OCB files, lot
61 D 385, “Prestige Project”
Memorandum by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
for Public Affairs (Phillips) to the
Operations Coordinator in the Office of the Under Secretary of State
(Radius)
secret
Washington, May 18, 1954.
You will recall that the OCB was recently
invited by the Department to consider problems in foreign opinion raised by
the activities of Senator McCarthy.
An officer connected with the IES1 attended a meeting in Boston, April 26–30, of the Sixth
Annual Conference of the National Association of Foreign Student Advisers.
Attached is a report made to me on aspects of the above problem which were
raised there.
I believe that action on the original OCB
item was not clearly assigned. The attached information may be of use to
anyone who is pursuing the subject.
[Attachment]
Memorandum Prepared in the International Educational
Exchange Service of the Bureau of Public Affairs2
secret
Washington, undated.
Sixth Annual Conference of the
National Association of Foreign Student Advisers Held in Boston,
April 26–30, 1954
The issue of “McCarthyism” is destroying respect for and confidence in
the United States abroad according to the informal reports of many
foreign student advisers attending this Conference from colleges and
universities throughout the country.
American exchange professors and students abroad report that no single
issue involving the United States receives greater attention than the
queries they receive from their associates in foreign countries
concerning “McCarthyism”. Heretofore, racial discrimination in the
United States has been the focal point of many searching questions put
to Americans abroad. The racial issue has been relegated to a role of
lesser importance in view of the expressed
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concern over this new issue, according to the
foreign student advisers.
An officer of NAFSA indicated that there is strong evidence of the impact
of this issue on the thinking of most foreign students here in the
United States. It was intimated that there is scarcely a meeting or a
gathering of foreign students during which this question is not
discussed. The concern of these foreign students is expressed in a
variety of ways: Some express a fear of “McCarthyism” and indicate that
it represents the beginning of a drastic change in U.S. foreign policy.
For example, they see the early objectives of the Point IV and Mutual
Assistance Programs gradually being de-emphasized. This leads to the
feeling that the United States is concerned only with nations which
subscribe to her own political and economic points of view. Many foreign
students are fearful and disturbed that Senator McCarthy might one day
be elected President.
This same officer of NAFSA whose work with foreign students takes him
into nearly every state also reports that on a great many American
college and university campuses “McCarthyism” is a frequent and favorite
topic for discussion by student forums. At one such forum in the state
of Washington, for example, he noted that where the average attendance
of between 35 and 40 would be expected, over 400 students and faculty
alike turned out for the discussion. Likewise, in a Canadian university
in British Columbia the topic was discussed in a student forum. College
newspapers likewise carry editorials and special articles on the
subject. It was observed that in the student forums foreign students
take an active part and often contribute to the college newspaper
articles.
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Generally, most foreign students are confused and do not know how to
interpret what they see or hear on the subject of “McCarthyism”. As a
result, they are inclined to be critical and outspoken. Those who have
seriously thought about this issue see it as a “symptom” or “rash”
indicating a general trend toward isolationism. Because of this trend,
the majority of these foreign students are fearful of the outcome which
this may have on American foreign policy.3
