 1it is. Foreign Agricultural Service was assigned to brick split-level house in Alexandria.
l t
too, working and furthermore, farmers like someone morning and gets home after 7t ever 0 nievery
it He didn't mind the change. "I'm kinds g y gi1
in a shop now that I'm familiar with," he Often he Is in his place even on weekends.
Such s-scandat4 bad publicity.
hes~~ ad He intended to go back to being Georgia
powerful opposition-are unpleasant, but Sohn Duncan learned the shop as a farmer Farm Bureau president after 2 years In Wash-
they are minor compared to the one that who has never farmed except In the time of Ington, but it didn't work out that way.
Mt', DuQc an calls the biggest of all: "Trying Government controls and price supports. In The administration wanted him to continue.
to find same way to cope with the capacity IM, ibe year after he finished Emory tni- He was on leave from the Farm Bureau office,
of the American farmer to produce." varsity tobacco growers decided they'd do and staying here meant he had to resign the
"If you turned the American farmer loose better without the Government program. post. So It won't automatically be his when
to grow all he could, I don't know whether Tbo result, was a glut of tobacco on the mar- he does leave the Government.
the oceans would hold It," Mr. Duncan said.. and s.Door price far all. "I don't know what I'll be doing 2 years
It seems an curable htadaclie. An Mr. Was ha:e opposition now that wants the from now," he said. "If President Kennedy
Duncan sat about it,, he'd just Q"ernment out of the lass bust, 11 he is reelected and the administration wants me
learned that the w eat crop estimate was &" " Oo . nme?t would like to get to stay, I might do that. I might go back
up 25 percent even with thousands of acres out, but you have to be realistic about IL to the Farm Bureau; I think I could."
taken out of production since the last crop. The problem Is not whether to have controls, "Or"-he was answering a question on this
"That's a lot of wheat," he said. but to get legislation that would do a better point-"I might run for Congress. It's too
eo Mr. Design goes forth to battle with job at a lowercost to the Govgtnnpex-t,," soon to say. I didn't think 2 years ago that
opposition to the Government farm program. The big !arms could survive, but the lam- I'd still be hare, but hire I am."
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