<--PREV Doc #420  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  First Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #422 Document #421; September 18, 1953 To Ernst Reuter Series: EM, AWF, International Series The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, Volume XIV - The Presidency: The Middle Way Part III: The Space Age Begins; October 1957 to January 1958 Chapter 6: Building strength when there is "no perfect answer"   My dear Mayor Reuter:1 Thank you very much for your kind letter of August 10. I also am most gratified by the success which the cooperation of the Berlin authorities, the Federal Republic and the United States Government has achieved in bringing urgently needed food as tangible evidence of our friendship to the unfortunate people of Soviet occupied Germany. I am impressed with the overwhelming response and with the courage displayed in the face of the many obstacles which the communist authorities have put in the way of these people.2 It is clear to me that the people of Soviet occupied Germany understand that their welfare deeply concerns the free world which, as you point out, is determined to help them in every way possible. The American people have not lost sight of the serious difficulties with which the people of West Berlin must cope so long as they are separated from their fellow Germans in the East and West, and cannot enjoy free communication and unimpeded access to supplies of raw materials and markets for their production. While great progress has been made in raising the level of economic activity and employment in West Berlin we all realize that much remains to be done. The present investment and work relief programs in Berlin were, I am informed, carefully developed in the light of the needs of Berlin and the ability of the Berlin authorities, business and labor, to assist in the creation of additional jobs in existing or new enterprises.3 I have no doubt that the Berlin authorities can improve present programs in consultation with the Bonn authorities and the Office of the United States High Commissioner. If proposals can be devised which would give promise of a further substantial increase in employment in Berlin, the United States Government would be prepared to explore with the Federal Republic what further steps the two governments might find it possible to take to achieve this objective.4 1 Ernst Reuter had been Lord Mayor of West Berlin since its incorporation in 1948. On September 30, twelve days after Press Secretary James Hagerty released this correspondence, Reuter would suffer a fatal heart attack. 2 The Lord Mayor had written (AWF/I) the President in appreciation for food sent by the United States after the East German riots against the Communist government in June (see nos. 266, 308, and 327). Although five hundred thousand food packages had been distributed during the first three days of the program, Soviet zone authorities had attempted to deny East Germans access to the food by prohibiting the sale of rail tickets into Berlin (U.S. Department of State Bulletin 29, no. 738 [August 13, 1953], 210). The government had increased the pressures, often exposing recipients to "political defamation and economic ruin" (State, Foreign Relations, 1952-1954, vol. VII, Germany and Austria, pt. 2, pp. 1630, 1657). Chancellor Adenauer had added his thanks in an August 30 letter to the President and also requested warm clothing and footwear to help the people cope with the approaching winter. Eisenhower would answer the Chancellor on September 21, assuring him "that the American people will gladly and liberally respond to your plea . . . [and] will contribute generously to the organizations which will undertake to provide such clothing and other required and related items" (AWF/I). For developments see no. 447. 3 Reuter had placed the unemployment figure at 225,000 and called the reduction of this figure "an urgent political and moral concern of the entire free world." He asked for the creation of 50,000 to 100,000 jobs. In March the U.S. and West German governments had agreed to contribute 138 million marks ($32,844,000) to continue a work-relief program that had provided 20,000 jobs in West Berlin. On June 18, following the riots, Eisenhower had announced the provision of an additional $50 million in economic aid through the Mutual Security Program (State, Foreign Relations, 1952-1954, vol. VII, Germany and Austria, pt. 2, pp. 1392-93; New York Times, Mar. 27, June 19, 1953). 4 Discussions throughout the fall regarding budget requirements of the Mutual Security Program for FY 1955 would include placing aid to Berlin under a new legislative title giving the President discretionary authority to "permit the U.S. to move with great speed to exploit weaknesses wherever and whenever they appeared in the frictional areas on the Soviet borders." In December the State Department would recommend continuing the FY 1954 aid level of $30 million, attaining the goal of unemployment reduction by an additional 50,000 in 1954 (State, Foreign Relations, 1952-1954, vol. VI, Western Europe and Canada, pt. 1, pp. 592, 596, and vol. VII, Germany and Austria, pt. 2, p. 1393). Bibliographic reference to this document: Eisenhower, Dwight D. To Ernst Reuter, 18 September 1953. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, ed. L. Galambos and D. van Ee, doc. 421. World Wide Web facsimile by The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission of the print edition; Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996, http://www.eisenhowermemorial.org/presidential-papers/first-term/documents/421.cfm <--PREV Doc #420  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  First Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #422

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