Soviet-American Economic Competition in Uncommitted Countries

The Soviet Union, at present, is definitely ahead of the United States in the economic competition for the un committed and underdeveloped countries. The goal of Soviet economic penetration—control of total policy—poses a direct threat to American national security. The monolithic central authority of the Soviet Union provides a tactical advantage over the United States free democracy. The Soviet presidium can and does throw the entire power of the country against one target—winning the uncommitted and underdeveloped countries to communism. The United States is handicapped by its economic organization as well as by its political values. The United States has not yet learned to co-ordinate public efforts when an over-all national purpose must be served. The United States and the Soviet Union differ in their ap proaches to human values in aid to underdeveloped areas. The United States has fostered long-range improvements through teacher training, agricultural research, infant care, and so on. The Soviet Union has claimed the spotlight with huge projects—dams, hospitals, steel mills. There is no doubt that the United States possesses the capacity to compete with the Soviet Union. The United States definitely possesses ad vantages in marketing and distribution skills, in production flexibility, and in quality control. The free market system, also, is familiar to underdeveloped peoples accustomed to the bazaar atmosphere. The United States can win economically, and on her own terms, but she must possess the desire to do so.—Ed.