Evening star., 1963-01-14
Private Investment
Also Is Needed

Governmental aid can only sup
plement the role of private in
vestment. trade expansion
commodity stabilization, and
above all, internal self-improve-
ment. The processes of growth
are gradual-bearing fruit in q
decade and not in a day. Oul
successes will neither be quick
nor dramatic. But If these pro-
grams were ever to be ended
our failures in a dozen countries
would be sudden and certain.
Neither money nor technical
assistance, however, can be our
only weapon against poverty
In the end, the crucial effort is
one Of purpose-requiring not
only the fuel Of finance but the
torch of idealism. And nothing
carries the spirit of American
idealism more effectively to
the far corners of the earth
than the Peace Corps.
A year ago, less than 900
Peace Corps volunteers were on
the job. A year from now they
will number more than 5000
men and women, aged 18 to 79
willing to give two years of their
lives to helping people in other
lands.
There are, in fact, nearly q
million Americans serving theil
country and the cause of free.
dom in overseas posts, a record
no other people can match
Surely those Of us who stay a
home should be glad to help in
directly: by supporting our ali
programs; by opening our door
to foreign visitors and diplo.
mats and students, and BY
proving, day by day, by deed a:
well as word, that we are a Just
and generous people.
VII
Third. what comfort can we
take from the increasing strains
and tensions within the Com
munist bloc? Here hope must
be tempered with caution. For
the Soviet Chinese disagree
ment is over means, not ends
A dispute over how best to
bury the Free World is no
grounds for Western rejoicing
Nevertheless, while a strain
Is not a fracture, it is clear that
the forces of diversity are at
work inside the Communist
camp. despite all the iron dis
ciplines of regimentation and
all the iron dogmatisms OF
theology. Marx is proven wrong
once again: for 1t is the closed
Communist societies, not the
free and open societies. which
carry within themselves the
seeds Of internal disintegra-
ton.
The disarray Of the Commu-
mist empire has been height
ened by two other formidable
forces. One is the historical
force Of nationalism-and the
yearning Of all men to be
free. The other is the gross in
efficiency of their economies
For a closed society is not oper
to ideas Of progress and q
police state finds that it cannot
command the grain to grow.
New nations asked to choose
between two competing systems
need only compare conditions
In East and West Germany
Eastern and Western Europe
North and South Wet Nam
They need only compare the
dislllusionment Of Communist
Cuba with the promise of the
Alliance for Progress. And all
the world knows that no sue
ceSsful system builds a wal
TO keep its people In and free
dom out-and that the wall OF
shame dividing Berlin Is a SYM
Dol Of Communist failure.
VIII
Finally. what can we do 10
move from the present pause
toward enduring peace? Again
l would counsel caution.
foresee no spectacular reversal
In Communist methods or goals
But II all these trends and
Developments can persuade the
Soviet Union TO walk the path
OF peace, then let her know
that all free nations will Jour-
ney with her. But until that
choice is made, and until the
world can develop a reliable
system Of international secu-
rity, the free peoples have nc
choice but to keep their arms
nearby.
This country, therefore, con-
tinues to require the best de-
fense In the world-a defense
which is suited 10 the SOS. Thi,
means, unfortunately, a risins
defense budget-for there is nc
substitute for adequate defense
and no bargain basement" way