1273 



and engineers from the LDCs, declining demand and increased domes- 

 tic supply in the American manpower market are diminishing the 

 "pull" of professionals from abroad. The manpower market mechanism 

 is, therefore, shown to be a corrective for this aspect of brain drain 

 from the LDCs. In the same w'ay, expansion of domestically trained 

 U.S. medical personnel and heightened efficiency of their use would 

 enable the same market mechanisms to take effect in the field of medi- 

 cal care delivery in the United States. 



RENEWAL OF AMERICAN COMMITMENT TO INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT 



At the "other end" of the brain drain, the United States can help 

 reduce the "push" factor within the LDCs by renew^ing its commitment 

 to international development. 



Remedy Through Development Assistance. — One dominating theme 

 running through the literature on brain drain is remedy through de- 

 velopment assistance. The CIMT study makes this comprehensive 

 judgment: 



Advanced coimtries should and can do more to assist the development of less 

 developed countries, and, thereby, help to moderate the forces leading to migra- 

 tion. They should do more both because of long-range economic and political 

 self-interest and out of compassion. We accept the thesis that the fate of the 

 rich parts of the world is linked to the economic growth, political stability, and 

 national development of the poor parts of the world."^ 



Past and present administrations, as noted in the next chapter, have 

 reaffirmed the American commitment to development, and scholars like 

 Dr. Perkins have urged this country to take the lead. "We must work 

 to increase the bargaining power of the less developed countries so 

 that the drain is not a disaster," he wrote. "And we must call forth our 

 highest powers of statesmanship to contain our short-rmi domestic in- 

 terests in favor of our longer-range interest in the welfare and pro- 

 gress of man." ^°* 



In 1968, Dr. Kidd made an appeal that has even greater relevance 

 in today's climate of declining American interest in development. He 

 told the House Government Operations Committee then studying 

 brain drain : 



Now, it seems to me that the fundamental obligation of the United States 

 which is real and urgent is to deal effectively with the problems of economic 

 development and that we should put the migration question within the context 

 of the obligations of the United States for economic development. In this 

 connection, I certainly agree with my fellow panel members (Dr. Adams, Rev. 

 Gibbons, Dr. Hunt, Dr. Shearer, Dr. Sprague, and Prof. Theisenhusen ) that 

 increased attention should be given in the total AID program to institution build- 



™3 CIMT study, p. 714. 



'o* Perkins, op. clt., p. 619. In stressing the Idea that the starting point for remedying 

 the brain drain "must be the policies of the developing country Itself," Under Secretary of 

 State Eugene Rostow made this statement on this nation's efforts in development : 



This basic responsibility is not ours, and we cannot assume it. We can only help 

 those who want to help themselves. We already are helping In this regard in many 

 countries whose basic educational policies are sound. Indeed, the basic thrust of our 

 development programs abroad Is to widen the range for domestic choices available 

 to skilled people — to encourage personal initiative, to stimulate the development of 

 Institutions, and generate the Incentives in a given nation to compete with others in 

 obtaining and retaining talented manpower. 



Similarlv, the basis underlying our programs of educational cooperation and tech- 

 nical assistance Is to help other nations strengthen their programs of educational 

 development, and in so doing strengthen and enrich the world community. 

 (Hearings, Senate, Judiciary Committee, International Migration of Talent and Slcills, 

 1968, pp. 6-7.) 



