Republicans Hit At Foreign Policy

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30055, 13 February 1963, Page 13

Republicans Hit At Foreign Policy

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) WASHINGTON, February 11. The Kennedy Administration was attacked by Republican Congressional leaders today for allegedly creating friction among its allies by “inept conduct” of foreign affairs.

“One of the basic concepts of the American foreign policy for scores of years has been a lasting friendship with Great Britain, France, and Canada," the opposition leaders said in a statement “The British. French, and Canadians have been more than our allies in war. They have deep ethnic and historical ties with us. “In recent weeks we have witnessed anti-American sentiment sweeping each of these three great nations because of the inept conduct of our foreign affairs by the Kennedy Administration.”

The statement said the Kennedy Administration's renewed emphasis on greater conventional forces, the 1962 Cuban showdown and the controversy over the Skybolt missile had all been employed by the French as arguments to move her sister European States into a “third force." The Canadian Government had fallen because of a “needless public statement" on the issue of acceptance of United States nuclear weapons for Canadian forces. The British Government for a time had been similarly threatened over the cancellation of the Skybolt programme, “which was brought to a climax by our Government without proper regard to the repercussions that might follow. “Obviously the kind of leadership so vital to keeping free peoples united has not been in evidence so far in this Administration." the Republican leaders said.

The Canadian Prime Minister (Mr Diefenbaker) today announced new appointments to his caretaker Cabinet.

The Veterans' Affairs Minister, Mr Gordon Churchill, was appointed Defence Minister and Senator Wallace McCutcheon was named Trade Minister. Mr Diefenbaker also appointed the Speaker of the last House of. Commons, Mr Marcel Lambert, as Veterans* Affairs Minister, replacing Mr Churchill. Mr Diefenboker said other appointments would be announced shortly. These would involve appointments from Quebec and other provinces. In announcing Senator McCutcheon's appointment he said he had chosen a man who would keep the economy rising as it has been rising. Senator McCutcheon was first brought into the Cabinet on August 9, 1962, as Minister without Portfolio and given the task of planning for Canada's economic future. Left vacant, at least for the time being, was the portfolio of the Associate Defence Minister, formerly held by Mr Pierre Sevigny, who resigned on Saturday.

The appointment of Senator McCutcheon, ' a 56-year-old financier, was the one real surprise in today's announcement Last week, in spite of his repeated denials, he had been linked to a group of Ministers reported to be on ths point of resigning, the Canadian Press said.