IV. United States Agency Participation

Technical Cooperation

The statements which follow are substantially as prepared by the United States Departments of Labor, Interior, and Health, Education, and Welfare, respectively, and deal with their relationships to the above objectives of the United States aid program in Iran. They are given in considerable detail because of the relative importance of technical cooperation in the Iranian economy.

Labor Program

Under the Technical Cooperation Administration, Department of State, beginning approximately May 1950, the Department of Labor had a major role in the labor program in Iran, including program development, recruitment and hiring of personnel, technical support and training of Iranian nationals in the United States. Beginning with the assignment of a specialist in industrial training, approximately May 1950, the basis of a acceptable labor program in terms of Iranian needs was initiated. Since the Foreign Operations Administration came into being, August 1953, the Department of Labor continued functions described above, during the transition, but working through the Foreign Operations Administration. The labor program in Iran now includes (1) labor training, and (2) labor services.

Labor training has the objective of extending technical assistance to the Government of Iran, Iranian industry, salaried employees and workers for the purpose of instituting and improving job and supervisory training techniques which will improve the skill and understanding of workers, apprentices, and supervisors. The training should increase the earning power, improve the employability, increase the productivity of the worker, benefiting both the country and workers economically. Subprojects are: (1) Supervisory training, (2) apprenticeship training, (3) trade skill improvement, (4) worker education and literacy instruction, and (5) workers' training center.

Labor services has the objective of extending technical assistance to the Government of Iran, Iranian industry and labor in the general fields of labor law enforcement and labor-management relations. The Ministry of Labor will receive assistance in organization for labor law enforcement; development of manpower analysis, services, and controls; the promotion of voluntary compliance with essential labor laws based upon the education of management in modern industrial

relations concepts and the development of an appreciation of the value of an enlightened as well as skilled labor force in a free nation. Subprojects under labor services are: (1) Labor standards, (2) labormanagement relations, and (3) employment security.

The staff, recruited and employed originally by the Department of Labor, presently in Iran consists of chief, Labor Development Division; specialist, employment services; specialist, labor standards; specialist, labor training (on medical leave in the United States); and industrial training specialists in the fields of textile master mechanic, carpenter-millman, industrial master mechanic, electrician, plumber, auto mechanic, and molder-foundryman. During November 1954, incumbents of the first three positions indicated above were transferred to the rolls of the Foreign Operations Administration.

During fiscal years 1952 through 1954, approximately 21 Iranian nationals were programed in various industrial training and technical labor subjects in the United States by the Department of Labor.

The role of the Department of Labor in the Iranian labor program is now limited to technical backstopping of technicians in the labor fields.

Criticisms-Labor Program

1. Department of Labor Role in the Labor Aspects of Programs

Except for one recent meeting, the Department of Labor has not been invited by FOA to participate in the development and review of overall labor programs for particular areas.

2. Recruiting of Consultants

The Department of Labor has not received primary responsibility for recruitment of labor specialists for foreign assignments. The Department is used as simply one source of recruitment, even in fields within its special competence, since the Department does not possess authority to make job offers or offer assurance to a qualified candidate that he can reasonably count upon being accepted. The effectiveness of the Department's recruiting activities are reported to be badly hamstrung particularly in the technical labor fields.

3. Communications Between the Department of Labor and Labor Technicians Overseas

Labor technicians on FOA rolls in overseas positions may not communicate directly with the Department of Labor on anv program

question. This situation constitutes a hindrance to the free and constant flow of information between the technician and the Department necessitated by effective backstopping.

4. Detailed Review of Training Programs by FOA

Although the responsibility of FOA for evaluation of training programs carried out by the Department of Labor is clearly recognized, it would seem that such function could be carried out satisfactorily with less consultation, reporting and documentation than is currently required. In general, a greater degree of reliance might well be placed upon the Department of Labor for efficient performance.

While the above comments on FOA relationships were suggested by the Department of Labor, they apply rather broadly to FOA's relations with all United States departments and agencies.

Interior Department

In the FOA-sponsored water resources development program in Iran, the Bureau of Reclamation presently furnishes well-qualified engineering specialists to lend technical assistance and advice in the broad field of river basin development planning, including both surface water development and the exploration, development, and utilization of ground water.

Of immediate importance is the assistance being provided to help Iran in getting started with design and construction of the Karaj River project. The dam, powerhouse, and irrigation facilities will provide storage of water and make possible its economical use for domestic water, irrigation, and power. The five technicians from the Bureau of Reclamation, now on assignment to Iran, have diverted much of their recent activity to helping the Karaj River project. The remainder of their time is devoted to water resources development problems throughout the country, wherever they can be of greatest assistance to the technicians of the Iranian Government.

In support of the foregoing, the Bureau of Reclamation provides the services, when required, of the Denver laboratories and engineering staff for analysis of materials or engineering problems requiring equipment or technical resources not available in Iran.

Geological Survey currently has three engineers in Iran, and Fish and Wildlife Service one, all under FOA-sponsored programs.

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Health, Education, and Welfare Department

The Office of Education

This Office will arrange training programs for 30 educators during the current fiscal year. Twenty-nine educational specialists on duty in Iran were recruited by the Office of Education.

Social Security Administration

Assistance from the Social Security Administration has been requested through the Foreign Operations Administration in connection with Iran's community development program.

The Community Development Division of USOM/Iran is concerned with two major factors: The crown lands program and the village council program.

A request has been received for Chief, Community Organization Branch of Community Development Division, Iran. The focus is on community development coordinated with Iranian Government programs in land tenure and improvement of social and economic conditions in rural Iran.

The Community Organization Branch is divided into four sections: the Distributed Lands Section, presently concerned with administration of the crown lands program; the Women's Activities Section, devoted to fostering increased participation of women in rural community affairs; the Reports and Evaluation Section, responsible for internal reporting and all research and survey work connected with Division activities; and the Village Council Section, the primary staff unit for coordination of Division activities in, and supervision of, field operations in the village council program.

The chief of the Community Organization Branch has direct supervision over personnel and activities of each of these four sections and responsibility for these to the chief of the Division.

Cooperation with Iran has included providing technical services to training participants brought here by the Foreign Operations Administration. An Iranian here at this time has requested training in social welfare activities as carried on through a province and a municipality. Participants have also had programs in maternal and child health, emergency relief programs in disaster areas, and other social services. During 1954, the Foreign Operations Administration has sent three trainees in social welfare so far this year, and the International Educational Exchange Service has sent another Iranian social worker for training.

Public Health Service

1. Projects.

Health activities of the United States operations mission in Iran are carried out by a joint Iranian-United States Public Health Cooperative established in the Ministry of Health. The program of this central cooperative is implemented through the public health cooperatives which have been set up in the Ministry of Health of each Ostan. Projects in operation include:

Malaria control.-Malaria-control control spraying operations are being conducted in five regions of Iran, and surveys to determine the extent of the malaria problem elsewhere are being made in a number of villages.

Environmental sanitation.-Engineering activities at various locations throughout the country include construction of water distribution systems and reservoirs, shallow and deep wells, sewerage systems, and community bathhouses. Bonds are being sold to finance the construction of many of these projects.

Nursing education and public health nursing.-The American nurses are participating in the planning and conduct of midwife training courses; the preparation of training materials; and in communicable disease and epidemic control programs by providing immunizations for such diseases as diphtheria and typhoid.

Public health education.-Health education activities in various regions in the country include health and sanitation training for village women; health training for army personnel and elementary school teachers; and health lectures, films, and other visual aids for children in the schools.

Health centers.-Health centers have been established in a number of locations supplemented by mobile health units to provide inoculations, laboratory tests, health education training to local villagers, and outpatient treatment.

Laboratory. In May 1954 the central cooperative established a laboratory which, in addition to performing usual laboratory procedures, will serve as a training center for laboratory technicians for service in the health centers.

Vital statistics.-The vital statistician on the staff of the United States operations mission serves as an adviser to the Iranian Government in developing systems for the collection and compilation of vital statistics.