Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson, Ambassador of Burma James Barrington, M. A. Raschid, and H. B. Day

UNCLASSIFIEL 5/5 111° DEPARTMENT OF STATE 298 Memorandum of Conversation DATE: September 30, 1952. SUBJECT: Courtesy Call On Secretary of State PARTICIPANTS: The Secretary His Excellency Janes Barrington, Ambassador of Burma Mr. M. A. Raschid, Minister of Labor and Housing, Government of Burma H. B. Day, Acting Deputy Director - PSA COPIES TO: S/S ARCHIVES **NATIONAL SERVICE" RECORDS AND FE : PSA Amembassy Rangoon u. s. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 16-61120-1 Ambassador Barrington called on the Secretary to introduce Mr. Raschid on September 30 at 3 p.m. The Secretary welcomed Mr. Raschid and expressed hope for the success of his mission and his wish that the Department be of every assistance. Mr. Raschid said that he had met a number of American officials who are now in Washing- ton. He had met some at ILO conferences. He mentioned in particular Mr. Philip Kaiser, Assistant Secretary of Labor. The Secretary said that Mr. Kaiser had spoken to him of Mr. Raschid. The Secretary said that he was happy that the situation in Burma offered such an optimistic outlook for the future. Mr. Raschid said that conditions in Burma were much better and that it was now possible to plan improvements in large sections of the country. He said that Rangoon was the only big city in Burma. Through- out the rest of the country were small villages. It is important that the Government help the people in the villages and unless this is done most of the people will not appreciate what the Government is doing. The Government plans to improve housing in the villages and to erect model centers for health, training in agriculture and like projects. Opportunities for constructive work and assurances of security are necessary to relieve unemployment and get rid of the vicious circle of unemployment creating insurgency and insurgency creating unemployment. Ambassador Barrington UNCLASSIFIED