TRACTORS FOR CUBANS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP64B00346R000200140068-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 22, 2004
• Sequence Number: 68
• Publication Date: June 5, 1961
• Content Type: OPEN

Approved For Release 2004/03/31 : CIA-RDP64B00346R000200140068-5
8802
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - HOUSE
TRACTORS FOR CUBANS
purchase the smaller tractors and the
originally, requested $15 million for the
larger ones. The smaller sum, however,
does not in any way make it a more
palatable deal for me. It is still outright
blackmail, and there have already been
indications that the North Vietnamese
will be asking a price for any American-
- t ailed guerrillas captured in that area
23-ton track-type caterpillar D-8's which
were designed for everything but farm-
ing operations, and cost $30,000, or more
each,
The last report of the negotiating com-
mittee which I read in the press suggests
that the committee recognizes this and
is now talking about 50 heavy duty
track-type tractors and 450 general pur-
pose tractors. I assume the latter are
the traditional row-crop tractors which
sell in the neighborhood of $4,500 to
$5,000. These are not built by the Cater-
pillar Tractor Co., which Castro speci-
fied, and I predict Castro will refuse the
offer of the committee for he knew pre-
cisely what he was asking for in the first
instance-heavy duty machines to build
up his defense establishment. If Castro
accepts the general purpose tractors, we
are talking about a considerably less sum
of money to finance their purchase, and
I raise the question of what the com-
mittee will do with the difference be-
tween $3 million, which is sufficient to
permission to address the House for l
minute.)
Mr. MICHEL. Mr. Speaker, ever since
last Thursday, when I criticized in a
special order on the floor of this House
the "Tractors for Cubans" exchange, let-
ters and telegrams have been pouring
into my office in support of my position.
My principal point during the course of
those remarks was that the tractors
being asked for were not designed for
agricultural purposes but rather were
Approved For Release 2004/03/31 : CIA-RDP64B00346R000200140068-5
June 5