Speech #850096051

Peru. Costa Rica. and so forth. provided that the virgin lands of those countries are to be opened and prepared to receive rural settlers. Last year the Congress recognized the necessity of promoting agricultural resettlement in Latin America by enacting an amendment to the Mutual Security Act of 1954. as amended. under which an allocation of $15 million was made for the purpose of promoting economic development In Latin America foramong other thingsland resettlement programs which will contribute to the resettlement of foreign and native migrants in Latin America serving the advancement of the economic development and the agricultural and industrial productivity in that area. The amendment. usually referred to as the SmathersWalter amendment. was received with unanimous applause in Europe and in Latin America. It was looked upon by the interested nations as not only one more proof of American generosity but mostly as evidence of American farsightedness and our continuous leadership of the Free World. It was rather unfortunate that the agencies of the executive branch charged with the implementation of the law passed by the Congress. have not been prepared to stimulate and encourage the submission of acceptable land resettlement plans. It took many months before the International Cooperation Administration recognized that the Congress authorized an important economic and social program. Delays piled up upon delays. and there may have been even a lack of comprehension and realization of the importance of that program and its impact upon relieving the United States of the ceaseless pressures upon our own immigration quotas. An extensive study undertaken by our committee shows that although $14.850.000 of the $15 million fund authorized under last years legislation has been spent. actually only $1 million to $3 million has been authorized to be spent for projects which the Congress specified in subdivision (C) of section 4 (4) of Public Law 726 of the 84th Congress. The balance of the funds was authorized to be spent for. no doubt. meritorious projects but not even indirectly enhancing the resettlement of European migrants in Latin American rural areas. The Senate and now the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House have acted very wisely in authorizing the expenditure of up to $25 million for economic development in Latin America. again including land resettlement programs benefiting immigrants. In addition to that. I am particularly glad to notice that some of these projects will have access to loans from the development loan fund also provided for under the bill now under consideration.