Remarks to the Citizens Committee for International Development.

MR. PIERSON, I want to express my thanks to you, and to the other members of the committee, who are outstanding public and private citizens, for their effort to assist us in securing the passage of the mutual security bill through this session of the Congress.

I consider this bill to be probably the most vital piece of legislation in the national interest that may be before the Congress this year. It involves the effort by this country for its own security, for its own well-being, to assist other countries in maintaining their security.

All of us have been concerned, rightfully, when one or another country passes behind the Iron Curtain. I can say, as my predecessor President Eisenhower said before me, that if the United States were not engaged in this program, if we fail to meet our responsibilities in this area this year, and in the days to come--the years to come--then other countries must inevitably fall.

The Communists are making a great effort to expand their influence, to move their center of power outward. The thing that stands between them and their objective are these governments and these people.

I believe that we have an opportunity to assist them to maintain their countries' independence. They depend in a large degree upon us. This country is a free country, it has great resources, and I think we have to recognize that freedom for ourselves and for others is not purchased lightly. It requires an effort by each of us. This is a matter of the greatest national importance. It is a matter which has engaged the attention of the United States since the end of the Second World War. We have seen the assistance which we gave to Western Europe permit Western Europe to be rebuilt into a strong and vital area upon which our security depends. We see ourselves heavily engaged in Latin America. We see ourselves involved in a great effort in Africa, in Asia, to maintain the independence of these countries.

It is not an easy matter for our people to again support this kind of assistance abroad, but I want to make it very clear that it is assistance to the United States itself. We cannot live in an isolated world. And I would much rather give our assistance in this way--and a large part of it consists of food, defense support as well as long-term economic loans--I would much rather have us do it this way than have to send American boys to have to do it.

We believe in this program. One of the most important parts of it now is the provision providing long-term authorizations and commitments. That means that we will say to a country that if you will do "one, two, three" on taxes and land reform and capital investment, then the United States along with other prosperous countries of Western Europe will be prepared to meet their responsibilities over a longer period.

Now when we move from year to year without having any idea what we can do in the future, the country's programming, the country's organization for its advance is bound to be haphazard. And I think that is one of the reasons why the program has not always been successful in the past, and one of the reasons why we have had waste in the past.

We are bringing new people into this organization. We are reorganizing it. We are getting the best talent we can get. I hope that we are going to get long-term authorizations to permit us to move ahead. over a period of time.

I want to express my thanks to you, Mr. Pierson, for your efforts, and to the members of your committee. You are now engaged in a most important public service. And I want to ask the American people to support this program as a vital one m the fight for our own security and in the fight for peace.