The Glacier reporter., 1963-10-17

ENAAAae1eHA eaAA NoAAGAAN ld1
now approved the sale of surplus
l. 5 wheat 10 the Soviet Union,
there will continue TO be consid-
cradle controversy over the deal.
As stated in Montana during
a brief visit. I object 10 the ar
rangement for several reasons.
First. | believe II would be a
better idea 10 use our wheat in
stead Of dollars in our huge for
eign aid program We're told
that hungry people are a breed
ing ground for Communism so
what better way can there be TO
take an effective step 10 allevi-
ate misery and at the same time
help stop the Communist on
slaught? And q reduction in our
dollar spending would help pre-
vent the outflow Of gold. II the
wheat were intended TO relieve
hunger in Russia have no
doubt that there would be no
great objection by the Congress
and the people generally because
the relief Of hunger wherever il
may occur has been the tradi-
iiOnal policy of our country.
hope and pray that the food
we sell them will never be used
against US In fact. that is my big
objection. After Secretary of
Agriculture Freeman returned
from his recent tour Of the
USSR. he said that Russia was
able TO feed her own people so
IL seems TO follow that she will
use any purchased wheat TO meet
her obligations to her own Com
munist bloc satellites which in
Cludes Red China. Castro Cuba
and North Wet Nam. We could,
in fact. end up feeding the Wet
Cong who are fighting our troops
in South Wet Nam and literally
be supporting the enemy we are
fighting
The same is true OF our at
tempts to cut off trade with Com
munist Cuba OF course. Mr..
Khrushchey can tell US that only
Canadian wheat will go 10 Cuba,
Red China or North Wet Nam
while ours will go 10 Communist
countries which are not at the
present fighting US But. aCtu-
ally. We will have no control over
the wheat after II is delivered.
We are reminded too. that II
was at the express wish OF the
United States that West Germany
last March cancelled a contract
for delivery OF large size oil pipe
20 the Soviet Union. There may
be q distinction between oil pipe,
wheat and other sO-called Stra-
teRiC materials but certainly the
old adage that an army marches
on its stomach is still true. And
I have noticed few peaceful ges-
tures recently from the armies
Of Castro Cuba. Red China or
North Wet Nam
As a result OF this transaction,
a wheat miller in Moscow will be
able to buy Us wheat cheaper
than a miller in Montana and the
Russian housewife can purchase
flour made from u s. wheat
cheaper than a L S housewife
because Of the subsidy We pay
our wheat exporters. The world
market price our export dealers
will get for the wheat is about
so cents a bushel less than the
US. price. So whether the Presi-
dent says the price is subsidized
or not, there's a difference that
has TO be made up by the US.
taxpayer
The president explained his de-
cisiOn as though II were a normal
and usual thing TO do business
with the Russians but it is not
normal or usual 10 trade with
our enemies and particularly be-
cause of several laws still in ef-
feet In fact il is the declared
policy of the Congress that sup
ported agricultural commodities
such as wheat-shall not be
sold or made available in any
way 10 the Soviet Union. Also,
the Export Control Act imposes