Evening star., 1950-11-26


hemisphere.
Mr.. Rockefeller has been 9
stanch believer in the agricul.
tural, industrial and trade poten.
tialities Of the 20 countries anc
$50 million people next door
Moreover he has demonstrated hi,
faith and convictions by investing
a considerable portion of his owl
private fortune in various enter.
prises in such countries as Vene'
zuela, Brazil and others. To oul
neighbors this is what lends par
ticular significance to his accept.
ance Of the appointment.
Our Policy Puzzling
With the limited funds avail
able the point-four program it.
self cannot be expected to &C.
complish very much within thu
near future. Even if the entire
initial appropriation of $34.5 mil
lion were allocated to Latin Amer
lea. it would not go very far il
providing all the scientific skill
and know-how required for extcn'
sive industrial and economic ex.
pansion. AS it is, only some ST.
million has been earmarked fol
that part of the world.
The Rockefeller Foundation, sci
up many years ago by John D
Rockefeller, ST.. the Guggenheinl
Foundation and other such pri-
vately endowed organizations. have
spent several times that amount
in recent years on sanitation. pub
lie health. education, the improve
ment Of crops and other benehcent
projects throughout Latin Amer
lea.
Anyway, President Truman him.
self. in his first statement an
nouncing the plan, pointed out
that the major responsibility for
carrying out such a vast under
taking would have to be left to
private investors. Therefore, as
the Latins see it, If the Govern
ment's portion of the program
has the backing and support of
top 1nen Of our financial world,
such as young Rockefeller. it may
be the means of stimulating the
flow Of more private capital to
the southern republics.
The chief desire of both gov
ernments and responsible busi-
nessmen in these countries is fol-
large funds and investments for
the immediate development of
their natural resources. to open
up new mines, build roads, erect
hydroelectric plants and expand
irrigation and similar projects
such as are already being carried
out In other "underdeveloped
areas" and to the completion of
which we are making substantial,
If not enormous. contributions.
Propaganda Fodder
No matter what we may think
about it, or what our real motives
may be, they cannot understand
why both the Government and
private United States interests
are willing to sink tremendous
sums of money in other regions
which are right under the wings
Of Russian bombers. If not the
mouths of Red cannon, and still
hesitate about investing in legiti-
mate enterprises in the nations at
our very door.
Nor does it make sense to them
that while we pour out billions for
the rehabilitation of European
factories and Industries we do not
seem to question the fact that
Great Britain, France, Belgium
and others are channeling their
own resources into new enter
prises in Africa, Southern Asia and
elsewhere.
For that matter. the United
States itself is taking an active
hand in assisting the Europeans in
these ventures. In early July
Paris said that both private in
vestments and new grants in Mar
shall Plan aid have been flowing
into Africa in a deepening stream
this year."
Reports direct from London de-
scribe In detail the vast economic
program which the British Gov
ernment is now carrying out in
Central Africa. More than SOC
million pounds sterling is to be
spent in the next three years on
giant dams. hydroelectric plants
and the irrigation of millions of
acres in the upper Nile valleys.
The plan calls for the growing of
more cotton, coffee and other food
crops, as well as the development
Of brand-new cattle industry.
Not only are government and
business leaders, and especially the
press in Latin America critical OF
our assistance in building up these
new economic empires in Africa
and elsewhere, but it is the most
potent ammunition for Commu-
mist and extreme nationalist prop
aganda guns.
Step Up Production
You see," the trouble makers
plug away, when the Yankees are
up against it. when they are ir
war, and need your minerals
metals and foods, they play UP tt
you. But when they have money
to invest without expectation o1
direct returns they give it to theil
British cousins and others to in.
vest in Africa and other region!
just across the Atlantic from you.
Even our best friends among high
officials in these countries find II
difficult to counteract such argu.
ments. Unfortunately many o1
them have stopped trying.
1t is no secret that some Of ou
experts in the State Department
and especially those in our EN-