CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - HOUSE

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Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP75-00149R000700460004-4
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RIFPUB
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K
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1
Document Creation Date: 
December 16, 2016
Document Release Date: 
December 7, 2004
Sequence Number: 
4
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Publication Date: 
September 28, 1967
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OPEN
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PDF icon CIA-RDP75-00149R000700460004-4.pdf203.53 KB
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%4t %o, n%0WG 4 ?? pit. LL;QV5r-1 H 12690 Approved For FP~i~fi;I~Q~OO7OO466mber 28, 1967 We had incidental contacts with certain other free-world diplomats and a consider- able number of Soviet and U.S. citizens. We visited widely in Moscow and Leningrad and observed church services in Baptist, Roman Catholic, and Russian Orthodox churches. The coolness of our reception bj'' Soviet officials and the limited compliance with re- quested contacts with top officials seemed intended to hamper achievement of our goals of exploring Soviet attitudes on the Cold War, on Viet Nam, on the Near East, on trade, and on religious freedom in Russia. However, the contacts permitted to us, and those we made ourselves, were sufficient to warrant certain general conclusions. As I have mentioned, we can expect no thaw in the Cold War In the foreseeable future. Our policies will be concurred in and assisted only when the Soviet hierarchy is of the opinion that some tangible gain to their purposes will be accomplished. There was little if any evidence of different atti- tudes among others. The Soviet press, echo- ing the official line, constantly sows anti-U.S. propaganda. One newstand of Russian papers carried no less than four grotesque cartoons of President Johnson throwing bombs at helpless people. In no case did there appear to be any understanding of U.S. positions in the Par East, or indeed in the Middle East. Our policies seemed to be viewed as domi- nated by colonialism and economic royalists seeking to exploit. On the'other hand Soviet citizens interviewed from Chairman of the Council of Nationalities, Paletskis, down felt that continued Soviet arms supply to other nations was justified and should continue. At the same time there seems to be a pri- mary involvement of government officials and private citizens with domestic progress, concentrating currently on the 50th Anniver- sary of the Revolution to be celebrated on, what the celebration will consist of, but all' agreed it will be big. In view of this, particu- larly bitter resentment was expressed to U.S. press and television coverage given to Stalin's daughter Svetlana. This coverage plus re- ports of small university or other groups In the U.S. staging counter demonstrations on November 7 seemed to be attributed to the pe,C.I.A. and as demonstrating U.S. official pol- icy, dominated by big business. Even such an extreme event as the recent publicity about the American Nazi Party is seized upon in discussions by Soviet officials as demonstrat- ing potential U.S. attitudes. While much interest is expressed in U.S.- Soviet trade, current world conditions are held out as a bar to progress on it. As put by a "representative of the Ministry of Foreign Trade, theoretically we do have the possibil- ity, but it is not practical now. Reasons given are the Viet Nam war, requirements on using 50% U.S. shipping, licensing bans (referring to the Grand Coulee Dam generator ban), longshoremen's boycotts and a failure to grant the most favored nation clause. The Soviets consider they have a number of Stems we.might purchase and they suggest long- term credits repayable in products produced in lieu of capital investments. U.S. particip- ation in an international clothing fair cur- rently underway was viewed favorably, as was a U.S. fashion ahow'in connection with it. While the fashion show was excellent, the very poor and limited display sponsored by our U.S. Commerce Department compared most unfavorably with Poland, France, Italy, and Japan. If-we were to participate at all, a better showing should have been required. by comparison. It is perhaps symptomatic of Leningrad Soviet.: Mr. ANDREWS. Why, with an increase in the very basic question for U.S. trade poi- Helsinki: U.S. Ambassador Tyler Thomp-.,,the crime rate would we have the lowest icy-whether increased trade and develop- son. prison population in years? - ment of more consumer-oriented economy in Members of the European Subcommittee Mr. ALEXANDER. I cannot be a total expert Russia is in our interest and should be pro- besides Robert Taft, Jr, were John C. Culver Inanswering this question. First of all, there moted. With present hard-core thinking and (Iowa) and John H. Buchanan, Jr. (Ala- is increasing use of Federal probation, which domination of public thinking there is little bama). They were accompanied by Foreign, over the past 5 or.6 years has accounted for evidence that it can help on any basis other Affairs Committee staff consultant Marion A. a substantial part in the reduction of our than a very long-range one, - Czarnecki. prison population. Approved For Release 2004/12/15: CIA-tIPA;0OOA7OO46OOO4-4 Misunderstanding of U.S. thinking is so profound that the Soviets generally seem to believe that an increase in trade with the U.S. can come to'dominate U.S. foreign policy through greedy business motives and that this will somehow be favorable - to Soviet policies. Meanwhile there seems to be little evidence of any easing of controls over the Communist society at home. While the proposed Flat THE GROWING NATIONAL CRIME . RATE AND THE INCREASED AC- . (Mr. ANDREWS of North Dakota -(at the request of Mr. SCUERLE) was granted permission to extend his remarks at this point In the RECORD' and to include extraneous matter.) Mr. ANDREWS of North Dakota. Mr. planning for- parking or highways for the general pubic. While we were in Moscow an- other secret writers trial got underway. While religious services we visited were permitted, official disfavor limited them almost entirely to the elderly and to women. The only ex- ception was the Baptist churches in Lenin= grad and in Moscow. There was no evidence 'shown us of any variation from tdtal govern- ment ownership of property even down to the smallest kiosk or newsstand. The only excep- tion to this came at a collective farm market where private sale of produce and handmade 'Items was permitted. The attitude and sales- manship at the booths stood in marked con- trast to all the other markets and stores. We had considerable discussions with local officials on metropolitan problems such as housing, transportation, traffic and parking, and juvenile delinquency, or hooliganism as they call it. While the volume of new housing is impressive, the quality is not and foreign- ers joke about many of the buildings becom- ing "Instant antiques", a label they appeared to merit. The prospect of a consumer econ- omy as a wedge toward political enlighten- ment If it exists at all, seems a dim one. Yet it may be the only course to peaceable trans- formation. Finally, a word about 'U.S. representation ,in Moscow. The U.S. Embassy staff headed by Ambassador Thompson, a profoundly experi- enced and wise officer, is doing a most difficult job under frequent harassment. While we were in Moscow another reprisal reaction oc- curred in the banning of two most capable U.S. officers from the Soviet Union. It was difficult to decide whether to commiserate with or congratulate them. After thorough study of official notes of the meetings held and analysis of reactions of each of the members and staff, the Sub- committee will prepare and publish a report of its visit and findings. The foregoing, there- fore, reflect solely my own views. LIST OF- PERSONS INTERVIEWED DY EUROPEAN SUBCOMMITTEE OF HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, AUGUST 29 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 4, 1967 - London: U.S. Ambassador David Bruce. Moscow: U.S. Ambassador Llwellyn Thompson. U.S. Press Correspondents: Henry Brad- Sher, AP; Dick Longworth, UPI; Prank Starr, Chicago Tribune; Edmund Stevens, News-. day; Bud Korengold, Newsweek. - U.S.S.R. Foreign Ministry, U.S.A. Division: Korniyenko, Chief; Levchenko Assistant Chief; Sokolikov, First Secretary; Sokolov, Second Secretary. Mayor of Moscow, Pramishloff. - Ministry of Foreign Trade: Manguloff, -Chief of Dept. for Western Countries. Pravda "Observer": Yuriv Zhukov, Viktor Mayevskiy. - - Chairman Yu. I. Paletskis, Council of- Na- tionalities of Supreme Soviet. Za Rubeshov Magazine: Paramonov, Edi- tor; Rabbi Levine of Moscow Synagogue. . and the increased activities of organized - Crime in our Nation must be of serious concern to all Americans. - The State of North Dakota, I am proud to say, enjoys one of the lowest crime rates of any of our States. However, the people it Is my privilege to represent are interested in this national problem, which Is the topic of my most recent re- port to my constituents. I have unanimous consent to insert this report in the RECORD at this time: . A professional agitator brought two bus- loads of New Yorkers to Washington recently and led them in a wild-at times violent-' demonstration in the House of Representa- tives Gallery. At least two policemen were -injured (one was hospitalized) and seven of the rioters were hustled off to a. nearby police station. Almost within the hour, a local judge released them on $10 bonds-the same pen- alty levied for double-parking in the District of Columbia. It is strange indeed when law enforcement officials are given virtually no backup by the - courts of this land. Time and time again we read of the confessed murderer or rapist brought to jail by hard working police offi- cers, only to: be turned loose when some clever attorney is able to convince the courts that his confession was given in an improper fashion. The technicalities of the law all seem to be interpreted in favor of protecting the rights of the person who commits the crime, rather than the individual who is the victfht of the crime. While violence and robbery are a -na- tion-wide ' problem, it is one that can and should be - solved at the local level by en- - couraging and backing up our law enforce- ment officials. - - Individual criminal action, however, is in many cases the stepchild of organized crime, which 1s a national problem requiring a na- tional solution but getting little, if any, at- tention from this Administration which has allowed the Eisenhower and Kennedy war on organized crime. to grind to a virtual halt. Figures developed by my Appropriations Subcommittee, which funds the Justice De- partment-including the FBI-point out graphically the fantastic indifference shown by the Justice Department under Attorney General Ramsey Clark in what they are doing to handle the Increase in organized crime. - , With crime on an upsurge you would neces- sarily think that the Department of Jus- tice's work level would increase correspond- ingly. Just the opposite has been the case. .. - Another strange statistic at this time of sharply increased crime is the fact that the average annual Federal Prison population has declined by nearly two thousand con- victs during the past two years. - When Federal Prison System Director, Myrl E. Alexander, testified before our 9-man " Subcommittee, I asked him: "Is it true that