Speech #860086618

President. I am indeed happy to point out at this time that the proposal embodied in this amendment has the support of the U.S. Committee for Refugees. This committee is an independent citizens group concerned with the appalling human sorrow represented by the millions of refugees in the free world and with the serious humanitarian and economic implications of unsolved refugee problems for the United States. Established in the fall and winter of 1958. this committee. led by the Very Reverend Francis B. Sayre. dean of the Washington Cathedral. writer. and humanitarian. has undertaken the following tasks: To inform the public about world refugee issues. to consult regularly with Government leaders and United Nations officials. to stimulate research on refugee problems. to work closely with American voluntary agencies in the refugee field. and to further American participation in World Refugee Year. Secondly. this committee is recognized in Federal officialdom as a foremost authority on refugees and as an agent responsible for consulting with the administration on the development of plans for U.S. participation in World Refugee Year. I must say. however. that the State Department has only taken meager action on the proposals submitted by this committee. Indeed. the only plans developed by the administration for Federal participation in this humanitarian venture is to contribute an amount of $4 million which will come from the Presidents contingency funds for fiscal 1959 and fiscal 1960. Even if this develops. it will. at best. be only a token effort. In effect. such a token effort for such an erstwhile project as World Refugee Year. would be an affront to our traditional principles of humanity. sympathy. and interest in the welfare of mankind. . Ten million dollars should be a minimum contribution to this program. yet it would be a realistic contribution. one very much in tune with our previous efforts and in gear with the pressing needs generated by the refugee problem. We are spending billions of dollars for weapons and defense programs. and additional billions for the defenses and economies of our allies. Certainly we can make this moderate. nonmilitary effort in an attempt to maintain peace and tranquility. After all. these are among the objectives of our mutual security program. The refugee problem is well documented in the annals of history and is deeply etched in the minds of those who have experienced being without homes or nations and those who at this very minute bear the scars of dispossession. The refugee problem is a clear warning that all is not right with the world and that mans inhumanity to man far overshadows his humanity. I feel that it is altogether fitting and proper that we address ourselves to this problem today. not only because of World Refugee Year. but because seeking a solution to such a perplexing problem as that posed by the refugee situation is consistent with our traditional efforts to help those less fortunate than ourselves. This subject is also significant to us because we are everywhere and at all times seeking world peace and because the refugee problem often involves and underlies all other major problems of international life. The refugee problem spans the eons of time and across the boundaries of nations. It stretches from the mass exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt to the recent exodus of Tibetans from Coinmunist domination. And. even as I speak. hundreds of men. women. and children are joining the ranks of the dispossessed the world over. It is estimated that each year a million new refugees are created. They are living testimony of the fact that this is truly the century of the homeless. the uprooted. and the dispossessed. Men of good will everywhere are challenged today to meet this problem headon. to strive even more diligently for a solution. In doing this. we must avoid sham and ostentation because we are dealing with humanitymen. women and children who. through no fault of their own. are the orphans of the world. We accomplish nothing except perhaps an alienation of affection if we offer them a helping hand. extended only because of our moral guilt and sympathy. This is the essence of the administrations token proposal for World Refugee Year. Any effort we make must be sincere. It must go from our hearts to theirs. indicating our recognition of a common bond of fellowship. I am indeed happy to say that we have made genuine efforts to either solve or ameliorate the refugee problem. I know these efforts will be continued. However. as long as the problem remains with us. I must ask myself if we are doing enough. Does the situation warrant more? Indeed it does. and World Refugee Year is a medium through which we can make an increased contribution. The United States has made substantial contributions to several refugee programs. We spent about $45 million in fiscal 1959 supporting refugee activities in several areas of the world. We are supporting the United Nations Relief and Works AgencyUNRWAwhich provides aid to Palestinian refugees and the program of the United Nations High Commissioner for RefugeesUNHCRwhich aims to clear the remaining refugee camps in Europe. We are also supporting the Intergovernmental Committee for European MigrationICEMas well as our own unilateral escapee programUSEPmaking donations of surplus agricultural commodities to refugees. and providing for refugee immigration to the United States. For the fiscal year beginning July 1. which coincides with World Refugee Year. the administration is requesting about $43.6 million for its regular refugee programs which I have just enumerated. Although slightly less than the amount expended in fiscal 1959. this amount. I am informed. will enable us to continue refugee aid on roughly the same level. The cutback is reportedly due to the fact that the number of refugees is diminishing. I submit that while this is true. the overall refugee problem is no less acute and that what has been accomplished represents the easier part of the work. Still remaining are the socalled hard core refugees. These are the aged. the sick. and the afflicted. Since we embrace the precepts of World Refugee Year. it is discouraging to note that we have not yet shaped our goals. It is also discouraging to note that during World Refugee Year. the administration is proposing cutbacks in certain areas of our regular refugee aid. . World Refugee Year is a golden opportunity for us to demonstrate democracy in action. to give new life and fervor to discontented souls which we know so well make fertile beds for the seeds of communism. What is more. this is a chance for us to come to grips with mans inhumanity to man. This inhumanity is very dramatically presented in the fact that in the past 30 years some 150 million persons were uprooted from their homes and forced to seek a haven of refuge elsewhere. World War II alone produced some 40 million new refugees. about 15 million of whom are still unsettled. Without the protection of a nation and without the basic essentials of life. these impoverished people find themselves always in a state of dependence and flux. The psychological and sociological as well as the political and economic implications of this kind of existence are staggering.