Editorial Note
In a statement issued to the press on November 1 by the White House, it was announced that William C. Foster, Administrator of the Economic Cooperation Administration, was to go to the Philippines as the Special Representative of President Truman in order to discuss the Report of the United States Economic Survey Mission to the Philippines (page 1514). Foster was to meet with President Quirino to discuss Philippine needs for United States economic assistance and the measures to be undertaken by the Philippine Government to rebuild the country’s economy. Following his visit to the Philippines, Foster was to visit other Far Eastern countries receiving economic aid under the program of the Economic Cooperation Administration. For the text of the White House press statement, see Department of State Bulletin, November 13, 1950, page 777.
According to a memorandum of November 2 for President Truman by ECA Administrator Foster, approved by the President on November 3 and serving as the terms of reference for Foster’s mission to the [Page 1512] Philippines, Foster was authorized to express to President Quirino the intention of President Truman to request from Congress the necessary authority and appropriations to inaugurate a program of assistance to the Philippines, if certain assurances and commitments could be provided by President Quirino to assure effective use of such aid and a vigorous effort by the Philippine Government and people to solve their immediate and long-term economic and other problems. In general, it was Foster’s understanding that the steps on the part of the Philippine Government which would be considered essential for the full effectiveness of the proposed aid were generally those outlined in the Report of the Economic Survey Mission (Manila Embassy Files: 500 ECA Mission).
Foster and a small party of Economic Cooperation Administration officials arrived in Manila on November 7.