156. Letter From Secretary of Agriculture Freeman to Secretary of Commerce Hodges1
Dear Luther:
I’ve just returned to the office and want to immediately tell you that we are anxious to help in any way that you see fit in the assignment that [Page 460] the President delegated to you at the National Security Council Meeting.2
It would appear to me that we ought to be able to further our trade and economic relations with the Soviet Union with all of the commercial and good will implications therefrom without having to sell to them the most advanced, useful and critical items which will make the maximum contribution to their lagging agriculture. We do not want to starve them out or be in a position of denying their people food and sustenance. On the other hand, realistically agriculture is their No. 1 failure and we ought not to go out of our way to make it a dramatic success. Certainly there are no humanitarian implications here for they are not starving to death. The sale of wheat to Russia was our No. 1 propaganda triumph over them.
Therefore, it would appear to me that on a host of things we ought to be relatively liberal, provided that we get a proper quid pro quo. On others where it will go to the heart of their problem and conceivably equip them to make a success of their agriculture, and conceivably a rough commercial competitor, and conceivably also give them the where-withal to engage in economic warfare, which we have every reason to believe they would, that such things need not be made readily available. This issue we will not have to meet head-on for as the President indicated we can make certain requests of them, modest but extensive, and perhaps some we think they are not likely to respond to, in turn for our making available to them what they know to be important and advanced equipment.
Anyway this whole question now has been called to the attention of the highest authority, thoroughly reviewed, and I think your insistence that this be done and our collaboration in carrying it to this level have constituted a constructive effort and a meaningful performance of our mutual responsibilities. It is always good to stand shoulder to shoulder with the great Secretary of Commerce.
Warmest personal regards.
Sincerely yours,
- Source: Washington National Records Center, RG 40, Secretary of Commerce Files: FRC 69 A 6828, Agriculture. No classification marking. An attached note from an unidentified secretary, dated February 16, 1965, indicates that Thau (presumably Theodore L. Thau, Executive Secretary of the Advisory Committee on Export Policy) had requested this letter; and although the original could not be found, Thau was given a copy.↩
- See Documents 154 and 155.↩