UN-DOMINCAN ACTIVITIES?

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00001R000300200025-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 15, 1998
• Sequence Number: 25
• Publication Date: November 8, 1957
• Content Type: NSPR

4'nitized'- Approved FXPe1g%: CIA-RDP75-0Q IR999300200025-6'
CPYRGHT
1:, the Senate committee which did so much
mm.-bite United States relations with Canada in
the N,)rman case about to do the same with our,
Latin-American neighbors? ,Next Tuesday, ,the
Senate Internal Security Subcommittee is set. to
'begin hearings on communism in Latin America.-
Doubtless any penetration in our back yard is a
valid subject for concern, but there would be no
excuse for the Subcommittee to equate subversion
with a lack of reverence for, Gen. Rafael Trujillo,
the beribboned despot of-the Dominican Republic.
The hearings-is it coincidental?-begin on the
same day as the trial of John Joseph Frank, who
Is charged with being an unregistered Dominican
agent. Frank was indicted by the grand jury
which Investigated the sensational Galindez-Mur-
phy case.
What ]ends credence to the suspicion of pro-
Trujillo bias is the incredible report submitted
this week to the Subcommittee by one of its mem-
bers, Sen., Olin Johnston of South Carolina. After
gratuitously and inaccurately describing Costa
Rica as "the known hotbed and headquarters" of
Latin communism, Senator Johnston heaps creamy
words of praise on the Dominican Republic. "If
the United States has any better friend In the
entire Caribbean area," says the Senator, "I am
unaware which one it Is." Mr. Johnston goes on
to praise the "political maturity" of the Dominican
Republic and to imply that other countries should
follow Trujillo's tRtmple.
Much the sarn(r case that is made for Trujillo
could of course !be made for Stalin, who gave
"order" and wel(Are measures to Russia. Further,
according to Ra' rt J. Alexander in hs recent
book, Communi? to in Latin America, Trujillo was
not above woo Communist support a decade
ago. Mr. Alec flcir calls Trujillo's legalization of
the Commuparty in 1946 and other friendly
steps "perhi 'i the most blatant example of the
Communists' Willingness to' work with the Latin-
American die tors and the dictators' willingness
to work Ahem." By stunting free institu-
tions, by ip ^riminate branding of all a.ritics as
"Communir by driving the oppositio a under-
ground, 1 x''4,4 tes, Trujillo has created "poten-
tially .r, f. ~a, most powerful and dangerous
Coinp:rtJ : h't't c; in Latin America." '
Mr. Joltd )nt\' end the Senate Subcommittee
wo11iL be `et,(Advised to investigate why so
mane of i cral\'Y'i'ujillo's exiled critics: wind up
in tho, a V. "re un-Dominican activities or
an, ,M'rOt,s atr no vroper concern of
the lirtPd_,J t~..e) , male..
Saniti
-00001 R000300200025-6