THE ARAB-ISRAELI DISPUTE

Secretary ACHESON. That is just one of the grave current almost insoluable problems of the world.

In some way or other, in order to get stability or any sort of strength in the Middle East, which you have got to have if you are going to be secure at all, there has got to be a way found of bringing those hostilities to an end; reassuring the Arabs that there is not going to be Israeli expansion by population that is bursting out of that little country; there has got to be an assurance to the Israelis that there is not going to be Arab aggression against them, and they have all got to work on some plan, yet undevised, so that they cooperate in a defense of this area, which is one of the richest and one of the most exposed.

PAKISTAN AND INDIA

The CHAIRMAN. What about Pakistan and India?

Secretary ACHESON. That again is one of the very great deal of troubles in that area. No one has been able to make a degree of progress which we once hoped could be made in solving the Kashmir question, which is the great problem there.

Dr. Frank Graham has seemed at times to be pretty close to a solution, and then something happens, and they drift apart again. It is pretty discouraging.

The CHAIRMAN. How about the situation in India in relation to the Communists increasing the strength of their forces? There is a lot of talk to the effect that unless there is something done within a very few years that they will be able to take over India by virtue of their pentration, taking over political parties, and so forth.

I wondered what you have to say about that, because to me that is one of the things we have to face up to.

Secretary ACHESON. I think the situation there is better than it was a year ago. The last election showed a really startling growth of Communist voters in South India, and that will lead to a great acceleration in the internal development plans of the Indian Government, and I think Nehru has worked out a schedule by which he will have doubled or trebled the food-producing capacity of South India before the next elections come up, which will be 5 years after they came up before.

If that is done, I think that the outlook is good. If it is not done, I think the outlook is bad.

It is a problem of dealing with people; there is great pressure of the population on what is at the present time an inadequate and exhausted source of food supply, but which can be made a very good

one.

Now we are working with the Indian Government. Tremendous steps are being taken. It is a race against the pressure of hunger, despair, and progress. I think we can win it.

1 Appointed U.N. Security Council mediator in 1951.

72-194-77—vol. V- -3

RELATIONS WITH SOUTH AMERICA

The CHAIRMAN. What do you say about South America as to our situation? Is the Good Neighbor policy still effective, or what is the situation?

Secretary ACHESON. There I think it is. There are difficulties in South America, very serious ones. Bolivia has had very serious trouble; relations with Argentina continue to be bad.

In my judgment there is a great future in South America. I came back from Brazil with tremendous enthusiasm about the future of Brazil-a glorious country, all sorts of possibilities for development, increase in population, and they have none of the problems which exist in other hopeful parts of the world.

For instance, I do not suppose that Brazil is any more richly endowed, if it is as richly endowed, with raw material as South Africa. But South Africa has this dreadful race problem. Brazil has none of that, none at all.

The only problem that they have is the general growth of a certain nationalism which makes them somewhat reluctant to take the sort of economic help which our business people can give them, and develop their own resources. But I think they are getting over that, and to visit that country and to just look at it, you are utterly amazed at the possibilities there are for people and development.

RELATIONS WITH ALLIES

The CHAIRMAN. Just one last question that I think we would like to get your reactions to, and that is the evaluation of our relationship with our allies in Europe, Britain, France, Italy, and in conjunction therewith as to what the situation is with Spain. Recently there was some talk about some negotiations going on. I would like to ask you if you want to comment as to what our position is in relation to our airfields in Africa, and if there is danger because of this French-Arab situation. That is a very large question, but you are capable of handling large questions.

Secretary ACHESON. Well, generally, I think our relations with our allies are pretty good.

As we get to working together as partners, with very tough questions, we are always likely to have the kind of arguments and counterarguments that go on with partners.

It is quite easy to be friendly and sympathetic with someone that you only see once every 3 or 4 years, and do not have much to do with; but it is awfully hard to be intimate and devoted with a fellow you have to practice law with every single day of the year; you have some problems from that.

We will get through those all right; we will do all right.

With some of our continental allies, where we have had large aid programs, my own judgment is that we have tried to interfere in too much detail with the administration of things in those countries.

We would be much better off if both the Congress and the executive branch of the Government would trust to results more than to methods of administration. In other words, if we say the best we can

figure out is that France needs this amount of money, I would not interfere in as much detail as we have.

I would look at the result at the end of the year. If it is good, we will say it is a good investment; if it is not working, we cannot do that again, but when you get so many people interfering in details I think you have trouble; but we are getting through with that.

AIRFIELDS IN NORTH AFRICA

The airfields in North Africa, there is no specific problem about them. We will be in trouble with them if the whole country goes down and goes into flames, there is no question about that at all, and that is why we have a great interest in peace.

NEGOTIATIONS WITH SPAIN

I understand our negotiations with Spain have gotten along pretty well, and I was hoping that those might be concluded while I was still around, but I do not know whether that is going to be possible. Have we done any last-minute business?

Mr. PERKINS. I do not think we will sign today.

Secretary ACHESON. We were really close to it, but I think Foster Dulles will carry it out. I think we are in good shape.

The CHAIRMAN. Any other questions?

I think we did not go into this matter of Korea. Do you want to comment on that situation?

Secretary ACHESON. I do not think that there is anything I can say about that.

The CHAIRMAN. All right, Secretary, we thank you for coming and spending this time with us.

I do not know but what after you have had your vacation-well, you do not need resuscitation; you have the faculty of keeping young and handsome, as it is, but we wish you a pleasant journey into the Southland, much good health, and a good time for you and your wife. Secretary ACHESON. Thank you very much.

NOMINATION HEARINGS

The CHAIRMAN. Just one more thing. I would like to take up another matter. The Secretary has informed me that Mr. Stassen will come Wednesday or Thursday. Is there any opinion as to whether or not we could not take that up Wednesday, to get through with it?

Then, how about General Smith? Should we take that up Thursday?

Then there are the Assistant Secretaries Morton, Lowry, and McCardle?

Senator TAFT. Mr. Chairman, I might say that Senator Smith and myself on the Labor Committee have set Thursday morning as the regular meeting of the Labor Committee, so if you can avoid a meeting on Thursday, it would be desirable, but I do not think one meeting like this will make any difference. I just call it to your attention. The CHAIRMAN. If there is no objection, we will hear Mr. Stassen on Wednesday. That will not conflict with your meeting, will it?

Senator TAFT. No; Thursday is the only day. We tried to choose a day

The CHAIRMAN. Yes, it will be in executive session, unless there is objection. Is there any objection!

I think we will have to decide Wednesday when we can hear General Smith.

Mr. Morton, Mr. Lowry, and Mr. McCardle, I suppose that we can take them on Wednesday.

Senator TAFT. These are all for confirmation, general discussion! Senator SPARKMAN. I thought you said we would have Stassen on Wednesday?

The CHAIRMAN. I do not think that will be very long, if we have an executive session. I thought we would hear Stassen, and get started, if we can get you members down at 10 o'clock. We can have Stassen at 10, and we will get through with him in 11⁄2 hours. I should think.

These are Assistant Secretaries of State. Meanwhile, if any of these reports which are supposed to have been checked are available, you had better get hold of them if any of them are available.

[Whereupon, at 11:35 a.m., the committee adjourned.]

MINUTES

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1953

UNITED STATES SENATE,

COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS,

Washington, D.C.

The committee met in executive session at 10 a.m. in the committee room.

Present: Chairman Wiley, Senators Smith of New Jersey, Hickenlooper, Taft, Langer, Ferguson, Green, Fulbright, Sparkman, Gillette, Humphrey and Mansfield.

Harold E. Stassen testified in connection with his nomination as Director for Mutual Security, which is pending before the committee. The nomination of Walter Bedell Smith as Under Secretary of State was discussed also.

For record of proceedings, see printed hearing.

The committee adjourned at 11:55 a.m.

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