CONGRESSIONAL RECORD --- SENATE, TOO MUCH GLOOM AND DOOM ON VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP67B00446R000400120017-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 20, 2005
• Sequence Number: 17
• Publication Date: April 18, 1966
• Content Type: OPEN

Approved For Release 2005/06/29 : CIA-RDP67B00446R000400120017-7
7838 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE April.18, ' 1966
The message further announced that availability of adequate personnel, re- BETTER Nxws
the House receded-from its amendments sulted in AID contracting this responsi- The military government of South Vietnam
Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,. 6, and 7 to the bill bility to Michigan State University. It and the dissident Buddhist leaders seem to
(5.2729) to amend section 4(c) of the was in this connection that CIA omcers be in general agreement on plans to hold an
Small Business Act, and for other pur- with specific MSU agreement partici- early election of a constituent assembly that
will give the country a civil government.
poses, and concurred therein. pated.in the MSU program in Vietnam, This is better news than any but the most
a program designed to improve the of- optimistic has dared hope for in the past
festiveness of the police services of that week.
ADDRESSES, EDITORIALS, ARTI- country as a part of the overall effort to I-low far the agreement goes beyond the
CLES, ETC., PRINTED IN THE preserve that nation's independence. bare accord on holding elections is not al-
APPENDIX The CIA representatives worked spe- together clear. But if there is any real meet-
cifically in the training of Vietnamese ing of minds on the essentials, the details
On request, and by unanimous con- police services, not in clandestine CIA, should not be beyond the ingenuity of the
leaders of the different factions.
sent, addresses, editorials, articles, etc., activities
will enor-
for its part
The United States
,
.
,
were ordered to be printed in the AP-
pendix, as follows: mously gain by the presence of a government
TOO MUCH GLOOM AND DOO ON of civilians enjoying the mantle of legitimacy
By Mrs. SMITH: that only orderly elections can confer. Such
Report to the Legislative Research Com- VIETNAM a government, no doubt, will make decisions
with which the United States may differ.
mittee on the first 5 months of a study of Mr. PROXMIRE, Mr. President, an
the feasibility of establishing a medical There will be disagreement over many poll-
school in Maine, by John B. Truslow, M.D., honest election in South Vietnam es tab- ties in which interests are not the same. It
under date of March 16, 1066. lashing civilian authority should be wel wel- will not be as easy to locate authority or to
By Mr. BYRD of Virginia: comed enthusiastically by the United get it to act. The difficulties of democratic
Editorial entitled "Double Standard Is Ap- States. rule lie in a field of knowledge and experi-
plicable," published in the Southwest Vir- It is incomprehensible to me why there ence where we do not require instruction.
ginia Enterprise. is so much gloom and doom about the But all the difficulties are outweighed by
Article entitled "Huge German Steel Plant prospect of such an election in South the single advantage that is enjoyed by a
for Rod China" written by Holmes Alexander Vietnam. representative and democratic regime that
and published in the Lynchburg, Va., News.
Article entitled "U.S, Friends Assist China What have we been fighting for out can claim to speak for the people of South Economic War," written by Eliot Janeway there, except for the right of the people Vietnam.
trying interval that has led to some
and published in the Chicago Tribune of of South Vietnam to their own govern- IagIn the-, t; the United States, has the whole,
Monday, March 28, 1060. meat? has behaved with commendable detachment
By Mr. HARTKE; Useful as a military junta may have and restraint. It will need to exercise the
Speech entitled "Financial Aid Practices been in the military Conflict against same restraint in the weeks preceding an
Discriminating Against Women in Higher communism, an elected government election. No interest that we may have In
Education," delivered by Josephine L. Fergu- would be far, far better not only in the particular political leaders will rival our
son, April 6, 1066, at convention of American view of people throughout the world but interest in having the South Vietnamese
Personnel and Guidance Assoclatiori. obviously in the eyes of the people of make choices not influenced by a foreign
Vietnam. power. A government freely selected is the
best hope for the right conduct of civilian
THE CIA AND MICHIGAN STATE It is true that the protests against the affairs and the best hope as well for an
UNIVLRSITY - Ky government have impeded the war energetic and efficient prosecution of the
effort. That is a high price to pay. But war.
Mr. SALTONSTALL. Mr. President, if the result of these protests is an honest Americans most not expect that a coun-
as a member of the Subcommittee of election, the benefit will be worth the try In the midst of war can suddenly sum-
the Armed Services Committee follow- price. mon forth perfectly functioning democratic
ing the activities of the Central Intelli- it is imperative in any election contest institutions. But the South Vietnamese are
gence Agency, I Inquired of the CIA re- that the United States follow a policy of not without experience with elections and
garding the criticisms directed by certain the strictest possible neutrality. Our democracy. Local and provincial govern-
only interest should be to assist the Viet- ments have been proceeding with elections
professors of Michigan State University and abiding by democratic methods in parts
concerning certain activities of the uni- namese, when requested, to help guaran- of the country throughout the war. There
versity with relation to a contract with tee a thoroughly honest election with is a tradition in the 'country on which it
the CIA and the employment of secret maximum participation. should be possible to build.
agents of the CIA within the university. While a countrywide election is some- The President of the United States has
I believe it is in the interest of accuracy thing new, local elections are not. The dealt on a friendly and cordial basis with
to make public the facts as I get them. South Vietnamese have held them and Swill h continue to Vietnam's do present goiernment and
On December 21, 1954, President Eisen- abided by the results. There is a good administration will be able is in to deal power.
hoover directed the Operations Coordt- prospect that they would do the same in His co the same manner with the successor gov-
nating Board to have prepared a report a national election. the same shaped by elections.
on the status of the U.S. programs to In view of the immense investment this Such a government will have before it
develop foreign police forces to maintain country has made in South Vietnam in choices that are difficult for a democratic
internal security and to destroy the ef- the lives of our own soldiers, not to speak government to make. It will be confronted
festiveness of the Communist apparatus of billions of dollars of military assist- by all the harsh alternatives of war; and,
in free world countries vulnerable to ante, maintaining our neutrality in an sooner or later, by the equally anguishing
Communist subversion. election will be extraordinarily difficult. problems aIt of may wish procuring deal wceh some th Viiet-
Upon completion of the report on De- But the CIA, as well as every other n am. differently than we would deal with
cember 8, 1955, the National Security American agency in South Vietnam, must prom. But this should confront us with no
Council directed Mr. John Hollister, keep hands off every phase of this else- problems with which we cannot deal. We are
then Chief of what is now the Agency tion. Our total neutrality is imperative. in South Vietnam to preserve the right of a
for international Development, to as- Of course, we must also abide by the small people to govern themselves and make
sume leadership of U.S. efforts to im- wishes of whatever government is elected, their own choices. That principle will be
prove the internal security capability of regardless of how unwelcome their wishes vindicated whatever the course the people
police in a number of foreign countries. might be. If our commitment to self- choir e. We opportunity have undertaken a c olpreserve
At the same time, the NSC, with the determination in South Vietnam does not epovetumeyt to a necessary et e instrument
President's approval, instructed the Di- mean this, it means nothing. elected le Bete vernm what that choice tr uy i t
rector of Central Intelligence and other Mr. President, in this connection, I
Government agencies to lend all possible ask unanimous consent to have printed
assistance to this effort to include assign- in the RECORD an editorial entitled "Bet- PLIGHT OF THE VIETNAMESE
ment of qualified personnel to effect the ter News," published in the Washington FARMER
needed improvements in foreign police Post on April 15, 1966.
forces. The urgency of the situation in There being no objection, the editorial Mr. PROXMIRE. Mr. President, after
Vietnam, which was one of the countries was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, the Honolulu Conference. President
the President had in mind, and the non- as follows: Johnson sent 10 agricultural specialists
Approved For Release 2005/06/29 : CIA-RDP67B00446R000400120017-7
 CPYRGHT
7866
He went to the NASA Manned Space Flight
Center at Houston, Tex., more than 8 years
ago, before any civilians had been selected
for flight crews. He told officials then that
the day was coming when they would need
scientists to explore the moon.
A few scientists were selected last year
but Dr. Lind was a few days too old to qualify
on the initial selections.
This year, when a new call was put out,
he got in touch with NASA's Houston stab
immediately. The man who answeredlaugh-
ed, saying 'we wondered how soon you'd call,
Dr. Lind."
This time, he made it. He'll soon move
his wife-and the: former Kathleen Maughn
of Logan-and five children to Texas to begin
his lunar training.
The dreams that Utah's Don Lind had
more than 20 years ago of flying to the moon
will soon come true. This scientist-pilot
certainly has the right, qualifications.,
CONGRESSIONAL
ORD -SENATE April 18, 1966;
its. The other. fleet .;rrizals and the de-
ceased four-star fleet ec,amanders of World
War II have already Lc % so honored.
Representative BOB Wi soN, of California,
wants to name the nuclear carrier in the 1967
budget before Congress for Admiral Nimitz-
"the man who made the aircraft carrier a po-
tent and formidable element in sea warfare."
Certainly, so far as carrier names go, there
is no reason why this should not be done:
Though carriers used to be named for great
battles or historic ships, such names as "Kitty
Hawk" and "Shangri-La" also have crept in
and three already have been named for peo-
ple: Roosevelt, Forrestal, and Kennedy. And
to stretch a point, so has Bon Flomme Rfchr
ard.
And, though by hitting the history books,
one might come up with some names as Illus-
trious as that of Nimitz, we ourselves can't
think of any persons who are more out-
standing.
So Congress and the Navy should give care-
ful consideration to Mr. WnsoN's proposal.
CIA INVOLVEMENT WITH A MICHI-
GAN STATE UNIVERSITY PROJECT
IN VIETNAM FROM 1955 TO 1950
Mr. HARRIS. Mr. President, my
statement concerning reported CIA in-
volvement with a Michigan State Uni-
versity project in Vietnam from 1955 to
1959, which I made in a speech in Okla-
homa last Saturday noon, followed a re-
fusal of CIA to discuss this matter with
me in private.
After my Saturday statement, I was
contacted by Adm. William F. Raborn,
CIA Director, with whom I conversed
about it, and who, thereafter, sent CIA
officials to discuss it with me privately
in my office this afternoon.
I expressed to them my strong convic-
tion that university research projects
abroad should in no wise have any con-
nection with CIA activities, so that there
could be no misunderstanding that re-
search in the social and behavioral set-,
ence fields, particularly, is unpressured
and unconnected with political ends.
I was given the explanation of the
Michigan State University situation sub-
stantially as was stated today by Senator
LEVERETT SALTONSTALL, of Massachusetts,
in the Senate.
I will continue to be very much inter-
ested in the future in -,he freedom of uni-
ersity
points out that British o th n t,, %
,
~'ver the past. year has changed s1 !it1fJZ
litly. In a recent article in th9 Na-;
nal.Review, he wrote:
lee has changed. A year ago the attitude of
he. British academic or clergyman or lawyer
was likely to be one of despairing disapproval
of American intervention in what was
thought to be a civil war. Today many of
the fight has to be made and that civil war-
is a term that cannot be applied to the ex-
ternally directed Vietcong subversion.
In his article Mr. Fletcher quotes ex-
tensively from such British observers as
Foreign Secretary Michael Stewart, P. J.
honey, reader in Vietnamese affairs at
the University of London, and Michael
Wall of the Manchester Guardian. .
Mr. Wall has, states the author of this'
article, significantly changed the ap- -
proach taken by the - Guardian, which.
had previously been critical of American
efforts in Vietnam.
? In the Guardian of January 25, 1966,,
Wall wrote the following: .
If indeed the struggle is for liberation why
has there been no uprising on a national
scale by a proud and highly intelligent peo-
ple? Why have all attempts to paralyze ?
Saigon by strike action dismally failed?
Why has the Vietnamese Army continued
the struggle after appalling losses and- more-
over still manages to attract volun-
teers?'" . * Those people who understand
what communism is are not attracted by its
GRAPHIC RESEARCH FACILITY
ON POINT LOMA, CALIF.
Mr. MURPHY. Mr. President, I would
like to speak briefly of a most fitting.
dedication that has come to my attention.
On March 25, 1966, the University of
California's Board of Regents named a
new oceanographic research facility on
Point Loma, off San Diego, after the
late Fleet Adm. Chester W. Nimitz.
This 6-acre, $1 million facility is con-
sidered to be one of the most advanced.
Installations in the world for the study
of the sea and the distribution of plant
and aquatic animal life.
The new facility, which will be op-
erated by the Scripps Institute of Ocean-
ography, will include a 320-foot floating
pier, a 150-foot wharf, and administra-
tion and staging building, maintenance
and. electronic shops, and a warehouse.
It will be the home port for many re-
search . and training vessels, which al-
ready include the Alpha-Helix, an ocean
going. biological laboratory, and the
Thomas Washington, a research vessel.
Mr. President, I can think of no one
more appropriate than the late Admiral
Nimitz, a former regent of the Univer-
sity of California and a great naval of-
ficer, to, be honored by the operation of
this new advancement In the exploration
of the sea, which,we all know to possess
carrier for Fleet Admiral Nimitz. This
nd
- _
the Congress and would ^e a fitting a
appropriate tribute to this distinguished students, and other leaders of opinion in
naval officer. I ask unanimous consent Europe and Asia do not support . the
that the attached article be inserted in American demons rnti in in etna Vietnam. ,
my remarks g no this epoint. try have led observers abroad to believe
-There being in objection,
fluCOORRDD, , that opinion here is sharply divided and,
was ordered to be printed d i the e RE the long run, might stimulate a weak-
_ ening of determination to maintain a
Approved For Release 2005/06/29: CIA-RDP67B0 ' 46R0`0040012001 :T-
(NoTE.-The Navy Times comments on the
demonstrations and teach-ins than is in-
ideology and are repelled by its methods.
They do not believe the lot of those in North
Vietnam is better than their own.
I wish to share this interesting and im-
portant analysis with my colleagues, and
I therefore ask unanimous conseit to
insert this article in the RECORD.
FR,eRG H
There being no objection, the
was ordered to be printed. in the CORD,
-
as follows:
(By James Fletcher)
(NorE-In 8 months' time British o- inion
o what 1s going on In Vietnam has ch nged.
day, they buy the American thesis o: Com-
unist aggression.)
One of the tasks sometimes assigned to
1 S. citizens living abroad by their Embassy
1 defending American foreign policy.. In
gland, the organizing body is the U.S. In-
f rmation Service, situated in the eagle-
t peed Embassy in Grosvenor Square. Be-.
use the USIS is particularly eager to keep
r rations between Britian and the United
Fkates as close as possible, the number of
s eakers sent out from London in any one
eek may be quite large. Most of them re-
ive no pay, being recruited for trainfare
fill engagements which cannot be filled
y Embassy officials for reasons of manpower
of discretion. A Rhodes scholar may
dress an organization of retired civil ser-
nts on "The Structure of American Gov-
nment." Or a Fuibright lecturer may dis-
ss the race problem before a women's. club
Durham. The operation is a large one
nd the results cannot be estimated because
many variables are involved.
My own initiation into the role of unof-
cial spokesman came in late January. The
opic was Vietnam and the program a BBC-
V educational venture called "Spotlight."
we or three of my colieai,uee on the list
versity research from political or other
AMERICAN COMMITMENT IN VIET-
NAM .
Mr. DODD. 'Mr. President, demon-'
rom which the BBC eventually got my name
pecialized in foreign affairs, but with the
eticence displayed by most American aca-
emics they refused to be involved in any-
dam ea s or ~dr3 'C ~ '~ ~ tW0 f the =ask fell to me.