Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume IX, International Development and Economic Defense Policy; Commodities

80. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant (Rostow) to President Johnson ¹

Washington, November 1, 1968.

SUBJECT

• Report of the Perkins Committee on Development Assistance

At Tab A is a letter from Jim Perkins enclosing the final report of his Committee on Foreign Aid.² This is also Perkins’ letter of resignation; he assumes the Committee will come to an end January 20 to give your successor a chance to chart his own course on foreign aid.

In my judgment, the report is careful and tame. Most of the recommendations are by now standard—streamlining AID; more multilateral aid, separating MAP from economic aid; concentrating on food, population and education; and restoring the deep Congressional cuts of the past two years. What seems to be the main innovation—an Overseas Investment Corporation to spur the private foreign investment—is an idea already kicked around in the Executive Branch and on the Hill.

The report was not unanimously approved by the Committee. George Meany and Joe Beirne disassociated themselves on the ground that Perkins et al. had taken a “bankers’ view” rather than a “people-to-people” approach on foreign aid. So far as we can tell, this issue has no substance. (Beirne is a bit embarrassed about it but felt he had to go along with Meany. I am told Meany did not attend any of the working sessions.)

I know you have had reservations about the Committee but it worked hard and the members have taken their appointment very seriously. Properly used, the report could provide backing for foreign aid that the next Administration might use.

My recommendation for handling the Perkins Report is:

1) Ask for comments from AID, State, Defense, and Charles Zwick.

2) Pass the report and the agency comments to your successor; and

3) Write Perkins a letter of thanks and tell him you do not intend to publish the report but will pass it on to the next Administration to help in its consideration of foreign aid. A proposed letter, for your signature, is at Tab B.³

I think this will satisfy everybody, Perkins is not asking for publication now although he may hope the report will eventually appear. The Committee’s first concern is that the report be most effectively used.

You are under no obligation to make the report public and there is a strong argument that your successor can give it a better hearing if it is not on the record.

Walt

If you approve this way of handling the report, you should sign the letter to Perkins at Tab B⁴

Plan to make report public after receiving comments and draft new letter to Perkins ⁵

Call me

1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Subject File, Foreign Assistance Programs—President’s Advisory Committee on [Perkins Committee] [1 of 3], Box 17. No classification marking.
2. See Document 79.
3. Not attached but see Document 81.
4. This option is checked.
5. Johnson’s handwritten note at the end of this sentence reads: “? ? Let’s see”.