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3/23/1959 - Liberia’s Next Friend by Smith Hempstone Jr.

NOT FOR PUBLICATION INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS SH Liberia Next Friend onrovia Liberia Walter S Rogers Institute Current World Affairs adis6n Avenue New York N Y Dear Rogers The position friend delicate particu larly object friendship small differ color proud subject feeling galling inferiority How extent U S discharging gations friendship towar Liberia In American assistance Liberia periodic visits American warships discourage annexation either Britain France Americ contributed ammuni infant republic seconded Negro officers Liberia Frontier Force brutal campaigns against tribes Lines credit sometimes extended inconsiderable interest U S receivers Liberia interest American advisors suggested mostly without success procure political reform And about extent U S assistance Liberia During World War II U S Government built Roberts field outside onrovia It constructed course protect Firestone American strategic interests South Atlantic since being turned Liberians helped generate business activity Helpful million Free Port onrovia The Free Port built under Lend Lease agreement facilities three large cargo ships In merchan brought unloaded stored mixed repacked blended processed manufactured reshipped without payment The Liberians claim should compelled repay since other countries It financial success which hoped largely because trade patterns still follow colonial lines As West African nations become independent however better At moment handles million freight The U S technical assistance program underway Liberia American expenditures first years averaged million while Liberian contributions during period amounted million In Liberia upped total contribution million U S kicked mllion Last total expenditure million This U S million Liberians million SH The Young Turks Liberian government regard total million totally inadequate They reason Ethiopians America niggardly toward friends generous those adopt neutralist position It could worth while dally Communism But there whether Liberia could absorb profitably U S offering right One level ICA administrator In Liberia trying apply technical literate society program which utilized advanced areas Western Europe South East Asia Even remote primitive areas Asia where I served people religious cultural build There though illiterate participates society Here people nothing The capita income Liberians comes about opposed America behind Iron Curtain There planning Liberia civil service worthy Roads electricity water manpower tools domestic capital credit facilities rudimentary scattered where exist Only about people participate money economy Infant mortality exceeds There enogh people cultural extension service Only population literate school children education The country exactly technical school University Liberia offers about education third U school The public rising politi cians Our programs geared counterpart basis That there should Liberian official status either participating program training It under conditions prevailing ICA itself blameless Too percentage salaries American technicians ICA estimates costs technician field This wouldn people caliber But Liberia reputation cases second people agree Liberia reputation malice difficulties under which American technician fessional standards considerable ICA major efforts fields education funds expended agriculture transportation Liberia generous regular budget these items Commerce agriculture industry mining labor combined receive pitiful budget These departments received considerable capital outlay through Liberia SH Nine Year Development Plan Perhaps serious attitude which Liberians toward research projects One these joint Liberian American agricultural experimental station Suacoco hamlet interior Said American stationed Suacoco The politicians interested station which Liberia We always there going party Ionrovia government truck pulls experimental slaughtered vegetable gardens systematically looted The government gives enough diesel erator about hours When politician pulls guest house visit generator night The result month lights water The station vehicles neither properly maintained driven result chance extension What doing right spending O00 provide Executive ansion steaks vegetables On ledger ICA trained through scholarship program U S Liberian technicians others school States Under present plans others U S within years Statistically Liberian government share financing projects At Liberians contributed U S program about government revenues during period The trouble seems second level Liberian politicians administrators Tubman wants U S parently willing contribute necessary funds services qualify receive But Liberians includin those power U S another chance enrich themselves In joint projects U S recently pened experimental laborers unpaid three months counterfeit bills In substance U S seems ungraciously given ungratefully received There mutual distrust great inability other problems Despite President Tubman strong Western there considerable American among younger Liberians Some however dismissed indirect criticism president hiself rather feeling America Eventually around ultimate question bother waste American payer money people program appreciative anyway The point alternative Incorrect Liberia regarded colonial powers independent SH African nations alike American satellite This supposition unnatural Liberia exports America while imports U S Under these circumstances bearing historic relation SH between Liberia U S would unnatural weren blamed everything wrong country It follow course credit right Liberia But present UoS alternative things possible Liberia It would tremendous Western prestige African country which longest intimate association U S should And Liberia still closest miles jumping New World For these reasons others cannot afford Liberia But heart still meaning iddle Western agricultural officer whose research cabbages swiped City Hall Sincerely Smith Hempstone Jr Received New York April