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Special Message to the Congress Requesting Authority To Make Wheat Available for Famine Victims in Pakistan.

June 10, 1953

To the Congress of the United States:

The people of Pakistan are faced with famine, and they have asked our help in meeting disaster.

We are fortunate to be in a position to offer help at this time, for we have an abundance of wheat. I strongly believe that we should do so. Accordingly I urge the Congress to make possible the shipment to Pakistan of up to one million long tons of United States wheat.

The specter of famine confronts the people of Pakistan at a crucial time in their growth as a young free nation. Unchecked, it could undermine the very democratic principles and institutions to which Pakistan is dedicated.

The crisis is largely a result of a calamity of nature. Pakistan was self-sufficient in food until severe drought, in two successive years, struck the wheat producing area of West Pakistan.

The wheat consumption of the people of West Pakistan averages less than 12 ounces per day in a diet consisting very largely of this grain. Today Government wheat reserves have fallen to the vanishing point.

The immediate need of Pakistan is to obtain abroad up to 1.5 million long tons of wheat both for consumption and for a small working reserve during the next 11 months. Of this total, the Government of Pakistan expects to be able to obtain about 400,000 tons of wheat with its own and other aid resources. Canada and Australia have both made generous grants for wheat to Pakistan. There is no important source in the free world other than the United States able to furnish additional help.

Pakistan has, therefore, appealed to the United States for one million tons of wheat. Its approach has been one of dignity--as one sovereign democracy to another--stating a real and urgent need. Between the people of Pakistan and the people of the United States, there exists a strong bond of friendship. I am sure that the people of the United States desire their Government to respond rapidly and effectively to Pakistan's request.

Pakistan has endeavored to keep its request for United States aid to a minimum. The Secretary of State and the Director for Mutual Security sent a special mission, headed by Dr. Harry Reed, Dean of the College of Agriculture of Purdue University, to study at first hand the food situation in Pakistan. Mr. Dulles and Governor Stassen have also visited Pakistan within the last two weeks. With the help of their observations, careful consideration has been given the Reed Mission's recommendations.

One critical fact is that the Government of Pakistan is suffering grave financial difficulties. It has already taken rigorous steps to remedy both the food outlook and its general economic disabilities, and these efforts give some hope for future self-sufficiency. But Pakistan's gold and foreign exchange holdings are barely enough to meet its legal requirements for currency backing and essential working capital. Moreover, Pakistan has little prospect of an exportable wheat surplus which would permit repayment of a loan in kind. Its export earnings and all its prospective financial resources are needed to meet the demand of economic development essential to prevent future food and financial crises. A dollar loan would make it impossible for Pakistan to obtain further necessary development loans from international lending institutions.

These considerations make certain conclusions evident. Pakistan needs a grant of up to 700,000 tons of United States wheat for relief purposes according to the best available estimates. The urgency of the need is underscored by the Reed Mission's recommendation for delivery of 100,000 tons of United States aid wheat in Karachi by August 15 of this year.

This grant would serve a double purpose. It would meet Pakistan's immediate and pressing need for food and at the same time provide local currency for economic development programs. The rupee receipts from the sale of wheat would be placed in a counterpart fund under joint Pakistan-United States administration. This fund will be used for development purposes with emphasis placed on increased food production in Pakistan to lessen the danger of future shortages.

In addition to the 700,000 tons, Pakistan may also need up to 300,000 tons as a necessary working reserve of wheat. The exact amount needed for this purpose can only be determined later; and only then can we determine whether the remainder of our aid should be supplied as a grant or a loan.

Fortunately, we do have the capacity to help at the present time. Our large wheat reserves have created a grave storage problem, demanding unusual and sometimes costly storage measures.

I propose, therefore, that the Congress authorize me to make available to Pakistan up to one million tons of wheat out of stocks held by the Commodity Credit Corporation. This wheat already is owned by the Commodity Credit Corporation, having been obtained under the price support program. To make it available to Pakistan will create no additional Government expenditure at this time other than the cost of transportation. In order that the operations of the Commodity Credit Corporation will not be impaired, I am recommending that the legislation include authority for the Commodity Credit Corporation to recover its costs, including interest, through an appropriation when the costs of the programs have been ascertained.

The United States Government proposes to designate, with the concurrence of the Government of Pakistan, a group to observe the receipt and distribution of wheat in Pakistan. The group's reports will be available to the Congress.

To provide sufficient United States aid in time, it is imperative that the grain begin to move from United States ports by the end of this month.

I strongly urge that the Congress make such prompt action possible.

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER

Note: See Item 119.

Dwight D. Eisenhower, Special Message to the Congress Requesting Authority To Make Wheat Available for Famine Victims in Pakistan. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/231910

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