811.05176/11–350

President Truman to the President of Liberia (Tubman)1

My Dear Mr. President: Thank you for your letter of October 5, 1950,2 which was delivered to me by Mr. Dennis, concerning the Five-Year Economic Expansion Program and Defense program which your Government has proposed.

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I had a very pleasant visit with your Commission on October nineteenth, and during this meeting I announced the action of the United States Government in tentatively allotting $850,000 on an annual basis for technical assistance to Liberia under the Point IV program. I also informed your Commission that the United States is now prepared to furnish Liberia a military training mission which would assist your Government in reorganizing and training your present forces for the purposes described in your letter. Proposals concerning the size of such a mission, and the time it should devote to such a task are under active consideration.

The Export–Import Bank is now in the process of studying your Government’s applications for loans for certain types of developmental projects. It is not known exactly when the Bank will reach decisions on these applications. You can be assured, however, that your proposals are receiving careful and sympathetic consideration.

I deeply appreciate your kind remarks concerning the assistance which the United States Economic and Public Health Missions have rendered to the people of Liberia. The accomplishments of these two Missions are notable examples of what can be achieved elsewhere by Point IV Technical Assistance. The interest of the United States Government in continuing these Missions is evidenced by the large tentative allotment to your Country for expanding and strengthening technical assistance programs in Liberia.

It is my firm hope that the type of work contemplated under the Point IV program will help to increase the flow of private American capital to those countries which are willing to receive such capital. In this respect Liberia stands as an excellent example of what can be accomplished by friendly cooperation between a government and private investors. I sincerely hope greater expansion can be realized in this particular field between your Government and my fellow countrymen.

With full recognition of the deep friendship which exists between the people of Liberia and the people of the United States and assurances of my desire to work for the preservation of this happy relationship, I remain, with kindest personal regards,

Very sincerely yours,

Harry S. Truman
  1. The draft of this letter, as prepared in the Office of African Affairs of the Department of State, was transmitted to the White House by Acting Secretary of State Webb on November 1 (876.00 TA/10–2050). Assistant Secretary of State McGhee addressed a letter of similar content to President Tubman on October 19 (McGhee Files, Lot 53 D 468, File—Letters “T”).
  2. Ante, p. 1729.