POLICE MISHANDLING OF CUBAN REFUGEE DEMONSTRATION
Document Type:
Collection:
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST):
CIA-RDP66B00403R000200170037-0
Release Decision:
RIFPUB
Original Classification:
K
Document Page Count:
4
Document Creation Date:
December 16, 2016
Document Release Date:
January 3, 2005
Sequence Number:
37
Case Number:
Publication Date:
July 22, 1964
Content Type:
OPEN
File:
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
![]() | 776.98 KB |
Body:
1964
Approved For RC8Kafff jS lflZT Cif 66BQ FF 0~0 00170037-0
tolerant of Communist-oriented groups
posed a quite different problem from that
in Venezuela. Different again is the situa-
tion in Chile, where a Communist-Socialist
coalition 'seeks- power through `regular elec-
tions to 'be held later this year. Methods
of combating Communist Infiltration must
be adapted to the situation.
Subversion from abroad remains a major
aspect of the Communist threat to many
Latin American countries, particularly those
in the Caribbean-and the,principal source
of this subversion continues to be Castro's
Cuba. The case of Venezuela is a good
illustration. For Venezuela today, as for
many other Latin American neighbors, the
Castro government in Cuba is not a nuisance
to be ignored''but- a 'menace to be elim-
inated. Communist "subversion from Cuba
is not a "myth" to be exposed but an ever-
present reality to 'be faced.
The , report issued in February of this
year bytt e Organization of American States
makes it indisputably clear that Cuba has
Venezuela.
sriiug led arms to terrorists in
TherQ ie mow photographic evidence of the
plan and ptot to subvert the Betancourt
government at the time of the election last
Decernbe
What, mpuld the U.S. position be in such
cases? : ?, ur national policy should be one
of clear, unequivocal support for taking the
necess r1. steps" to cut off arms shipments
from u6a to Venezuela or any other Latin
American nation Cuba must not be, $o be an` arsenal for terrorism rev-
olution, and, olaos:' Instead of merely worry-
ing about governments of friendly countries
being able to stay in power and resist vio-
.
l p.ce, we `should choke off the source of that
I beiieye that we should wholeheartedly
port the position of tfie Venezuelan Gav-
er' ent in,the,OAS where it has requested 11
joint sanctions against Cuba. i hope that
the required -'action can be accomplished
within the framework of the OAS. But if it
cannot, thissfiouldnot mean that we will
permit -friendly governments like that in
Venezuela tQ remain defenseless because of
the inacton of its neighbors. The existing
machingr of tfie OA'S should not be per-
it tesf tg impede the successful handling of
is s6ft.
brn
These nay `fie instances where it is ac-
tually preferable to take bilateral action to
feet a .Communist threat rather than re-
quire the participation or approval of all
members of, the OAS An effective response
'to, Qommunist subversion does not always
require that all LatinAineiican governments
publicly and officially take.a strong positive
position. Undue pressure to do so may
sometimes be counterproductive, by weak-
ening the political position of a government
which is fundamentally anti-Communist
but whose freedom of action is restricted by
a delies, te balance of internal political force.
The machinery of the`( Si should be sufii-
cientiy flexible to permit-bilateral action as
well, as multilateral action where it may be
I do not favor a military invasion of Cuba.
Even less do I favor so great a preoccupation
with Cuba that all other hemispheric issues
are ignored. But so long as the stated pur-
pose of the Castro regime is to export its
Communist revolution; it will remain a
threat t9 many Latin American governments.
, .
Bo long. as it remains a 'threat to them, it
remains much more than a nuisance to the
United States. For our own interests are
inextricably bound up with those of our
neighbors in the hemisphere,
In implementing the policy outlined above
it should, be understood that methods must
vary from country to country, that U.S. ac-
No. 140-13
thin in'implementing the Alliance for Prog-
ress is dependent upon the actions of Latin
American countries. For the immediate fu-
ture I would mention several lines of action
which might be effective in realizing our
objectives. If rapid progress is to be made
in achieving the social and economic objec-
tives of the Alliance for Progress, it will re-
quire in the next decade both greater mobili-
zation of resources by Latin American gov-
ernments and a larger infusion of external
resources. These external resources will
come chiefly from three sources: (1) aid from
foreign governments, and international lend-
ing agencies; (2) trade; and (3) foreign pri-
vate investment.
All three of these are essential to most
Latin American countries and will continue
to be for the foreseeable future. In the face
of continued congressional criticism of for-
eign aid and disappointment abroad with
the volume of aid and the conditions at-
tached to it, there has been a tendency to
disparage foreign aid; Latin Americans look
to trade and North Americans to private in-
vestment as a substitute.
Trade brings into a country needed foreign
exchange, but it carries with it no guarantee
that the foreign exchange will be used for
purposes having a high priority in the de-
velopment of an economy or society. The
exchange usually goes to a relatively few peo-
ple in the commercial sector and, in the ab-
sence of effective progressive tax systems or
exchange controls, can be spent on luxury
items or sent abroad to foreign banks. For-
eign aid not only brings in needed capital
but capital that can be easily channeled
into.those projects and those sectors of so-
ciety deemed of crucial importance.
Foreign private investment-as many pre-
viously skeptical Latin Americans have now
learned after experimenting with swollen,
inefficient state business corporations-is
absolutely essential both to increase the pro-
ductivity of a country and to develop an
efficient industrial and agricultural sector.
With the strong encouragement of the U.S.
Government-for example, through invest-
ment guarantees and tax credits-American
business can continue to provide leadership
in building a strong private sector in Latin
American countries. But it is a mistake to
claim too much for private investment, to ig-
nore the. necessity of expending large sums
on the economic and social infrastructure
(highways, ports, dams, schools, and health
systems) which can be financed only by
public funds.
All three-aid, trade, and private invest-
ment-are essential to social and economic
progress in Latin America. In my view, we
in the United States do not allocate the
amount of resources to Latin America re-
quired to do the job that needs to be done.
Although Latin American countries may be
less capable of absorbing large amounts of
capital than were the European countries un-
der the Marshall plan, it is nevertheless true
that our contribution to the Alliance for
Progress is pitifully small compared to the
billions of dollars-mostly in grants, not
loans-that we poured into Europe after the
Second World War, In line with the priority
.which we should assign to Latin America in
our global policy considerations, our aid to
this area should be substantially increased
for the rest of the decade.
There is no reason, however, why the in-
creased aid to Latin America should come
exclusively from the United States. It should
be recognized that the European contribu-
tion to Latin America need not be limited to
respecting embargoes on trade with Cuba.
European countries-together with other
countries like Japan and Canada that con-
duct substantial trade with the area-should
be strongly encouraged to contribute to the
infusion of capital that is required, and on
terms that are favorable. This assistance
should represent private investment as well
as Government aid.
Trade may not be a panacea for the prob-
lems of Latin America, but it now seems clear
that we must give greater attention to devel-
oping trade within this hemisphere, The
terms of trade for Latin American countries
have remained unstable. Although com-
modity prices have shot upward during the
past year, it is unclear whether this is a
temporary improvement or a long-range
trend. Trade among Latin American coun-
tries has not flourished, with the exception of
the recently established Central American
Common Market. Our exports to Latin
America have leveled off, and it is clear that
we shall face increasing competition there
with Europe and Japan.
It is too early to say exactly what regional
mechanisms should be used to bring about
increased trade between the United States
and Latin America, to promote competition
and stable trade relations within the hemi-
sphere. The brief experience of the Central
American Common Market indicates what
can be achieved in a limited area if Individ-
ual countries are willing to look beyond their
borders. The experience with LAFTA-
Latin American Free Trade Area-thus far is
less promising. Certainly, one of the prob-
lems which should be given early considera-
tion by the newly created Inter-American
Committee for the Alliance for Progress and
by the Inter-American Development Bank is
the possibility of giving greater impetus to
the regional movement in the LAFTA coun-
tries. The Inter-American Development
Bank has begun to finance the acceleration
of regional trade within LAFTA, and its ef-
forts should be supplemented.
As for the United States, I believe that we
must soon undertake an intensive review of
our hemispheric trade policy. Trade is es-
sential to the economic prosperity of the
hemisphere and we should give careful con-
sideration to the possibility of developing a
more cohesive trading area, which would not
only bring economic advantages but would
also promote the political unity of the
hemisphere.
The next step in promoting a hemispheric
trade zone might be to lend our strong sup-
port to the development of LAFTA in the
same way that we gave our backing to the
Common Market in Europe and to the Cen-
tral American Common Market. We should
promote the creation of new exports and the
expansion of existing exports by supplement-
ing the funds now available for this purpose
from the IDS. We should participate In
planning LAFTA's development and encour-
age American business to do likewise. Once
LAFTA has made significant progress, we can
then consider what new trade relationships
should be developed between the LAFTA
area and the United States and Canada.
In the future, decisions on questions of
basic importance to the development of the
Alliance for Progress, such as those on aid
and trade, should naturally be made through
the Inter-American Committee for the Al-
liance for Progress. Just as the U.S. Govern-
ment has improved its machinery for han-
dling hemispheric affairs, so the members of
the Alliance have created a mechanism to
facilitate truly multilateral decision-making
on hemispheric problems. But this new
organ can succeed only to the extent that it
has the strong support of the nations of the
hemisphere, especially the United States.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has
indicated the strong congressional sentiment
in favor of multihateralism, thereby giving
the executive branch the freedom it needs to
assist in acceleration of the trend-from uni-
lateral to multilateral decision-making under
the Alliance for Progress.
In pursuing the political objectives of the
Alliance for Progress-both the positive aim
Approved For Release 2005/01/27 : CIA-RDP66B00403R000200170037-0
16854. 1
Approved CONGRESSIONAL 1R/2EC~CIRD -S ENATE403R000200170037-0 July 22
of inspiring a commitment to constitutional
government and democratic institutions and
the negative objective of thwarting Commu-
nist expansion-we would do well to divert
more attention and resources to programs
in the educational, ideological, cultural, and
propaganda fields. We should expand pro-
grams aimed both at the elite and at the
popular classes. According to the best in-
formation available to me, approximately
8,000 Brazilians were brought to the United
States during the past 10 years under our
various educational and cultural exchange
programs. If we really appreciated the revo-
lutionary atmosphere in Latin America
today and understood the nature of the Com-
munist appeal to younger people who will
become the elite of their societies, we would
raise this figure to 3,000 per year.
Similarly we should use all possible lever-
age to encourage Latin American govern-
ments to expend the resources needed to wipe
out illiteracy among the mass of the people.
Where the determination exists, illiteracy
can be effectively eliminated in a brief period,
a fact that has been proven by the Castro
government in Cuba. Of the many reasons
which could be advanced in support of crash
programs to end Illiteracy, r will cite only
three: First, active popular participation In
political life under a democratic government
is impossible if half the population cannot
read and write. Second, historically no so-
ciety that has succeeded In abolishing liiiter-
acy has remain poor for long. Third, the
balanced population growth rate that will be
necessary in the future is not likely to be
accomplished while half the population
remains illiterate.
In our efforts to cooperate with Latin
Americans in realizing the objectives of the
Alliance, we should be aware of the renais-
sance of one of. the traditional institutions
found in all Latin American societies-the
Roman Catholic Church. One of the most
encouraging trends of the past decade has
been the new awakening on the part of
church leaders to the shocking social and
economic problems of the continent, and the
new determination to meet those problems
now through fundamental reforms.
Today in Chile, Panama, Venezuela, Brazil,
Argentina and Colombia members of the
hierarchy are actively pushing the reforms
stipulated under the Alliance Charter.
Whereas formerly the active espousal of
progressive social and economic policies was
largely confined to religious orders like the
Marykaoll priests or to Isolated pastors. to-
day they are supported by occupants of
metropolitan sees. The farsighted social
and economic philosophy of the late Pope
John's social encyclicals Mater et Magistra
and Pacem in Terris is being strongly pushed
by the Vatican. Men who once would have
been "promoted" to mountain parishes for
their advanced views are now being ap-
pointed bishops and cardinals.
The church's role is important not only in
promoting economic and social reform, but
also in building free societies and encourag-
ing hemispheric unity. The building of a
just economic and social order requires the
rapid modification-sometimes the destruc-
tion-of old institutions. In a-revolutionary
era, the temptation is great for the state to
absorb total responsibility In the social and
economic order, to eliminate all institutions
which it cannot directly control itself, to
create an atomized society. History teaches
us-and the recent example of Cuba reminds
us once again-that it is the atomized society
that is easy prey for totalitarian government.
in one of the best capsule definitions of
totalitarian government, Hannah Arendt
once defined it as the elimination of all sub-
groups between the individual and the state.
During the next decade, when revolutionary
change will be the order of the day in many
countries, there may be times when a brake
Is needed on the action of the state if social
pluralism and individual political liberty are
to be preserved. In some Latin American
countries, it may be the church that will be
-called upon to play that role.
Finally, the Catholic Church-together
with Roman law and the Spanish language-
is one of the principal unifying forces in this
vast continent. In an age of rampant na-
tionalism, the common bond which the
church provides may have a powerfulimpact
In overcoming the separatist tendencies of
the age and In achieving hemispheric unity.
In conclusion, I would emphasize that
quite apart from the specific programs which
we may support in implementing our policy
in Latin America-programs of aid, trade,
private investment, education, or propa-
ganda-what is equally important Is our
success in solving our own preeminent social
problem-achieving equality for the Negro-
and our attitude toward our fellow citizens
In the hemisphere. In a continent where the
large majority of people are nonwhite, a
continent that includes societies like Brazil
which have developed a harmonious multi-
racial society. It is hard to exaggerate the
Importance which people attach to our ef-
forts to extend the benefits of modern civil-
ization to the Negro minority in the United
States, just as Latin Americancountries are
striving to make them available to the ma-
jority of their own people.
President Kennedy is revered for opening
up a new era In relations between the United
States and Latin America, not primarily be-
cause he promised material assistance, but
because he conveyed an understanding and
respect for Latin American people, for their
culture, and many of their traditions. He
did not regard Latin American people as
inferior or expect them to- see the solution
to their own problems In blind imitation of
the United States. It is this attitude of
understanding and respect that must per-
meate not only our leadership, but our en-
tire society. This will not be easy to accom-
plish-as most adults In this country were
educated In schools where the overwhelming
majority of textbooks and reference books
either Ignored Latin America or reflected a
condescending attitude toward Latin Ameri-
cans. Written chiefly by authors sympa-
thetic to a northern European cultural in-
heritance, which historically has been funda-
mentally unsympathetic to Latin culture,
these books have been all too Important an
influence In shaping the attitude of genera-
tions of Americans. Change in popular at-
titudes comes slowly. A full appreciation
of the importance of Latin America will come
only when our educational system begins to
reflect the priority stated by President Ken-
nedy when he described Latin America as
the most critical area in the world.
tween the Cuban refugees and the
Washington police force, I consider yes-
terday's events to be most unfortunate
because they could only have served to
create the impression that Washington
is unsympathetic to the anti-Castro
refugees and what they stand for. I
know that this is not the case. But
sometimes the impression created by the
clumsy handling of a situation such as
this can count for more than the actual
facts.
Inevitably, there are conflicting ac-
counts about what happened.
Originally, I had planned to attend
the demonstration in front of the Lincoln
Memorial by way of manifesting my per-
sonal sympathy with the objectives of
the demonstration. Because it proved
Impossible for me to break away from
my Senate work, I sent along an aid to
represent me and to greet the large dele-
gation from Connecticut on my behalf.
My assistant, who was on the scene at
the time of the disturbance, was in-
formed by refugee leaders that the
trouble began when the police ruled that
they could not approach within 500 feet
of the Pan American Building premises.
To some of the refugees this restriction
appeared arbitrary and intolerable.
They had come to Washington from
faraway points for the purpose of let-
ting the delegates to the meeting of the
OAS know how strongly they felt about
the Castro tyranny and for the purpose
of urging the OAS to take affirmative
action for the liberation of Cuba. They
knew, because they have seen these
photographs In their newspapers, that
pacificists and Communists and Ameri-
can Nazi Party members are permitted
to demonstrate right up against the rail-
ings that surround the White House
grounds. They felt-and I believe quite
rightly-that they should be permitted
to stage their own demonstration at least
within sight of the Pan American Build-
ing and the OAS delegates. When they
were denied permission to do so, some
of them attempted to break through the
police lines.
Anyone who has been in Washington
during the last few years knows that
such demonstrations go on all the time.
I am not suggesting that they should go
on, but I think that there should be an
evenhanded rule about all demonstra-
I %J1
LICE MISHANDLING OF the White House and tries to put our
PO AN s.Re...t~ +,,e -f.--r nrv- of
REFUGEE DEMONSTRATION them-about two blocks away from the -
Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I believe Pan American Building.
that all of us were sickened and dismayed At this point, the police apparently de-
by the photographs in this morning's cided to break up the demonstration
papers which showed Cuban refugees, completely. There is no evidence that
who had come to Washington to demon- the police actually used their clubs on
strate for the freedom of their country the refugees. But all accounts are
being pushed around and chased by our agreed that mounted police, and police
mounted police. Here were people whose on motorcycles and on foot, charged into
objectives accorded with the expressed the crowd swinging their clubs demon-
policy of the United States, and who were stratively.
by every standard entitled to our The Baltimore Sun reported that when
sympathy and consideration. And yet the first group of refugees attempted to
they were treated like enemies or sub- force their way to the Pan American
versives rather than like friends. Building, a squad of mounted police
Whatever the reason for the clash be- charged into the demonstrators at full
Approved For Release 2005/01/27 : CIA-RDP66B00403R000200170037-0
q4 Approved For Rel ~~QQpp5/01 /27 : CIA-RDP66B00403R006 170037-0
e(.7R]ESSIONAL RECORD -SENATE
16055
gallop, rather than pressing their horses
against them. According to the Sun, the
horses, bowied'the demonstrators over
dike-tenpins, and one woman was cut by
a. flying hoof.
~rbe ya hington Post reported that all
told,ome 45 refugees were injured. _ My
assistant informed. _me tklat the police
continued to pursue .the demonstrators
far to-the rear of the Navy Building, sev-
eal hundred yards away from the Pan
Amerigan Building.
fie. WasJiington police force has
eal`nod an ,prl,Viable reputation for its
ability to handie demonstrations of all
luxes without lncder}t, ..,In -dealing with
Nazis ,and Communists as well as with
democratic critics of various Govern-
ment policies, they have displayed re-
straint and tci ,pd understanding. It
is most unfgrtunate .that their reputa-
tion, for dealing with crowds should have
suffered its first major lapse in dealing
with the refugees from Communist Cuba.
have heard ,tl at the police were un-
der rigid instructions tpkeep the demon-
strators morp.thall..5PQ. feet away from
the an-- Building. There is,
It is, , true, a
District of Columbia
statute that, empowers the police to take
suchion, But this is a statute that
halm in, the past been very flexibly in-
terpreted, fter,all> as I have said,
hardly a , week goes _by without some
kind of demo tration.on the sidewalks
of Penn ylvania, Avenue. only a few feet
removes from, the White House grounds.
In. the case of yesterday's demonstra-
tion. ,in.,particular, I think the police
should have been guided by flexibility
rather tliaaxigidity, .-The demonstrators
were no t there_toa saultmthe OAS. They
simply wanted the delegates to the OAS
to see them. ?,I am certain, that they
would Have been. satisfledd if the police
had permitted them .tQ_ demonstrate in
the park, across from the Pan-American
Building Unfortunately, this was not
done, The result Seas.the.. distressing
photographs and stories which appeared
In this.morning s newspapers,
I feel that the , Washington police, by
this action, have tarnished their reputa-
tion for tact and restraint in the han-
dling of demonstrators, I do not know
whether t41s,_was-due to bungling at
police level 017, 0 orders .from a higher
level. But it is ,a sorry situation when
people who atom e. , to Washington to
demonstrate for the freedom of Cuba are
pushed?aro>,lnd in this manner.
ram asking the Washington Police
Department ,mnd_, the Cuban refugee
leaders for their respective accounts of
yesterday's events. I.am-also asking the
State Department whether it issued any
Instructions relative to the handling of
yesterday's demonstration, If the evi-
dence indica_tes,the..need for further
clarification, I intend to ask for a formal
Investigation for the, purpose of estab-
lishing the facts..,
ECONOMIC OPPOR..TU ITY ACT OF
19$4 .
The Senate resumed the consideration
of the bill (S,. 2042l to, inpbilize the hu-
man and' $nancial resources of the Na-
tion to
States.
Mr. McNAMARA. Mr. President, I
ask unanimous consent that such addi-
tional staff members as the Committee
on Labor and Public Welfare may find
necessary to have present in the Cham-
ber may be authorized to have the privi-
lege of the floor during consideration of
the bill (S. 2642).
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without
objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. McNAMARA. Mr. President, I
am privileged to bring before the Sen-
ate the Economic Opportunity Act of
1964 and to urge its approval.
Today in America we are confronted
by a strange paradox: We have serious
poverty in the midst of plenty.
As a nation, our standard of living has
never been higher. Our personal in-
come, gross national product, and em-
ployment have never been higher. Total
now spelled out in S. 2642 as approved by
your committee, is not a welfare
program.
It is not a program of handouts aimed
at merely helping people to continue to
exist.
It is a program whose goal is to help
permanently correct the conditions un-
der which poverty lives and breeds.
There is, of course, more to poverty
than starvation and squalid slums.
There is the poverty of low income,
the poverty of underemployment, and
the poverty of being an older worker
whose abilities have been bypassed by
technological advances.
There is the poverty of despair, as the
individual sees little or no chance of
improving his circumstances in his life-
time. He walks on a treadmill of hope-
lessness and passes on this heritage of
hopelessness to his children.
Through this legislation we intend to
unemployment and the cost of living, in replace this feeling of no hope with new
the face of a rapidly increasing popula- hope.
tion, have held the line. We intend to help people break out
Yet, as we go behind the glittering of the disastrous rut dug by their en-
showcase of our booming national econ- vironment.
omy and probe beneath the sense of well- The rewards will be great.
being and even complacency enjoyed by In addition to helping to lift individ-
so many Americans, we find a disturbing uals and their families from the personal
situation. degradation and desperation of poverty,
We find millions of Americans whose we will be strengthening our national
economic, educational, and social condi- economy.
tions are such that they can only be As President Johnson said in his mes-
classed as poverty stricken. sage to the Congress on this program:
These are the hidden Americans. If we can raise the average earnings of
There was a time in our Nation's his- 10 million among the poor by only $1,000
tory when the wealthy were the hidden we will have added $14 billion a year to our
Americans-purposely isolated in their national output. In addition we can make
important
walled estates, country clubs, and a payments reductions in public
$4 biil $ alionca
closed society from the great majority year, and i which now cost n a
of our citizens. yeear, and the large costs of fighting
crime and delinquency, disease and hunger.
creased-as more and more persons are No one pretends that this legislation
able to enjoy the pleasures of leisure and before us will fully solve the problems of
of material comfort that higher income poverty.
and living standards provide-such arti- But it is a start. However, as Presi-
ficial barriers have tumbled. dent Johnson pointed out, it is more
And as the general standard of living than a beginning. It is a commitment
has increased, those at the bottom of the that this Nation will use its resources to
economic scale have tended to become achieve victory over this enemy.
the hidden Americans. S. 2642 proposes programs which, dur-
They are hidden in the welter of sta- ing the first year of the war on poverty,
tistics which show our employment and will expand opportunities for young men
economy at the highest levels in history, and women to gain the education, skills,
They are hidden because they have and experience they must have to become
exhausted their unemployment compen- full participants in our society and stable
sation and are no longer counted in that parents in years to come; stimulate our
category. Communities to initiate local action pro-
They are hidden on the farms and in grams to attack the roots of poverty;
rural areas where more than 4 million help rural families now uestitute to am
families struggle along on less than $250 crease their income through a program
a month. of small capital grants and loans; pro-
They are hidden in the slums of the vide a sounder base for the rehabilitation
cities, carefully screened off from the of poor areas of our great cities by
ex-
business and residential areas. sanding small business activities; provide
ide
They are hidden because too much of special programs for undereducated
America does not want to see them. adults and migratory agricultural work-
But they are there. ers; encourage more States to use public
But they born, they live, they try, and assistance as an instrument for helping
y, and families lift themselves out of poverty;
too often they die in the same tr
circum
stances of abject poverty into which they recruit and train volunteers who will help
were born. carry out the war on poverty.
It is this condition of poverty-poverty Just as space and other imaginative
in the midst of plenty-that the l gisla- programs pay hidden dividends, so the
tion now before us is intended to attack. war on poverty will pay immediate mone-
mone-
The Economic Opportunity returns.
pportunity Act of The visible cost of not adopting this
1964, proposed by President Johnson and program, in terms of direct public as-
Approved For Release 2005/01/27 : CIA-RDP66B00403R000200170037-0
16056 .
Approved For Release 2005/01/27 : CIA-RDP6 B 0403R000200170037-0
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - SENATE `' - Vuly 22
sistance payments alone, is $5 billion per Mr. McNAMARA. The figures for the
year. total cost of the bill are on each Sen-
In addition to these direct payments, ator's desk. I shall come to finances
the indirect costs of poverty to this coun- later In the speech, if the Senator will
try which show up in juvenile delin- allow me to continue. We have the
quency, crime, health hazards, and high- figures. I shall be glad to give the Sen-
er police and fire protection take billions ator the figures later.
more. The training centers will be larger, and
This bill adopts a coordinated ap- many will use excess Government facili-
proach because poverty has multiple ties.
causes: Voluntary leadership on the part of
Title I of the bill concentrates on prob- enrollees in the Volunteers in Service to
lems of youth, and especially on the prob- America-VISTA-program will play an
lem of the youth trying to get the skills Important
work-training programs in title I ,
with which he can find a decent job. The Title II concentrates on poor commu- part B, are designed to give employed
nities and will stimulate and help them young men and women aged 16 to 21-
to undertake, through the efforts of lo- including both those in school and those
cal government and organizations and 10- out of school-a chance to break out of
cal people, concrete programs to attack poverty.
uld provide them with an oppor-
local causes of poverty, whether they be
train-
dilapidated housing, or insufficient fam- ingiexperience not now available -to them
fly services. in private employment or under any ex-
Title III of the bill concentrates on isting Federal program.
rural families, where the most destitute It is this will that give the artminist at-
Title the Nation's poor are found.
Title IV concentrates on small busi- tention to work programs, which will
ness, which is so essential to employment enable young people to maintain regular
opportunities in parts of our great cities. high school attendance or return to high
Title V concentrates on helping the school If they have already dropped out.
public assistance recipient, and other The work offered young men and
needy persons, develop new skills which women in this program will increase
will make them employable. their employability by enabling them to
Under title I are three youth programs acquire new work habits on a Job.
designed to create new opportunities and Attention will also be given to coun-
to expand the existing opportunities for seling during, and Job placement after,
young people to obtain work, education, the work training period.
-r rama under the training scheme
or scholarship support from the college
or university Itself.
Under authorizations proposed in this
part, part-time and vacationtime work
opportunities wouldbeprovided for more
than 140,006 students from low-income
families per year.
Federal funds will be distributed
among States according to a three-factor
formula: the full-time college enroll-
ment-the number of high school grad-
uates-and number of children 18 years
and under from families with incomes
under $3,000 per year in each State as
compared with the national total.
Each participating institution will be
encouraged to develop two types of em-
ployment opportunities: on-campus em-
ployment in a wide variety of occupa-
tions, and off-campus employment under
agreement with public or nonprofit or-
ganizations.
In this way the college can help meet
the financial needs of the student, the
student gains valuable work experience,
and the community gains talented and
highly motivated student assistance in a
variety of service Jobs.
In addition to being enrolled or ac-
cepted for enrollment in an institution of
higher education, the student must come
from a low-income family and be in need
of financial assistance.
S. 2642 recognizes that the war against
poverty, while a national effort, must be
carried out through action in the com-
munity.
Title II emphasizes the role of the local
organization in developing, as well as
conducting, the action program.
This legislation sees the role of the
Federal Government as providing coun-
sel and help, upon request of local com-
munity organizations.
It is based on the belief that local citi-
zens know and understand their com-
munities best, and that sustained and
vigorous leadership can only come from
them.
Because of the diverse nature of the
poverty problem in widespread communi-
ties, as much 'flexibility as possible will
be left to community civic and local
organizations.
A basic criterion, however, is that the
programs receiving Federal support must
not treat the poverty condition sympto-
matically, but must attack the root of
the problem in a way that promises a
final solution.
The organizations engaged in these
community action projects may be pub-
lic or nonprofit private agencies, or a
combination of the two.
Participation by the widest range of
community organizations will be encour-
aged, provided, of course, that the pro-
grams they offer are available without
discrimination throughout the com-
Part A or titie 1 auuiorizrb t,11v ww'-
lishment of a Job Corps to prepare young public agencies or by private nonprofit
men and women for the responsibilities agencies.
of citizenship and employment. The kinds of Jobs on which the young
The Job Corps is designed to serve the peoplle3 will may work are varied.
occupations for
needs of hundreds of thousands of rural
d for
the is a public and greatly the Increased
and urban young Americans who are out which i there
private s non-
e
of school and out of work or who are em-
ployed in dead-end jobs. profit sectors, such as auto mechanics,
The Job Corps will seek to enroll those office workers, draftsmen trainees, cook's
young persons, age 16 through 21, for assistants, nurse's aids. and hospital
whom the best prescription is a change orderlies.
in surroundings and associations. They may also be employed in occu-
Individuals who have not been gradu- pations related tteid to facilities, the conservation
need from an accredited high school may natural resources and neighborhood im-
be
Is only ly when when further attendance is any regular academic vocational or provement
All of the jobs will provide important
training program is impractical.
To those who volunteer and are se- services and should be designed to In-
lected, the Job Corps will offer a reward- crease the employability of the youth.
ing opportunity for education, vocational In no instances will the youth thus
training, useful work, recreation and employed replace others already now
physical training, and other appropriate employed.
activities welded into a carefully designed College work-study programs author-
program. ized under title I, part C. are designed
Enrollees in the Job Corps will live in to provide basic financial assistance
college employment
ent, for roe
either conservation or training centers drought part-time
in rural or urban areas. teable ntial college student.
The Both will conservation r resiresidential.
centers of approxi- The Director will coordinate these pro-
nt of Health
t
me
, munity.
mately X00 to 200 volunteers each will grams with the Depar
offer a healthy out-of-doors life where Education, and Welfare. Settlement houses, citizens' associa-
be discipline of work and new skills will Execution of the programs will be the Set
ti Set YMCA's and YWCA's, parents' -
be learned, while our Nation's parks, responsibility of the participating insti- bons, ions, s ' chambers or-
forests, and other natural resources are tution of higher learning. gammero l aam r uni unionsorganizations aof
improved. Many more able students from poor examples.
Mr. LAUSCHE. Mr. President, will the families would be able to enter any com-
Senator yield for a question? plete college, if they could depend on The second part of title II is a basic
Mr. McNAMARA. I yield, part-time work during the college year, education program for adults, which pro-Mr.
States
or gr
vides
vELCa
time
and
ful
e annual
LAUS
provid cost per eCHE. in the Job Cohrps be? tion periods to supplemeentlimited an eracy land other elem ntal tra ing.e lit-
Approved For Release 2005/01/27 : CIA-RDP66B00403R000200170037-0