Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-02-17
LowCost Aim
Hit as Hurting
PeaceCOrps

Maintaining the Iow-cost
image" Of the Peace Corps is
getting too expensive in terms
OF both money and manpower,
a report commissioned by the
American Council on Educa-
ton stated yesterday.
Lack of staff for admins
trative and technical backstop-
ping and medical support are
limiting the effectiveness of the
Peace Corps volunteer, damag-
ing his morale. and, in some
cases, endangering his life and !
health" the study said.
The report, by Maurice AL
bertson, a Colorado State Uni
versity professor who engi-
neered a West Pakistan prof.
ect for the Peace Corps, was
presented to q conference spon-
sored by the education council
and Georgetown University in
cooperation with the Peace
Corps.
The first cycle Of the corps |
Is about to end - the first |
wave Of volunteers will be re-
turning to the States in a few
months.
Sees Inefficiencies
The ''low-cost image" is
desirable in many respects, the
study said, but inefficient ia
cilities are placing an unwar-
ranted burden on the Peace
Corps country representatives.
Corps country representatives.
"One example Of this is a rul-
ing against air conditioners for
staff offices even in 120-degree
heat"
Pointing out that he could |
speak 10 times as long on the
value Of the corps, Prof. Albert
son said its work has been
duplicating that Of other Gov
eminent agencies, often is not
understood by the host coun-
try and is not helping countries
develop independently.
Although the Peace Corps
has been careful to remain in
dependent Of groups such as the
Agency for International De-
velopment, 1t has, in fact, "ac-
quired some of the operation
habits Of AID, and there may
be danger Of a correspondingly
bad image arising" the report
said.
For example, crash pro-
grams" are being developed,
tending Ito create an imma-
ture and wasteful image over
seas" Prof. Albertson said.
Urges "Self Help"
He recommended establish
ment of a bi-national commits
sion to formulate true self
help" programs.
Our present operations have
the unfortunate characteristics
Of being conceived by Ameri-
cans, planned by Americans and
executed by Americans" he
said.
On hand to defend the corps
operations was Sargent Shriver,
the director. The Peace Corps
has accomplished three sub
stantial things in its two-year
existence, he said, although he
admitted that no operation Of
this scope would be perfect In
its infancy.
The three accomplishments,
he said, are:
l. The volunteers are living
as natives. They have, in fact,
become almost an indigenous
part of where they are work.
ing and the harder the con-
ditions, the higher the morale
of the individual Peace Corps
volunteer wherever the liv-
ing is easy, that's where the
Peace Corps runs into trouble"
2. The volunteers have been
fulfilling their work tasks.
wherever the Peace Corps has
been sent, they have been COM
petent in the work that was
assigned" he said.
3. The volunteers have been
building a good image Of the
United States. THE volunteers
are wanted. are liked. and even
loved" he said. Mr.. Shriver
cited several instances where
countries have asked for an in
creased complement Of volun-
teerS.