David Rockefeller '36, told an Eliot House audience last night that the Arab nations will soon be the "main economic centers" of the world, and the United States will be their major ally rather than Russia.

In a speech on how the Arab nations will use their new power, Rockefeller, chairman of the board of Chase Manhattan Bank, said that the Arabs have finally realized that only the United States can bring peace in the Mideast, since the Soviet Union does not recognize Isreal and cannot negotiate with it.

Rockefeller said six Arab nations have invited Chase Manhattan to open branches in them.

The six countries are Sudan, Jordan, Oman, Cyprus, Iran and Egypt, he said.

The location of the six Chase Manhattan branches has been a matter of considerable speculation in financial circles for several months.

Representatives of the New American Movement (NAM) protested Rockefeller's speech, dressed in [papier mache costumes of Rockefeller, Nixon and kissinger. The group, led by peter S. Hogness '76, presented Rockefeller with the first annual Capitalist of the Year award, for being the "biggest and most odious capitalist around."

The award included a gold painted brick, a gold cockroach to "enhance Mr. Rockefeller's personal beetle collection and to remind him of the people who are forced to collect coackroaches," and a pile of fake money. NAM also issued an invitation for Nelson A. Rockefeller, former governor of New York, to speak before it about his grandfather's alleged cruelty to factory strikers.

Rockefeller said the NAM award was "not the kind I usually accept, "but added that "these people certainly look a lot better than SDS did six years ago."

After his speech on the Middle East, Rockefeller answered questions on the role of big business and government. He said that the ability of business to mold foreign policy is very limited and has to follow closely State department policy.

Rockefeller declined to comment on questions about Nixon's impeachment or his personal income tax, but claimed he has paid more taxes than required by law, for "good form."