KHRUSHCHEV IN AMERICA

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29002, 17 September 1959, Page 15

KHRUSHCHEV IN AMERICA

First Talks With Eisenhower

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 1030 p.m.) WASHINGTON, September 16. At the end of his first day in America, the Soviet Prime Minister, Mr Nikita Khrushchev, was entertained by President Eisenhower at a State dinner where the two leaders exchanged long toasts to peace, which the Russian saw as the only alternative to a “world shambles.”

Mr Khrushchev received a restrained but courteous welcome when he drove into Washington after a non-stop 5000-mile flight from Moscow.

President Eisenhower and Mr Khrushchev had their first talks at the White House soon after Mr Khrushchev’s arrival and they agreed to begin three days of “friendly and frank” talks aimed at a “better understanding” of East-West issues at Gamp David, Maryland, on September 25.

Nearly 100 guests, 70 Americans and 23 Russians, joined in the champagne toasts which climaxed the dinner at the White House. Mr Khrushchev and his wife left the White House at 11.20 p.m About 100 spectators saw the big automobile draw up to the official guest house and watched silently as the Russian leader went in with Mrs Khrushchev. The dinner was served at a huge, E-shaped table decorated with yellow chrysanthemums which blended handsomely with the gold of the dinner service. After the White House dinner, the men and women guests retired to separate rooms for a brief social period. Mr Khrushchev stood with his back to a fireplace and chatted informally with a number of guests, including the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Mr Sam Rayburn, and the Senate Democratic Leader, Senator Lyndon Johnson. At one point, it was reported. Senator Johnson asked Mr Khrushchev if he had seen anything so far that altered his previous impressions of the United States. “I knew you were a powerful people,” Mr Khrushchev was quoted as replying, “And I have seen you are a powerful people. We will be powerful too." Guests said there also was an exchange between Mr Khrushchev and the chief of the United States Central Intelligence Agency, Mr Allen Dulles, concerning the fact that some agents peddled information to both Russia and the United States. Mr Dulles said, grinning: “Per-

haps, Mr Chairman, you have seen some of our (the C.l.A.’s) reports?” “I believe we get much of our information from the same people,” Mr Khrushchev replied, also grinning. “Maybe we should share the wealth and only pay them once.”

Mr Khrushchev was said to have bristled at one point, apparently having misunderstood a statement by Mr George Johnson, a negro member of the Civil Rights Commission. Mr Johnson had told Mr Khrushchev that the United States was making great strides in dealing with its civil rights problem. Mr Khrushchev apparently thought Mr Johnson meant to criticise Russia’s handling of civil rights, and replied rather heatedly: “You have your concept of civil rights and we have ours. What is freedom to you is slavery to us.”

President Eisenhower came up as Mr Johnson was trying to clarify his remarks, saw that there was some misunderstanding between the two and said to Mr Johnson: “You’ll never win that argument.” In his toast Mr Eisenhower said: “It was 150 years ago that diplomatic relations between your country and ours were opened . . . and since that date there has been a history of many incidents of collaboration between your country and mine, and certainly a long history of friendship. In two world wars we have been allies. “And now today, it seems to me that our two countries have a very special obligation to the entire world. Because of our strength, because of our import-

ance in the world, it is vital that we understand each other better. You and I have agreed on this point. “I think that skilful debate is not enough. We must depend upon fact and truth and we must make it our common purpose, as I see it, that we develop for each other the maximum of fact and truth so that we may better lead—between us—this world into a better opportunity for peace and prosperity.”

Mr Khrushchev said: “We have come here on the invitation of the President with our intentions based on the need to come to an agreement on the improvement of our relations, because our countries are much too strong and we cannot quarrel with each other “If we were weak countries, then it would be another matter, because, when the weak quarrel, they are just scratching each other’s faces and it takes just a couple of days for a cosmetician and everything comes out right again “But, if we quarrel, then not only our countries can suffer colossal damage, but the other countries of the world will also be involved in a world shambles. “But I am sure that we can live in peace and progress together for peace. “Our countries have different social systems. We believe our system to be better—and you believe yours to be better. But surely we should not bring quarrels out on to the arena of open struggle. Let history judge which of us is right.

"What we should do now is to strive together to improve our relations. We need nothing from the United States, and you require nothing that we have. It is true that you are richer than w. are at present. But then tomorrow we will be as rich as you are, the day after tomorrow we will be even richer.

“But is there anything bad in this? After all, we are going to do this by our own forces—by our own strength,” he said. “1 said that the meeting I had today heartened me When some of our journalists approached me after the meeting and asked me my impressions, I said there was an agreed communique that was to be published . . . “But I could not help mentioning that I would inform my Government that a good beginning had been made, and one could only hope that the final outcome would be even better. “And so I would like to raise my glass and propose a toast to the President, to his wife, to all of you esteemed ladies and gentlemen,” Mr Khrushchev said.