Speech #870198093

So. Mr. President. much as we hail the action of the authorities on Taiwan in taking these refugees. and also much as we commend our own authorities for making surplus food available in order better to enable that to be done. at the same time we must point out that there is not only a breakdown of the processes of freedom in Hong Kong. but also a breakdown which faces the entire world. and we must demonstrate a willingness to resettle the refugees from Communist Chinasubject to all our procedures for screening. and so forth. with which we are familiarjust as we have demonstrated our willingness to do that for the refugees from behind the Iron Curtain in East Germany. because the whole world will expect all the nations of the world. including our own country. to make an equal approach to the problems of humanity herein involved. and also an equal approach to the winning of the cold war. which also is here involved. regardless of the color of the skins of the persons involvedwhether they be white. as in the case of the refugees from East Germany. or whether they be yellow. as in the case of the refugees from Communist China. So. Mr. President. in addition to the second point. which is the reception by the Nationalist Chinese of the Chinese refugees from Communist China and the help given by our country to those refugees. by means of making food available. the third point in connection with this situation is that it calls for a concert of the nations. perhaps through the auspices of the United Nations. so thatJust as was done in the case of the displaced persons problem and other problems in connection with refugees of this characterall the countries of the world will bear their equal share of the responsibility. in accordance with their capability for bearing some of this burden. In short. Mr. President. this problem is not confined to Taiwan and Hong Kong. Instead. it is a problem for all the world. because all of us are engaged in this struggle. So the third point would be that the United States perhaps might well take the initiative in raising it as an international question. and. either by the extension of the work of the High Commissioner for Refugees of the United Nations. if that can be accomplished. or by an ad hoe meeting of the nations of the world which have the capability for absorption of some of these refugees. to seek to allocate the burden and responsibility on a fairsharepernation basis. Fourth. we have an organization called the International Rescue Committee. which has already looked into this matter. and of which the distinguished occupant of the chair . if my memory serves me correctly. is a very important official. This organization has called it to the attention of the world. It is organized and able to utilize privately contributed funds for the purpose of helping to alleviate the very dreadful condition of these refugees. So. Mr.