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The Fulbright Known Around The World

--from James Gurley

The Fulbright name is known worldwide, primarily because of the life and work of Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas who passed away only two years ago -- on February 9, 1995. The Senator's fame is based primarily on an action he took at the very beginning of his 30 year career in the Senate. In 1945, he submitted a proposal that would establish scholarships for the exchange of students between the United States and other countries. In 1946 the Fulbright-Hays Act was passed and was signed by President Harry Truman of Missouri. Since that time, over 200,000 people have participated in the program. More than 70,000 of these have been American graduate students and professors who have studied or taught overseas.

Starting with the Philippines, the Fulbright international exchange program expanded until approximately 150 countries were involved. The number participating today is around 30. Originally, the program was funded by the sale of surplus American military goods following World War II. Later, it received regular congressional appropriations. Today, in this period of national austerity, the program survives largely through the contributions of foreign governments who want their students to participate in a program of study in the United States.

The positive effect of the Fulbright Program on the lives of the individuals involved and, more importantly, on the course of post-war history is incalculable. Fulbrighters, as they are commonly called, have included not only teachers and scholars, but political leaders, writers, poets, musicians, painters, journalists, scientists, and business leaders. Joseph Heller, who later wrote the novel, Catch-22, was one of the early recipients, as was Daniel Patrick Moynihan, the senior Senator from New York.

When the Senator became Chairman of the powerful Foreign Relations Committee he made some powerful enemies. Senator Joseph McCarthy liked to call him "Senator Halfbright". This, of course, hardly bothered the Senator from Arkansas who had been a Rhodes Scholar and President of the University of Arkansas long before he was a Senator.

Later, however, President Lyndon Johnson had his run-ins with Senator Fulbright over the conduct of the Vietnam War. The televised hearings of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, with Senator Fulbright presiding, helped turn the country against the Administration's policy. Although Senator Fulbright had seconded Johnson's nomination for president in 1964, Johnson began referring to Fulbright a "Nervous Nelly" and Fulbright retorted that Johnson had been captured by the political forces he had just defeated at the ballot box.

History will sort out the differences of opinion on the proper course of American foreign policy during the Senator's career, but world opinion on the program that bears his name seems to be unanimously positive.

He is remembered by individuals who have fulfilled their personal dreams because of the Fulbright Program, as well as by statesmen who credit his aspirations for world peace. President Clinton, in his own eulogy of the Senator, stressed the personal. "He lived with passion tempered by reason. He loved politics but cautioned against the arrogance of power. He cherished education as the answer to our common problems and our personal dreams. But he knew there would always be more to learn."