Evening star., 1961-06-11
ByLGEORGE SHERMAN
Star Staff Writer

-"
President Kennedy's interest
in attending a July inter-
American economic conference
in : Uruguay has sparked a
heated behind -the-scene debate
about the wisdom Of his visit
ing Latin America at this time.
White House advisers strong
" favor the visit as a way to
dramatize the Presidents "Al-
iiance for Progress" program
Tor Latin America. They would
like to see his sponsor a Char
ter Of Montevideo" for broad
social and economic reforms in
the hemisphere.
State Department career
specialists in Latin America,
however, are more Skeptical.
They fear that the Presidents
presence would give a political
complexion to what is essenti-
ally a technical conference. And
they point out that other heads
Of American states - possibly
including Cuban Premier Castro
might decide to attend also,
bringing about an informal, ILL
prepared and possibly harmful
sinter-American summit"
Long Range Program
The conference, to be held
at Punta del Este outside Mon
tevideo, will be a meeting of
American finance ministers un-
der the hemisphere Economic
and Social Council. 1t is to
draw up 5-to-10 year pro-
grams of social and economic
reform.
The 21-nation Council Of the
Organization Of American
StateS-including representa-
tives Of the Dominican Republic
and Cuba-haS approved the
Ave-point working agenda"
and Congress has appropriated
the first $500 million of Amer
lean. aid toward these reforms.
No decision on the Presidents
attendance has yet been made.
White House sources say it will
not be made until "a few days"
before the conference. A lead
ing domestic consideration, they
say, is whether Mr.. Kennedy
will be needed here at home
to guide his legislative pro-
gram-particularly aid-toAedu-
cation and foreign aid-through
the ticklish July days of Con-
greSS.
Presidential advisers in
favor of the trip believe Mr..
Kennedy's presence would i'm
press the Uruguay conference
with the full American COM
mitment to q radical new ap-
proach to Latin American
problems.
Session Set for July
The technique envisaged is
for Mr.. Kennedy to propose
an American draft of a
Charter of Montevideo" in an
opening speech to the con-
ference when it convenes on
July is.
This draft would incorporate
the kernel of long working
papers now nearing completion
in Organization Of American
States headquarters here.
Economists from all over the
hemisphere are working on
them. ~ I
Chief responsibility for work.
ing out the American position
has gone to two Of President
Kennedy's advisers: Richard N.
Goodwin and Arthur M.
Schlesinger, jr.
At the moment American
proposals for the charter are
developing along three main
lines:
/. Proposals for national
planning machinery to gear
natural resources and institu-
tions of each country to
specific economic and social
goals. These proposals would
also set UP multilateral help fol
planning and revision Of plans
as needs arise.
2. Proposals for committing
each country to long range re-
forms-for instance, in educa-
ton, land reform, and tax re-
formal contained in the
Alliance for Progress"
8. Proposals for stabilizine
hemisphere prices in two OF
three staple commodi dities-par'
ticularly, coffee-upon which
most Latin American econo'
mics are dependent.
Advisers Concerned
What would happen If Cubal
Premier Castro should appea,
on the scene to trade propa
ganda blows with the American
President, officials opposed II
the trip, ask.
Whoever came out best Il
such a Cuban-American battl
and no one seems to doub
President Kennedy's ability +
handle Mr.. Castro-these Off
cials still maintain concret
work at the conference on tn
Alliance for Progress" woul
be set back.
When discussing whom tn