340/7–2153: Telegram

The Consul at Geneva (Oakley) to the Department of State

confidential
niact

Ecsoc 23. For the President from Baker, Heffelfinger, Salomon.1 News impending Congressional action UN technical assistance appropriations2 has spread like wildfire through Economic and Social Council and has caused general consternation.

First reaction as follows:

1.
Rejection 1953 supplemental will completely disorganize going progams and require immediate liquidation large parts of them.
2.
Reduction of US contribution 1954 to $4,250,000 will result in cuts contributions other governments and thus reduce spending level 1954 to little over one-third present operations.
3.
The US is being accused of attempting to seriously undermine program it itself has sponsored.

We are gravely concerned over situation which threatens wipe out US leadership in ECOSOC and to jeopardize US position in UN, since technical assistance program is generally considered most constructive and effective program of the UN. News received from Washington has already immeasurably strengthened those who in the discussion of economic development fund for under-developed areas have opposed US position on grounds that your pledge of aid from disarmament savings could not be taken seriously and that a new isolationism was the predominant note of US foreign policy.

Whole effect of your approach to foreign aid in grave danger. This all the more serious since it gives representatives of USSR and Poland every opportunity to exploit propagandawise their offer this session of 4 million rubles and 300,000 zlotys to technical assistance fund.

We appeal earnestly that everything humanly possible be done to save the technical assistance program by way of positive action [Page 276] on the part of Congress taken in full knowledge of the seriousness of the situation. Authors this cable personally greatly impressed with the fact that our contributions to the technical assistance program probably represent the best investment the US has made in recent years to further US interests and prestige.

Our concern so great that we consider it desirable Baker present case personally Washington, if essential.3

Oakley
  1. John C. Baker was the Chairman of the U.S. Delegation to the Sixteenth Session of the Economic and Social Council. Elizabeth Heffelfinger of Wazata, Minnesota, and Irving Salomon of Escondido, California, were Advisers. For a complete list of the U.S. Delegation to this session, see Department of State Bulletin, July 6, 1953, p. 57. The message was transmitted to President Eisenhower under cover of a memorandum from the Secretary of State, dated July 22, 1953. (340/7–2153)
  2. The Secretary’s memorandum of July 22 indicated that the House Appropriations Committee had recommended that the $4,595,812 authorized to fulfill the 1953 U.S. pledge of $12,767,145 to the U.N. technical assistance account be disallowed, and that it had voted to reduce this country’s 1954 contribution from $12,750,000 to $4,250,000.
  3. Telegram Socec 25 for Baker, Heffelfinger, and Salomon, July 23, 1953, stated that President Eisenhower requested that they be advised that he was making a vigorous effort to bring about a restoration of the cuts recommended by the House Committee. (340/7–2153)