BAGGAGE FOR JFK TRIP: AID DISSENSION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000200930061-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 5, 1999
• Sequence Number: 61
• Content Type: NSPR

Approved For Release 2000/08127A f [R
WASHINGTON MERRY-GO-ROUND: By DREW PEARSOF
baggage For JFK Trip: Aid dissension
WASHINGTON, June 22 -- As President Kennedy
begins his tour of Europe the question of U.S. military aid
for the countries he is visiting is under one of the toughest
President Kennedy In making commitments to Western Europe
leaders on his trip.
Furthermore it's important for the leaders of Western Europe
to remember it. The plain fact Is that the American public ham
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attacks in its up-and-down history. started to go lso
largely responsible.
Gaulle, to
The current attack comes from Democrats, not Republicans
the Secretary McNamala, to whom Mdse paid trlb?te as the ablest'
among them
Relations WommitteeFu,band ;en n o Arkansas, sf Oregon. of Defense in history, gave eloquent arguments that our
heir 'n ticis s of Committee, and . Wayne Morse retgonhe e. NATO allies were increasing their
i military spending. But his argu-
Teir cr large U.S. of the e Amerispendingcan public. abroad represents epresents the mints made little impact on the Senate Foreign Relations Corn-
r~?]in~ of f a larsegment t of lttee.
"I happen to think that the greatest defense weapon we have m
1s our own economy." said Sen. Morse. in cross-examining Secretary "I want to know What effect this program is having on our
of Defense McNamara regarding U.S. military aid to foreign domestic civilian economy," demanded Morse. "And when I see
e'ajntries. the economy that we have built up in Europe advancing far ahead
t ' d 04 4 ' c om it is about time we take a look
e on
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"Therefore, I am not t'ery much impressed with your argu-
ment that we ought to he able to pay this bill- with a national
#ioss product of $dOO billion a year. It doesn't help me very much
on my farm to hncreasi' my gross product each year if I don't
balance my books. And we are not balancing our hook as ev-i-
tlcnr ' by the -act \%e just got thrni,eh raisins the debt coiling.'.
mte a r s
e
of t
Y.
at what I consider to be our most important defense weapon, the
status of our own economy."
Morse is chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Education.
Referring to this fact, he said. "We have had Administration wit-
-?'sew un here before my subcommittee testifying that 75 percent
ens
This declaration from a liberal Democrat, provably hunt'..) trs5 ?, ? ? --
by across-section of American opinion, must ne