◆ SpookStack

COpy COpy -5- COpy He rather bitterly assailed the United States press for what he called their unfair reporting of the revolution after he came to power. I, of course, tried to explain that speaking from some personal experience, it was neces- sary to expect and to learn to take criticism both fair and unfair. I would not be surprised if his sensitivity with l.ticis~ regard to ~2x~t~ might eventually- lead him to take some rather drastic steps- toward curtailing freedom of th.e press in the future. He also spok.e rather frankly- about what he felt was a \ery- disturbing attitude on th.e part of the American press and the American people generally. His argument went along this line: "yours is· a great country· -...,... the richest, the greatest, the most powerful in th.e world. Your people, there- fore, should be proud and confident and happy. But every- place I go you seem to be afraid ~- afraid of Communism, afraid that:if Cuba has land· reform it will grow a little rice and the market for your rice will be reduced -- afraid that if Latin America becomes more industrialized American factories will not be able to sell as much abroad as they have previously. You in America should not be talking so much about your fear of what the Coromuni.sts may do in Cuba or in some other country in Lati.n America, Asia or Africa -- y.ou should be talking more about your own strength and the reasons why your system is superior to Communism or any other kind of dictatorship." In my turn of course I tried to explain that we wel- comed the industrialization and development of Latin America, that one of our best customers was Canada, for example, which was highly industrialized and that as economic conditions improved in any country this was not only good for that coun- try but good fur us as well. I also tried to put our atti- tude toward Communism in context by pointing out that Commu- nism was something more than just an idea but that its agents were dangerously effective in their ability to grasp power and to set upmctatorships. I also emphasized, however, that we realized that being against Communism was not enough -- that it was even more important that we make it by our actions, by what we say and what we do abroad that we con- vince people every place that we want to help them achieve economic progress in a climate of freedom. COpy COpy coPY