Evening star., 1961-03-14
--PARTkAL. TEXT
-PARTkAL TEXT
Kennedy Plan for Americas

OF an address by President
Kennedy at a White House
reception last night for Latin
American diplomats:
The revolutions which gave
us birth ignited, in the words
of Thomas Paine, "a spark
never to be extinguished." And
across vast, turbulent conti-
nentS these American ideals
still stir mans struggle for ma
tional independence and indi-
vidual freedom. But as we well
come the spread of the Amer
lean revolution to other lands,
we must also remember that
our own struglge-the revolu-
ton which began in Philadel-
phia in 1776, and in Caracas in
181l-iS not yet finished. Our
hemisphere'S mission is not yet
complete. For our untitled task
is to demonstrate to the entire
world that mans unSatisfied
aspiration for economic prog
ress and social justice can best
be achieved by free men work.
ing within a framework of
democratic institutions. =.
Turn From Mistakes
AS a citizen of the United
States, let me be the first to
admit that we North Americans
have not always graSped the
significance of this common
miSSion-juSt as it is also true
that many in your own coun-
tries have not fully understood
the urgency of the need to lift
people from poverty and igno-
rance and despair. But we must
now turn from these mistakes
from the failures and the
misunderstanding of the past to
a future full of peril, but bright
with hope.
Throughout Latin America
q continent rich in resources
and in the spiritual and cul-
tural achievements of it's peo-
pie - millions of men and
women suffer the daily deg
radations of hunger and pow
erty. They lack decent shelter
or protection from disease.
Their children are deprived Of
the education or the jobs which
are the gateway to a better
life. And each day the problem
grows more urgent. Population
growth is outpacing economic
growth-low living standards
are even further endangered
and discontent-the discomfort
of a people who know that
abundance and the tools of
progress are at last within
their reach-that discomfort is
growing. -.
E. II we are to meet a prob
lem so staggering in its dimen-
sions, our approach must itself
be bold-an approach consist
ent with the majestic concept
Of Operation Pan America.
Therefore I have called on all
the people of the hemisphere
to join in a new alliance for
progress-"Alianza para Pro-
greso"-a vast cooperative ef-
fort, unparalleled in magnitude
and nobility Of purpose, to sat-
isfy the basic needs of the
American people for homes,
work and land, health and
schools-Techo, trabajo y tier
ra, salud y escuela.
10 Year American Plan
First, I propose that the
American republics begin on a
vast new 10-year plan for the
Americas plan to transform
the 1960s into an historic de-
cade Of democratic progress.
These ten years will be the
years Of maximum effort-the
years when the greatest obSta-
cles must be overcome-the
years when the need for as
sistance will be the greatest.
And if we are successful-if
our effort is bold enough and
determined enough-then the
close of this decade will mark
the beginning of a new era in
the American experience. The
living standards of every Amer
lean family will be on the rise
basic education will be avail
able to all-hunger will be a
forgotten experience-the need
for massive outside help will
have passed-most nations will
have entered a period of self
sustaining growth - and al
though there will still be much
to do-every American republic
will be the master of its own
revolution Of hope and progress.
United Efforts Needed
Let me stress that only the
determined efforts of the
American nations themselves
can bring success to this ef-
fort. They, and they alone, can
mobilize their resources-enlist
the energies Of their people
and modify their social pat
terms so that all, and not just
a privileged few, share in the
fruits of growth. If this ef-
fort is made. t1ien outside as
sistance will give a vital i'm
petus to progress-without it,
no amount Of help will advance
the welfare Of the people.
Thus If the countries Of
Latin America are ready to do
their part-as I am sure they
are-then I believe that the
United States, for its part,
should help provide resources
of a scope and magnitude suf-
ficient to make this bold de-
velopment program a success
Just as we helped provide re-
sources adequate to help re-
build the economies Of Western
rr..-~ EI1.. S,aI-x n,a affo,.f ~