MEET THE PRESS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000700380039-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 19
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 8, 2004
• Sequence Number: 39
• Publication Date: February 17, 1963
• Content Type: TRANS

FEB 1 7 1963
SrITIVNIS
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PLEASE CREDIT ANY EXCERPTS OR QUOTES FROM THIS NBC RADIO AND
TELEVISION PROGRAM TO "MEET THE PRESS."
MEET THE P R E S S
Produced by Lawrence E. Spivak
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1963
This transcript
provided _for the information
and convenience of the press.
Accuracy is qct guaranteed.
In case-...of doubt, pi-ea-6e--check:
: with MEET THE PRESS.
MODERA IOR : Ned Brooks
GUEST: Senator John Stennis (D. Miss.)
Chairman, Preparedness Investigating
Subcommittee
PANEL: Herbert Ka.plow, NBC News
Marquis Childs, St. Louis Post Dispatch
Merriman Smith, United Press International
Peter Lisagor, Chicago Daily News
MR. BROOKS: This is Ned Brooks, inviting you to MEET THE
PRESS.
(Announcement)
MR. BROOKS: Our guest today on MEET THE PRESS is
the Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee now investigating
the Russian military buildup in Cuba, Senator John Stennis
of Mississippi. We will. start the questions now with Herbert
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Kaplow of NBC News.
MR. KAPLOW: Senator, the other day Chairman Vinson of the
House Armed Services Committee said that be is confident
the Administration is taking all necessary steps to bring
about the removal of Soviet troops from Cuba.
Are you equally confident?
SENATOR STENTIS: Well, let me give a very brief preface
to the attitude of our Subcommittee investigating this matter.
We are not so much concerned about the numbers of weapons
now, and the offensive-defensive nature, but the great
fact is that the Russian military might is there in appreciable
amount and it is a basis for much more, it is a basis for
possible infiltration, it is dominated, of course, directly
from Russia, it is not Castro, it is a new element in the
Western Hemisphere and we are trying to get the basic facts
from which some sound policy can come.
Now your direct question there on being satisfied that they
are now being withdrawn, no, not on the basis of what I
understand the facts to be. I am not satisfied that they
are now being withdrawn.
MR. KAPLOW: Well, isn't it likely that the government
could be the best source, have most of the information on which
to base a ,judgment?
SENATOR 1DENN S: Well I haven't heard a. strong
contention Fhy the Administration that the military force there
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now is currently being withdrawn. The catirate is that
5,000 troops and the missiles and the bombers were withdrawn
soon after October 22. But with the exception of that
withdrawal I haven't heard it claimed that there is any, and
instead there is some more military material coming in.
Whether it is replacements or not it is not clear.
Tar. 1tPLOW: I believe you have already said -- and
this is also a quote -- that there is a tendency in
in the Administration to ignore the basic problem which
Communist domination of Cuba represents and then you went on to
say it is time we take positive action to make clear that
we have the national will and purpose to irradicate this.
What is this positive action?
SENATOR ST+ENNIC: Well, I think Ur. TicNamara's presenta-
tion was brilliant and very fine as far as it went, but it dealt
more in numbers and whether they are offensive or defensive
weapons.
I think the real problem is getting those Russian troops
out of there and the Soviet military might out of this
hemisphere.
MR. lZAPLOt : flow do we do it?
CENATOP ITENITI : And that is what we come into,
it is first a matter of steps that should be taken in a diplo-
matic way --- and I are certain that some are being taken along
that line, 'ir t, economic pressure, and getting the Organization
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of American States to cooperate on that as far as they will,
our Western allies as far as they will. Then diplomatic pressure
and trying to get other nations to go as far as they will. That
takes time. And then you move into the proposition where if
that doesn't get results, then we do have absolute sea
supremacy there, and I think unless we get results otherwise we
will ge driven to a blockade and one step will have to follow
another unless results are obtained. I don't put any timetable
on that.
MR. BROOKS: We will be back with MEET THE PRESS and
more questions for our guest, Senator John Stennis of
Mississippi, but first, this message.
(Announce -ent)
MR. BROOKS: And now resuming our interview, our guest
today is Senator John Stennis, Chairman of the Senate
Subcommittee investigating the military buildup in Cuba.
You have just met Herbert Kaplow of NBC News. Our other
reporters today are Marquis Childs of the St. Louis Post
Dispatch, Harriman Smith of United Press International and
Peter Lisagor of the Chicago Daily News. Lawrence E. Spivak,
our permanent member of the panel will be back with us next
week.
We Will continue the questions now with Mr. Childs.
MR. CHHILDS: Senator Stennis, the people of your state
are reported to be vex-y hostile to the President because of
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the measures of force used by the Administration in
integrating the University of Lississippi. I wonder if they
are also opposed to the Administration, as you seem to be, for
the way the Cuban situation has been handled?
SMATOf STENNI S : V/el i , the people of Uississippi as
for as that is concerned were very much pleased with the
President's action last October in connection with this Cuban
situation, and thought he moved with decision, and it was very
good indeed. The concern there now -- and I haven't had any
more letters particularly from Uississippi about this than
I have from other points. This is nationwide. There is a very
deep concern about the continuation of this formidable
military strength there th:,t can be expanded, it can be a base
of infiltration in Latin America and eventually it can grow
into a power that would be a. direct menace to us militarily.
So that is the concern. I don't think it is confined to any area
or state. It is.nationwi:Ie.
UPI. C'IIILDS: that interests me is whether this is going to
become a political. issue. I know you are up for reelection
next year. Do you think Cuba is likely to come into your
political campaign, Senator Stennis?
SMIATOI STE NIS: Well, I think. it is in everyone's
political campaign as tar as that is concerned. I don't
think there our ,,lit to be any implication for me or anyone
else on this -orinittee in connection with this investigation
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that We are trying to Make politics oat of it. I don't think
you can write this question off.
I think the-President is deeply concerned about this
matter. was reflected in the expressions on his face when
he appeared and talked about it the last time on television.
I know throughout the Senate there is the deepest
kind of concern.
MR. CHILDS: Senator Pulbright said today, I think it was,
that he felt that Governor Rockefeller and others were making
this an issue of partisan politics. Would you agree with that
diagnosis.
SENATOR STETNNIS: I don't want to pass on Senator
Fuibright's statement, or Governor Rockefeller's either.
This is a fact of life, gentlemen, that this is a serious
challenge and threat to us, it affects our prestige in the
Western Hemisphere, it affects our world leadership.
I think we ought to give it number one priority. I believe
there is strong sentiment among the membership of the
Senate to that effect. Senators come and talk to me in a most
earnest way about this, wanting to know the facts and hoping
that we will move forward and try to help get a legislative
opinion that can help in a policy that will be hard and
firm and effective.
MR. SMITH: Senator, isn't it true, though, that you do
differ, as some of your fellow Senators do, with the
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appraisal of the Administration as to the gravity of the
situation in Cuba? Do you feel that you are at odds any with
the White TXcuse picture, or Secretary UcT3amara's picture of
the situation?
SEXThATOI ST3 TTNI S: Well, we don't have the picture yet
in our coraittee any more than has been told to the public,
and plus what Mr. t!cCone told us, as to what the actual fac
ts
are. I can't any now that there are any missiles down
there. I have never suggested there were, or that the
bombers are not gone, but the various strong fortifications
are there, the cost modern tanks and the most effective
armored regiments or these Russian troops, the
very best wa there is no training program going on apparently
to train Cubans to take this over. The pussians are there
to stay as long as they are permitted, and this is a reality.
1111. ..NT : Well, Senator, if this is such a. dangerous
situation what then can the United States do about it short of
going in there and rooting those installations and those men
out of there?
SERATOf aTENNI5: I don't make any exception to the
~a.ct that I think is 1490, is necessary to get them out we
ri 3.1 finally have to come to that. But there are other steps
as I enumerated pointedly a while ago that ought to be taken
,_lrest and wLI3. be effective. The missiles and the bombers
viero 'there naa:ed in a,2peara.uce last October, and a very
tirr, r, L'ir.:I ~~ea : Y enunciation 'vot them out. I think
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it is a problem to continue and I assume and believe the
President will continue with it. But it is not something
you just start in today to go to invading.
MR. SMITH: Senator, referring back to Mr. Kaplow's
question, you mentioned the need for this government taking
a position which will show a national will and purpose to
irradicate Communist governments from the Western Hemisphere.
How are we going to do that, sir? How does this fit with the
standard American principle of self-determination? Do we
say let other countries decide what form of government they
are,going to have -.- how can we influence these other people
in the Western Hemisphere without going too far?.
SENATOR STENNIS: Well, I will illustrate it this way:
When the Communist regime was set up in Cuba we did let it
live and let it stay there. We didn't try then to exterminate
it, but within a brief period of two or three years the
next step came when this Russian military might came in.
Even with missiles and bombers. That shows what happens.
Now we demanded that they get out and they haven't
gotten out fully and I don't think they are going to.
PAR. SMITH: In another case of Cuba, do you think we
should stop it before it starts?
SENATOR STENNIS: Yes, Now I think with infiltration
it is entirely possible that they will infiltrate into
Latin America some place and then they will have the second
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base. Firstthey will got just a dornmunist government and
then will come the military force and from that it can spread
to another and that is why I say we have to irradicate it
from the hemisphere.
MP. LISAGOKt: Senator Stennis, president iennedy and a great
many other Americans feel that the problem in Latin America.
is one of poverty, lack of development, lack of economic
development, and that that really is the only way you are
going to save that area from communism. Now I think you voted
consistently against foreign aid in the Senate, have you not?
S NA'pfl STENNI S: For several years. I voted for it
some in the beginning, and after getting on the Appropriations
Committee I found out more about how it was used and frankly
I changed my mind and I have been voting against it. I have
said repeatedly that I wouldn't just abolish all of it. I
think there are certain spots where we have to have it
but it is too much. It is far too much.
HR. LISAGO1: Well, if you dontt go into Latin America
to help them develop their economy, Senator, how are you
going to prevent these Communist incursions in Latin America?
SENATOR TENNs3I a: Well, you can't develop their economy
overnight. In fact those that the president, as I understand
but I know many of the Senators are greatly disappointed that
this is not doing any more down there, this program, than it
is. It tah o more time. I thin":: if you fool around with so
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much time with just foreign aid and fail to give protection
with the military we have lost the battle.
MR. LISAGOR: Senator, in short do you believe we should
throw a military cordon around the whole of Latin America
and prevent communism from coming in that way, or are we
to help those people help themselves develop their countries?
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SENATOR STENNIS: It is not as simple a choice as you
make. Now I say it is already here, we can see what will
develop in Cuba, it will develop in other countries the same
way. The thing to do is to put the pressure on and irradicate
one way or another the rotten core that is already here.
Now the other things can be done, too. I know we can
improve if we approach it right the economies of these
countries and that will help a great deal.
We are fighting in Vietnam now trying to stop the spread
of communism there, we are fighting with our soldiers, some are
getting killed, we are fighting it with Foreign Aid, and that is
on the other side of the world. We have certainly got to do
that much, here.
MR. LISAGOR: Well you foresee the time then when we
might be using American soldiers in Latin America fighting
against Communists in certain countries?
SENATOR STENNIS: If we let it go far enough without
stopping it now we certainly will meet that situation.
MR. LISAGOR: Senator, before Castro came to power in
Cuba and certainly before the Soviets came into Cuba there was
a Communist problem in the rest of Latin America as I am
sure you are aware. And each of those countries have that
problem quite irrespe ctive of Cuba. What would you suggest
we do in dealing with that home grown indigenous Communist
problem in Latin America?
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SENATOR STENNIS : Well, as it is connected with our inquiry
That is one d' the very things that our committee is going to
try to develop, in part. I. realize more than I have before
the necessity of getting to that problem. I am not an expert
in it myself but I know that we've got to put up the military
shield, here, to keep them from being bodily taken over and
then do the other things that are practical, and that includes
improving their economy. I think you can't beat trying to
improve their agriculture some to start with. I don't think you
can start out with tractors, though, and mass farming to do it.
You've got to teach them to do it in their way.
MR. KAFLOW Senator, what would you do right now about
this military threat in Cuba?
SENATOR STENNIS: Well, I would give It the highest
priority of all of our international problems. We have Korea,
NATOj- Western Europe, Vietnam. I don't want to abandon any of
those, but I would give this the highest priority and I would
put the pressure on that I mentioned awhile ago, in an
economic way, in a diplomatic way. I would try to ostracize
Cuba, I would direct everything economically that way that T
could, get others to, and I don't know how long it would
take but I would follow through on that and If necessary make
the demands for them to get out with this military force
there and U f thpy didn,; t then we would put the blockade on
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similar to what we did before.
MR. KAPLOW: Well, isn't much of that being done?
SENATOR STENNIS: I think some of it is being done, yes,
but frankly I think this talk about Cuba and T think the
calling of our investigation has brought this matter to the
front and given it prominence. The people are concerned and I
think that will back the president up. I am not talking about
criticising the administration all the time, but I think it
will give strength to the President and Khrushchev will realize
MR. KAPLOW: I believe you have implied in some of your
statements that the administration is not acting in this
situation as it should, as positively as it should.
Why do you think the administration would understate the
seriousness of this threat?
SENATOR STENNIS: Well, I have never suggested that this
was deliberate. Just as a matter of judgment, I am assuming
now that they are correct about the number of weapons but the
emphasis has been on the defensiie- nature of the weapons
and downgrading everything and not emphasizing that there was
a determined drive on with a top priority to get those Russian
arms and men out of there. I think it has to be pressed
harder and faster. It is one of the many trouble spots but
I believe it can quickly become the most urgent and In fact
already is.
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LM. CHILDS Senator, 'you spoke about the testimony of
John.LicCone, the head of the Central Intelligence Agency, before
your committee. Did he give you any reason for the so-
called intelligence gap whereby prior to October 22 apparently
this government did not know of the existence of these
missiles?
SENATOR STEMS: Well, Mr. LlcCone was very frank in his
testimony. IIe was very helpful to us. We have not gone into that
in detail yet. lie gave us an overall picture of this situation,
more as to the immediate picture there. That is one of the
natters that frankly I an concerned about and I thine that
we will get more on those facts.
tin. GUILDS: Well do you think there was a failure of
intelligence, Senator? There certainly was a failure of
intelligence at the time of the Day of rigs disaster.
Was there a later failure, and where does the blame for this
lie? I think the American people are very concerned about
this.
SENATOR CT'NWIS: Well, Lir. Childs, those matters are very
difficult to discuss on a program of this kind, and particularly
at this stage of our hearings. If we develop any new
facts that can be told then to the public with proper
safeguard for our security, why of course we will do it. I
hope that we have better coverage than we had then. It is
part of the picture though, if they should cut off our main
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intelligence sources there and eliminate this picture, and
it has already been told that we were doing that,
why there would be a blackout there and missiles and
bombers and other military could. be sneaked in there very
rapidly as we already know.
MR. SMITH: Senator, you speak of economic and diplomatic
pressure possibly contributing to or helping get this Russian
force out of Cuba.
SENATOR ST NI S: Yes.
MR. SMITH: It strikes me that economic and diplomatic
pressure could be applied against the Cubans but not against
those Russian troops there. How do you see these "short of
war" pressures as getting those Russians out?
SENATOR ,TENNIS: Well, it would certainly give a very strong
notice that we are proceeding step by step.
MR. SMITH: If we start stopping the Russians ships going
into Cuba again, don't you think there will be real trouble
between this country and the Soviet Union?
S21AT0R STENNIS: Well, there is risk in anything. There
is risk in anything. But we can't afford just to sit back and
let this continue, this buildup. It is a question of
how much growth and how much resistance we are going to
put. I have thought about those matters. It is quite
serious. If it continues on, though, the crisis will come
at some poj..rit.
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tir,, SUIIni: Well, do you think we could lot this rock along
until the end of the summer, or do you think we will have to do
something positive by then?
SET3AT0R STETNIS: I don't want to try to put any timetable
on it. It would be misleading. That is very difficult, but
positive continuous, persistent pressure is bound to got
results.
MR. SLIITI: A new order of pressure?
SMIATOR >T THIS: Yes, and a continuation of it is bound
to got some results, and we've just got to go through it.
It will be an ordeal, but we can do it and we must do it.
UIt. LISAGOR: Senator Stennis, a. political question, if
I may: You supported president I;ennedy in 19G0.
I think you were one of the few loading Democrats in Liississippi
to do so. Will you support him again next year?
SEIIA'OR STM IS: Well, that question is quite premature.
It would depend upon circumstances and conditions then, or
course. I an a conservative Democrat. I have my main
connections here with the legislative branch of the
government, of course. frankly that is where my power
is, what I have. And a great many of the policies, though,
are vigorously opposed to what he has done and I am not
committed. I am under no obligation to the President
or to the party or anything else. I will decide on what
I think is best for our people, for my people.
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MR. LISAGOR: Do you expect Governor Ross Barnett to be
your opponent in the primaries in Mississippi next year?
SENATOR STENNIS: I have no idea about that. I know
he is a busy man and I am a busy man. I know that I am going to be
a candidate.
MR. LISAGOR: Senator, in your speech in the Senate last
Thursday you spoke of petty and partisan voices being stilled
once we develop a firm, hard policy toward Cuba and toward
the Soviet troops there. I wonder if you could identify
for us who these petty and partisan voices are?
SENATOR STENNI S: 3 worked on that speech, I rewrote
it -- really, I struck that reference out. I wasn't
referring to any individual when I wrote it, when I said
"petty voices." I mean petty points and making small
points about things that really don't matter. I think the big
factor is this problem that we have and we've got to get a
remedy.
MR. LISAGOR: Senator, do you think some of the Republican
criticism of the Kennedy Administration in this Cuban affair is
unjustified and unwarranted, or do you think they are
criticizing the Administration justifiably?
SENATOR STENNIS: Well I haven't reviewed all they said.
I think it is all right to criticize vigorously. I said
with reference to the Bay of Pigs that I thought that invasion
was spilled calk and there were many people to blame there.
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The country is not Interested sa much in that. ghat we 'rant is
a remedy to the problem, a remedy and a policy that will get
results.
fiR. IMPIMI: Senator, a switch: It is about five
months since the trouble at Oxford. 17hat is the feeling
of the people down there now with respect to the problem
involved?
SETIATOR STENNIS: Well, I think that under the guidance
of Chancellor iillians of the University of Mississippi and
he has done an excellent job -- I think they are having
they are not so much in the limelight, there are not so many
cameras and newsmen there and I responded to an appeal
from my grandnephew who is in the Law School, who said that
he believed things would have a chance to study better,
so what I think. they need for most now is to be
just left out of the news.
MR. BROOKS: Senator, on that note I think I will have
to interrupt. I see that our time is up.
Thank you very much, Senator Stennis, for being with us.
I will tell you about ne::t week's guest on M , a TITE
IP'ESS after this message.
(Announcement)
` . ANNO J dCE I: For a printed copy of today's
interview sent ten cents in coin and a stamped, self-
addressed envelope to Tlerkle Tress, 00 Channing Street,
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Northeast, Washington 18, D. C.
MR. BROOKS: Next week our guest on MEET THE PRESS will be
the Chairman of the Council of the Organization of American
States, Ambassador Gonzalo Facio of Costa Rica.
And now this is Ned Brooks saying goodbye for Senator
John Stennis and MEET THE PRESS.
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