Aug. 29, 1962 - President Kennedy took issue sharply today with Congressional advocates of heavy cuts in his $4,672,000,000 foreign aid program. The President told his news conference that “I can imagine nothing more short-sighted than to cut the heart out of this program.” The President said it struck him as “the height of folly” to appropriate $50 billion for the military establishment and additional amounts for the Atomic Energy Commission and then to cut the foreign aid program in a way that would force into the Communist bloc a number of countries whose independence was vital to the security of the United States. “I find it very ironical,” said Mr. Kennedy, “that those who make the strongest speeches against Communist movements are the ones who want to cut this program the hardest, which is the most valuable weapon immediately that we have on the front lines against the Communist advance.”
