‘India Fights History, Poverty’

Szulc concludes that better quality of life will be achieved through the grass-roots efforts of rural Indians themselves. I share this view and would like to see more of our own development aid directed toward helping the poor to help themselves. UNICEF’s work provides an inspiring example. When parents are mobilized to help their own children, as in UNICEF’s worldwide immunization campaigns, they witness the link between immunization and the health of their children, between truly generous outside help and the improvements they can make in their own lives.

This approach to aid is at the heart of the Global Poverty Reduction Act presently before Congress. The act sets out three crucial goals for our development aid, which are to be achieved by the year 2000; specific goals to decrease child mortality, to increase female literacy and to decrease absolute poverty.

The act also calls on the next President to consult with aid recipients to determine additional goals for our development aid.

The bill is sponsored by nearly all Southern California Republican and Democratic representatives, by Sen. Alan Cranston (D-Calif.), and endorsed by Michael Dukakis. Critically needed is the support of Sen. Pete Wilson (R-Calif.) and George Bush to create the momentum to pass this important bill now.

DALE FURMAN

Pasadena