To the Editor:

Malcolm W. Browne's Oct. 14 news story from East Pakistan was an accurate and well‐balanced account of the situation there in all respects except one. That one is the note of unrelieved pessimism on which it ends.

He concluded by quoting an expression of unrelieved despair. “… the outside world might just as well pull out now and let things here take their inevitable course.” But in fact there is still hope and the outside world could make a mistake with tragic consequences if it were to act as if there were none.

For the past several months I have been studying the economic outlook for East Pakistan under the auspices of the World Bank. There is much room for discouragement: the vast population, the scanty resources, the lack of visible progress in the past, the awful depth of poverty that is still present. But I found that all these disabilities notwithstanding, the resources are present that can raise the standard of living to a humane level by the end of the century and that can make the region productive enough to be self‐supporting fifteen or twenty years after that.

Furthermore, this great achievement would not require a superhuman effort but only rates of economic progress and efficiency below those already attained in some other Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea and the Republic of China. This accomplishment would be one of the greatest feats of nation‐building in history but is entirely practical.

It will not come about, however, without vigorous effort, and three preconditions are essential. (1)—An early end to the civil disruption in East Pakistan. (2)—The emergence of a government that can inspire the confidence and willing cooperation of the people. (3)—Adequate and appropriate support from the outside world.

The second of these conditions is critical: a country cannot progress without a government that can lead. This does not necessarily require complete separation from West Pakistan but it does require sufficient independence so that the people feel they are being governed in response to their own aspirations and interests.

Virtually all the countries of the world are following policies that are consistent with these conditions, but not our own country. The United States is still providing financial support that helps the military Government in Islamabad in its effort to retain East Pakistan in subjection.

At its best the American aid can only prolong the current disruptive conflict; at its worst it may enable the military Government to enforce its domination over East Pakistan and thus maintain the region perpetually in a condition where progress is impossible. In any event the current American policy is a disservice to all the people of Pakistan, East and West. We must stay strictly neutral and hope for a constructive outcome.

These are my own opinions; the World Bank has no responsibility for them.

Robert Dorfman
Professor of Economics
Harvard University
Cambridge, Mass., Nov. 15, 1971