245 



The Humphrey bill provided for a 3-year term of enlistment. An 

 "essential part of the whole program" would be that the first year of 

 sei-vice should be devoted to training;. Six months would be allocated 

 to intensive area and language study, and study of American public 

 policy and contemporary thought. During the second 6 months, the 

 trainee would go to the country to be served for further training in 

 language and technical skills. Tender the Humphrey plan — 



The Peace Corps would be a separate agency, but would work 

 in cooperation Avith the Department of State, USIA, and ICA. It 

 could be placed in another department for administrative purposes. 

 The first year's program would be limited to 500 men; and 

 should increase to 4,000 men in the fourth year of operations. 

 Academic credit might be earned for orientation work. 

 Members of the Corps would be carefully selected, must he at 

 least 21% years of age and qualified in a skill, must be dedicated, 

 physically fit, mature, and prepared to ser\^e in primitive areas. 

 A 3-year term of service would be equivalent to peacetime mili- 

 tary draft ; but no veterans benefits would be allowed. 



Salaries would be equivalent to those paid to military enlisted 

 men. 



Volunteers vrould serve in a country only if they were requested ; 

 a binational commission would coordinate operations in each 

 country. 

 Xo action was taken on the bill in the Senate. Nevertheless Senator 

 Humphrey's request that the "* * * bill * * * be presented and appro- 

 priately referred so that it would be the subject of intensive study 

 during the coming months * * * " i" ^yas heeded. The Senate Foreign 

 Relations Committee sent the bill to the Department of State, U.S. 

 Information Agency, International Cooperation Administration, and 

 the Bureau of the Budget.^^ These agencies reported to the committee 

 in early August of 1960, a few weeks before the Congress was 

 adjourned. 



Ths Kennedy proposal 



During his campaign for the Presidency, Senator John F. Kennedy 

 told a San Francisco audience, November 2, 1960, that he favored the 

 formation of a Peace Corps. He said in part : 



Think of the wonders skilled American personnel could work, building good 

 will, building the peace. There is not enough money in all America to relieve the 

 misery of the underdeveloped world in a giant and endless soup kitchen. But 

 there is enough know-how and enough knowledgeable people to help those nations 

 help themselves. 



I therefore propose that our inadequate efforts in this area be supplemented 

 by a "Peace Corps" of talented young men willing and able to service their 

 country in this fashion for 3 years as an alternative to i^eace-time Selective 

 Service — well qualified through rigorous standards — well trained in the language, 

 skills and customs they will need to know * * *?^ 



Public reaction pro and con to the Peace Corps plan 



Representative Reuss, and Senators Humphrey and Kennedy, re- 

 ported having immediately received a great deal of mail, unanimously 

 favorable, regarding the proposal. "° It was especially popular among 



'■ IiU-m. 



^' U.S. Congrress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations. Legislative Calendar, 86th 

 Cong.. No. 20 (Aug. 17, 1960), p. 36. 



^» New York Times (Nov. 3. 1960). p. 32. 



^ Dr. Samuel P. Haj-es, "An International Peace Corps," "The Promise and Problems" 

 (Washington, D.C., the Public Affairs Institute. 1961), p. 23. 



