Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-15
Task for q Decade

President Kennedy, in his message
on foreign aid, has said nothing es-
Sentially new to Congress. But his pro-
poSalS, even though they may seem to
be little more than tiresome variations
Of theme that has been familiar for
many years past, are nonetheless i'm
portant. Indeed, unless the substance of
them is adopted and put into force, the
whole free world will face new crisis of
sorts. Thus, in the Presidents words:
realize that there are among us those
who are weary of sustaining this continual
effort to help other nations. But would ask
them to look at a map and recognize that
many of those whom we help live on the
front lines" OF the long twilight struggle
for freedom-that others are new nations
posed between order and chaos-and the
rest are older nations now undergoing a
turbulent transition. =. Our efforts to help
them help themselves, to demonstrate and
to strengthen the vitality Of free institutions,
are small in cost compared to our military
OUTLAWS. :. Yet all Of our armies and atoms
combined will be Of little avail If these ma
tons fall unable to meet the needs of their
own people, and unable to stave off within
their borders the rise of forces that threaten
our security. This programmed the pas
sage Of this bill-are vital to the interests of
the United States.
1t is on the basis Of this argument
an argument whose essentials have
been presented over and over again by
his predecessors ever since the end of
the Second World War-that Mr.. Ken
nedy has called upon Congress to ap-
propriate nearly $40 billion for aid to
our friends and allies during fiscal 1868.
The aid, although including consider
able military assistance, would be pre-
dominantly economic - with special
emphasis on the projects envisioned by
the Alliance for Progress as measures
designed to promote a dramatic and
Sorely needed improvement in Latin
Americas living standards
But this alliance, as the President
has told Congress, sis barely under way.
1t is task for decade, not for year.
1t requires further changes in outlook
and policy by all American States" and
the changes must include energetic eff
forts by the countries receiving our aid to
carry out far-reaching programs of self
help and Self-reform. This holds true for
every recipient in every part of the
world, but it is particularly applicable to
our good neighbors south of us. More
than ever before, they need to discipline
themselves and carry out basic economic
and social reforms calculated to improve
the lot of their people, and fortify them
against grimly odious revolutions" of
the Castro type.
Congress, Of course, can be counted
upon to give very close critical look at
what the President has recommended
for foreign aid. After all, as he himself
has suggested, this is a business that
has filled our country with consider
able and understandable amount of
WEAKNESS, and continuing inquiry into
it is altogether justified Still, we can
hardly throw off the burden-a burden
which our prospecting western allies must
help to carry in increasing measure
without endangering ourselves. Like his
predecessors, Mr.. Kennedy has stressed
that point to good effect.