Evening star. [volume], December 09, 1960, Page A-18, Image 18

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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A-18
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1960
Mr. Stevenson Hesitates
As a result of Adlal Stevenson’s
unwillingness to answer yes or no
when offered the ambassadorship to the
United Nations, a first small cloud has
formed on the horizon of Senator Ken
nedy’s New Frontier. It may be no
bigger than a man’s hand and, if Mr.
Stevenson finally accepts, it will drift
away. Still, it could be a troublesome
thing, and if the President-elect is an
noyed, as the news reports suggest,
.ttiat is readily understandable.
• Mr. Stevenson was evasive when
'asked why he was unwilling to give his
now. He spoke vaguely of want
ing to find out whether certain people
uWould be willing to serve with him as a
means of strengthening this country’s'
U. N. delegation. And, perhaps more to
the point, when queried as to whether
his reluctance resulted from the fact
that a Secretary of State has not been
named, he replied: “It would be fair
to speculate that some unknown factors
require further exploration.”
From this, the inference is that Mr.
Stevenson, if he does not already know,
wants to find out who will be Secretary
of State and whether he might find
himself in disagreement on policy with
him. Perhaps this is not unreasonable
from Mr. Stevenson’s point of view.
But, there are obvious reasons why it
could be embarrassing to Mr. Kennedy.
For one thing, it implies a certain lack
of confidence in the soundness of the
President-elect’s judgment as to a Sec
retary of State. And if Mr. Stevenson
should finally reject the offer, it would
be taken as meaning that he does not
approve of, or is in policy disagreement
with, the new chief of the State Depart
ment. All of this, considering Mr. Ste
venson’s following both in this country
and around the world, could be an em
barrassment to the new administration.
The surprising thing is that the uncer
tainties were not resolved before the
offer was announced.
We hope, however, that Mr. Steven
son, who says he wants to be “helpful,”
will finally accept the appointment. Mr.
Kennedy took pains to stress the im
portance of the assignment and to
praise Mr. Stevenson’s qualifications.
There is no doubt that he would be a
first-rate representative of his country
in a vital and increasingly difficult post.
Only the most compelling reasdns could
justify a refusal to serve.
He Betrayed a Trust
In a city like New York, where
nearly everything is big—including, at
times, betrayals of official trust—the
“conflict of Interest” charges on which
Manhattan Borough President Hulan
Jack was convicted may seem relatively
minor. However, the principle is the
same, whatever the degree of the of
fense. The principle, that of maintain
ing the integrity of public office in the
face of improper pressures or beguile
ments of all kinds, has been strongly
upheld by a jury which found Mr. Jack
guilty of official wrongdoing.
This was Mr. Jack’s second trial on
charges involving his acceptance of a
$4,400 favor by a lawyer who was seeking
business from a board *of which the
borough head was a member. The favor
was the payment of a bill for redecorat
ing the Jack apartment in Harlem.
While the jury, in acquitting Mr. Jack of
a charge of receiving the $4,400 as a
“gratuity,” apparently accepted the de
fense claim that the money was a loan,
it found him guilty not only of violating
a city ban on conflict-of-interest deal
ings but of conspiring to obstruct jus
tice by lying to the district attorney
about the remodeling job. Under the
law, Mr. Jack automatically loses his
borough post.
In view of the political and other
pressures exerted to prevent prosecution
of Mr. Jack, who held the highest mu
nicipal office ever accorded a Negro, the
district attorney’s office and the jurors
merit commendation for refusing to be
swerved from their duty as defenders of
the law and of good government.
Holding Dollars Here
Relatively small though it may be,
the net effect of the State Department
order restricting the expenditure of our
foreign aid funds abroad promises some
relief to our unfavorable balance of pay
ments problem. And since it is recog
nized that no single move will meet this
need entirely, prompt initiation of a
series of actions is desirable.
• In this case, one of the seven meas
ures recently directed by President
Elsenhower, the International Co-opera
tion Administration is ordered to dis
continue approving purchases (with
American funds) by aid-receiving coun
tries from 19 other foreign sources.
Instead, aid recipients will be compelled
to make their purchases in the United
States or, in some cases, from other
under-developed countries. The 19
sources banned as suppliers are 18
economically prosperous nations and the
British Crown Colony of Hong Kong—
all of which have healthy dollar bal
ances and, potentially at least,' are in
position to demand American gold in
exchange.
In practice, many countries re
ceiving aid have chosen because of better
price terms to buy manufactured prod
ucts outside of the United States.
Although about $4OO million of yearly
aid funds are Involved, our Government
estimates that the new restriction will
have the net effect of keeping about
half of this total at home. At the same
time, “buying American” may cost as
much as $lOO million additional for the
same volume of goods—a margin which
may have to be made up by increased
foreign aid appropriations.
Although this and other steps may
not be uniformly popular abroad, the
nature of the problem and our Govern
ment’s conviction that something must
be done about it are adequately under
stood. Compliance should not be
grudging.
Udall to Interior
Representative Stewart L. Udall,
throughout the national guessing game
now in progress, has been viewed gen
erally as a young man almost certain to
make the grade.
The formality of his selection as the
new Secretary of Interior, therefore,
comes as no surprise, and the reasons
he was tapped seem clear. Politically,
Mr. Udall is closely attuned to the re
frains of the New- Frontier. His suc
cessful preconvention efforts to put the
Arizona delegation in the Kennedy camp
earned for him the early regard of the
Presitlent-elect. The fact that he is a
Westerner should please that part of the
country most affected by the multifari
ous activities of the Interior Department.
During his brief (three-term) serv
ice in the House, Mr. Udall made quite a
name for himself as a hard-driving,
front-rank leader of the young liberal
bloc. As a member of the Education and
Labor Committee, where he chiefly came
to public attention, he locked horns
constEintly with conservative leaders
pver Federal aid to education, and sup
ported an increased Federal role in
public affairs generally. He drew con
siderable notice as one of the “Fearless
Five” the hard-core liberal group
which fought last year for a labor bill
less stringent than Landrum-Griffin, but
less “soft” than the measure favored by
organized labor. His voting record as a
whole was given top ratings by national
labor, and by the liberal political and
farm groups. On the other hand, he was
not entirely unacceptable to the more
conservative Farm Bureau Federation,
and he consistently supported Eisen
hower foreign affairs legislation. To
House Republicans, Mr. Udall was an in
tense, uncompromising partisan, who
nevertheless won respect for his intelli
gence and integrity.
There is little in all this to help
evaluate Mr. Udall as a Secretary of
Interior. His past expressions of interest
in conservation, Indian affairs and
water-desalinlzation, however, at least
are solid blocks on which to build. While
his major concern will be with national
programs, we hope Mr. Udall will not
overlook the role which his department
—and especially the National Park
Service—plays in the development of
Washington. The present Secretary,
Fred A. Seaton, followed these matters
closely, and stepped in on several oc
casions to help resolve controversies.
We hope the new Secretary will do
the same.
Traffic Jam in Space?
'As though to emphasize the pros
pect, the Air Force sent another
Discoverer satellite into orbit while
members of the American Rocket So
ciety were discussing the possibility of a
future “traffic jam” problem in space.
Satellite launchings are becoming al
most routine—in this country, at
least. Counting Discoverer XVIII, Just
launched, there now are 16 American
and twd Soviet satellites orbiting the
earth and two American and one Soviet
satellites circling the sun. Thirteen
other American and five Russian satel
lites have ceased to orbit. Although all
of these satellites have whirled around
the earth in many directions, there have
been no collisions as yet.
However, the American Rocket So
ciety heard a serious discussion of spa
tial traffic hazards by Paul G. Dembling,
assistant general counsel of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration.
With estimates of 50,000 spacecraft to be
launched by 1975, Mr. Dembling sug
gested a traffic-control system, par
ticipated in by all nations interested in
space exploration. He proposed an in
ternational agreement under which
launchings would be scheduled so as to
avoid conflict, satellite flight plans
would be announced in advance, space
vehicles would be marked for ready
identification and a central bureau—
perhaps under the United Nations—
would keep records on orbits and
performance of satellites.
There is a lot of space out there, of
course, and the possibility of a collision
may be infinitesimal in the foreseeable
future. But it would seem to be good
sense to set up some world clearing
house of information on space flights
in process or planned, with orbit infor
mation of value to rocketeers and astro
nauts generally. And there actually
may come a time when spatial traffic
control will be something more than a
fantasy.
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"I Guess It's Better Thon Nothing ... Or Is It?'
LETTERS TO THE STAR
'Problem for Solomon'
Your editorial “Problem for
Solomon,” concerning the
Catholic Bishops' castigation
of the Hollywood moving pic
ture fraternity’s standards,
merits comment. You edito
rially suggest: “An honest
assessment of whether mov
ies do project an excess of
sex, violence and licentious
ness for box-office purposes.
Also, it might well examine
its advertising, much of
which is distasteful, some
both distasteful and dishon
est.”
To your credit, your pages
advertising movies are com
fortingly mute in promoting
movies which portray, by
word and picture, the lurid
scum offensive to decent
people: but you must admit
that the tinkle of the cash
register of too many other
newspapers, which solicit and
project the advertisements of
such stuff, penetrates to the
editorial and managerial
desks.
One needs no wisdom of a
Solomon to evaluate the
"Inevitable differences be
tween moral and box-offlce
aesthetic approaches to
movies."
It may be a painful expe
dient to resort to a "boycott”
but that seems to be the only
measure left to convince the
Hollywood factories that
their current and constantly
increasing product of smut is
not wanted and is emphat
ically resented.
Grey Leslie.
Inaugural Bible
I, for one, do not approve
of Senator Kennedy being
sworn to the office of Presi
dent on the “big family
Bible” of the Kennedy family.
Being President of the
United States of America is
not a family affair. The
Washington Bible is a great
historic and traditional book
on which the men who have
guarded the destiny of this
country have pledged to up
hold its Constitution and its
laws. It is a Bible that be
longs to this country and to
the people of this country
and it is the one and only
Bible on which any President
Court Official Studies Case of Alcoholics
In the year 1804, Dr. Trot
ter said that alcoholism was a
disease. He was scoffed at.
Doctors now say that alco
holism is a disease. I don't
know whether they all really
mean it or not. It is not a
moral problem, it is a physi
cal illness, a mental illness
and a spiritual illness. The
craving for a drink is a part
of the disease—it is some
thing that cannot be over
come by exerting willpower.
There are today in the
United States about 8 million
alcoholics. They are alcohol
ics because they consumed
too much liquor too long.
And finally they reached the
line of demarcation when
they could no longer handle
their liquor but their liquor
handled them. And the cause
of that is simply this—the
components of their physical
bodies changed as a result of
their excessive use of alco
hol. They became mentally
obsessed with the craving for
alcohol; their physical bodies
craved alcohol; for many
reasons about which I could
spend a long time talking.
The gravity of alcoholism
in these United States is tre
mendous. The United States
ranks second to France only
in the number of alcoholics
per 100,000 approximately
485. Forty per cent of all au
tomobile accidents are au
thentically reported to be
caused by the excessive use of
alcohol. Thirty-seven per cent
of all violent deaths are re
ported to be caused by alco
hol. Thirty-two per cent of
all suicides are attributed to
excessive use of alcohol. This
is. of course, a frightening
pieture and the number still
grows. Why? Because every
single person who drinks al
cohol to any extent is a po
tential alcoholic. That, too.
may be frightening, but it
need not be. Many people
drink alcohol in moderation
for their entire adult lives
and never become alcoholics.
Experience is an unanswer
able argument against doubt.
Pen names may be used if
letters carry writers' correct
names and addresses. All let
ters are subject to condensa
tion. Those not used will be
returned only when accom
panied by self - addressed,
stamped envelopes.
of the United States should
take an oath.
Marion E. Sittier.
Dating a Picture
The date of the interesting
old photograph of Pennsyl
vania Avenue, which ap
peared December 4 in The
Sunday Star Magazine, is
earlier than 1865, as stated.
Proof of this is furnished by
the unfinished appearance of
the Capitol. Work on the
Capitol dome was completed
in the fall of 1863 when the
Statue of Freedom was
hoisted into place. (See Stan
ley Kimmel, “Mr. Lincoln's
Washington”.) Yet at the
time The Star’s photograph
was taken no dome was visi
ble. only the circle of columns
at its base.
David Sandus Clark.
*• 4 4
You show a photograph of
the unfinished dome of the
Capitol and date the pic
ture in 1865.
This must be in error; the
dome was completed over a
year before the end of the
war.
In my great grandfather's
history of 'his regiment (the 1
14th New Hampshire Volun
teers) he says:
“On Wednesday, December
2 (1863), the members of the
Fourteenth witnessed the
finishing touches to the ex
terior of the grand dome of
the Capitol. The work of
years was complete, and the
familiar but unsightly stag
ings and hoistings-rigging
soon came down.”
Francis Buffum, “History of
the 14th New Hampshire In
fantry,” (Boston, 1882).
Terry Gail Lord.
44 4 4
I believe that the picture
was taken in 1858.1 make my
estimation from a photo
graph by Matthew Brady of
the Capitol which shows it
in a similar state of comple
tion. That photo is dated
about 1858.
James Toledano.
Living evidence is the strong
est evidence in existence.
Those in A. A. have had the
personal experience, the per
sonal encounter with alcohol,
the personal disappointments
as a result of alcohol, the
heartaches and all of the
misery that goes with a prac
ticing alcoholic's life.
The Alcoholics Anonymous
program is looked upon by
some of our scientific experts
as being an over-simplified
program, and it is sometimes
called a “pet" project of in
dividuals who are trying V>
make a name for themselvei.
That is. in fact, an erroneous
conception of A. A. To the
scientific approach, there is
no opposition. However, as a
result of proven history, that
approach has not produced
the results. Alcoholics Anon
ymous has produced more
living evidence that the A. A.
program is the answer than
all the combined efforts of
other well-meaning people.
The A. A. program is de
signed to enable men to
become whole physically,
mentally, and spiritually. It
is a very simple program:
it has to be that way be
cause we are dealing with
very complicated people.
Therefore, the alcoholic can
not accept or understand a
complicated program. The
program is not easy, but
simple. Just as Our Master
said to the people who were
lost in the wilderness. "Follow
Mb.” He did not see fit to
tell them to go this way or
that way. He simply said,
"Follow Me."
Now, in the A. A. plan to
rehabilitate people, there is
no element of “go” in it,
simply, “Come, follow people
who have found the answer
and learned to live, and they
will share it with you. and
show you how it can be done.”
They do not claim to be smart
enough to tell people what to
do or how to do It.
Public drunkenness is, of
course, an obnoxious thing.
'Midnight Saving'
A staff mdtnber such as
your George Kennedy will
recall from World War I days
a soldier song promising
murder for (a) the bugler
who blows "reveille." and (b)
the “other pup—the guy who
wakes the bugler up.” Similar
sentiments seethe in the*
peacetime bosoms of those
of us who prefer to get up
these mornings in our own
good time, preferably after
sunrise.
These sentiments have ac
tuated me to do something
about it, hence this letter
proposing a remedy. I pro
pose that Congress, or other
assemblages of wise men, en
act a “midnight saving"
measure covering November
to March during which our
timepieces would be set back
one hour instead of set for
ward as in so-called "day
light saving." This adjust
ment to our routine would
not only permit me to find
my shoes and socks without
turning on the artificial day
light but it would launch the
busy hours for all daylight
workers upon a happy, rather
than a sour note, would save
countless cups of coffee for
sleepy-heads, and would al
low the gin shops and night
clubs much more time for
whatever it is they do in such
places.
On the practical side, one
benefit would be saving in
automobile storage batteries.
Under the present labor
slave schedules the labor
slaves have to use their head
lights both morning and eve
ning; my proposal for an en
lightened schedule would
spare said headlights and the
resultant battery drain of the
morning trip, thereby accum
ulating a reserve for spin
ning the starting motor on
those cold mornings.
A second practical benefit
might be felt in a reduction
of the early morning crime
wave. Citizens who at pres
ent are walking to work in
the dark would be able to run
the gauntlet with enough day
light available so that they
might identify their attack
ers; perhaps the attackers
would be fooled into waiting
for the sunrise, also.
Richard L. Feldman.
However, it is only a mani
festation of a deep, under
lying group of problems. The
alcoholic should never be .be
littled or embarrassed for his
inability to control his drink
ing, because it is beyond his
control. Scolding is of no
avail. Bringing outside pres
sure to biar on the individual
is a v'jry definite mistake.
Attempting to keep liquor
from an alcoholic is entirely
>meless. Telling an alcoholic
he is committing a sin by
getting drunk only goes to
cultivate the already pro
nounced feeling of inferiority
and sinfulness. Alcoholism is
not a sin, no more of a sin
than diabetes, cancer, TB, or
any other well-known insidi
ous disease that affects all
classes of people.
Organized religion has
failed miserably in helping
the alcoholic. A non-alcoholic
minister who is confronted
with the sick alcoholic will
usually tell you that he is
helpless to know what to do.
Not too many years ago I
had my minister talk to a
group of alcoholics in our
meetings about Alcoholics
Anonymous in the Municipal
Court. He told me that he left
there with his spirits lifted
and the following Sunday he
told the congregation that
they in A. A. were actually
doing what the churches were
talking about doing.
In addition, let me say that
there are many and varied
reasons which lead individ
uals to become alcoholics. But
even though every reason
could be enumerated, they
would have very little value
—the only thing that has
any intrinsic value is if a
person’s life has become un
manageable as the result of
alcohol, he wants to do some
thing constructive about it. If
not, there is no power under
heaven that can help him.
R. J. Conner,
Director of Probation,
Municipal Court for the
District of Columbia
WATCHING THE WORLD
By CROSBY S. NOYES
Foreign CorretpondeM of The Star
French Unperturbed Over 'Revolt'
PARIS.
Fifty million Frenchmen
could be wrong, but for a
country which may be trem
bling on the brink of revolu
tion France today is singu
larly unperturbed. While the
autumn air is filled with
talk of plots and counter
plots against the regime of
Oen. Charles de Gaulle, the
average Frenchman seems
rather more concerned with
getting on with his Christ
mas shopping and laying in
provisions against nothing
more ominous than the holi
day season.
Gen. de Gaulle arrived today
in Algeria. For weeks there
has been speculation that his
arrival would be the signal for
another armed revolt of the
European community there
against his program' for set
tlement of the Algerian war.
The excitement has been in
creased by a call for a general
strike in Algiers and the
flight to Spain of Pierre La
gaillarde who led the abor
tive settlers’ rebellion last
January. The fact that Mr.
Lagaillarde and four of his
fellow conspirators skipped
out of a trial that seemed to
be going well for them—and
thereby gravely compromised
themselves in the eyes of even
their staunch supporters—has
encouraged the belief that
decisive events are afoot.
The cryptic comments of
Mr. Lagaillarde’s own lawyer
about his flight have done
nothing to quiet the specu
lation. Defense attorney
Jean-Louis Tixier - Vignan
court announced dramatically
on his return from a
visit to M. Lagaillarde in
Madrid that his client “did
not leave France on his own
initiative.” The whole thing,
he said, would be clear "in
a few days.”
In any event, one is told
confidently, a revolt at this
point would have to conform
to a strict timetable. No one,
it seems, would dream of
starting a serious revolution
in France between Christmas
and New Year’s Day. After
January 8, when Gen. de
Gaulle has scheduled his
referendum on Algeria, it
would be too late. The criti
cal time, therefore, is either
during Gen. de Gaulle’s cur
rent trip or the first week in
January.
Too Much Melodrama
On the other hand, there
is almost too much melo
drama in the present situa
tion—and too much talk as
well—to be entirely convinc
ing to the public at Ifftge.
The mechanics of an Al
gerian uprising are by now,
after all, part of French
folklore. Dozens of books
have been written on the
"affairs” of May 13, 1958,
and January 24, 1960. Names
and numbers of all princi
pals, military and civilian,
are known to everyone.
In these circumstances it
is hard to see how an or
ganized conspiracy involv
ing co-ordinated action by
all of the various anti-gov
ernment groups could be set
in motion without the
'lndependent Man'
Your December 5 editorial,
"Independent Man,” is, in
deed, a delightful break from
the constant attacks upon
American principles by "lib
erals," featured in so many
news stories. The Star is to
be commended.
Senator Harry F. Byrd, of
Virginia, enjoys a position of
respect, even I might say,
from his enemies—the foes
of individual rights and
liberties who veil themselves
behind a label of so-called
“liberalism."
Virginia's Senator, as he
says, is a Jeffersonian Demo
crat. He believes in the rights
of man. that they should be
protected by strong local and
State governments; and that
the Federal Government
should intervene only in situ
ations that the State and
local governments cannot
handle. Senator Byrd be
lieves that “That government
which governs least, governs
best.”
The paternalistic approach
to government, advocated
by such people as Senator
Clark, of Pennsylvania, is a
far cry from the principles
of Senator Byrd, the people
of Virginia, and of Jefferson
himself. It is high time that
Democrats and the American
» people realize that the Demo
crat Party of today, as it is
represented by the so-called
“Liberals,” has completely
reversed itself. The modern
liberals like the Senator
Clarks and those who sup
port his views, are actually
leading us down the road to
socialism. They constantly
advocate more Government
controls, and more Govern
ment intervention.
Senator Byrd was right in
standing up for his principles
in not supporting the Demo
crat platform. The Senator
has been a public servant
some 50 years—town council
man, State legislator, Gover
nor, and United States Sena
tor. He is dedicated to his
principles. These are the
principles of a majority of
the people of Virginia. This
is indicated by his being re
turned to the United States
Senate for six terms—thirty
six years.
Senator Clark stated in a
recent attack on Senator
Byrd that he should be
denied his chairmanship of
the powerful Senate Finance
Committee because the Vir
ginia Senator did not come
out for the Kennedy-Johnson
ticket and their platform. In
knqwledge of the authorities.
Certainly if such a conspir
acy exists it is one of the
least clandestine operations
ever mounted.
This does not mean, of
course, that there isn’t
abundant fuel in Algeria for
a serious explosion. Given
the embittered and des
perate mood of a large part
of the Europeans there, any
call to action would mean
trouble. The heavy police
reinforcements that have
been pouring into the ter
ritory in recent weeks are
evidence enough that the
danger of widespread rioting
is not being taken lightly in
Paris. And the danger of
an assassination attempt
against Gen. de Gaulle is
real.
Lack of Leadership
At the same time, how
ever, there also has been an
impression in Algiers of con
fusion, disorganization and
lack of leadership among
these unhappy would-be in
surrectionists. There is a
bitter recollection of how
last January’s revolt fizzled
in the face of Gen. de
Gaulle’s refusal to be in
timidated. And a common
awareness that if it is to
succeed the next blow must
be better prepared and led.
It is unlikely that either
Mr. Lagaillarde or his fel
low fugitive, Joseph Ortiz,
could supply this leadership.
Both are popular enough with
the mob in Algiers. But
neither rates very high with
the French army whose sup
port for anything more than
a brief and local disturbance
would be essential. Mr. La
gaillarde has further dam
aged himself by his decision
to run out on his trial. The
reaction of his fellow depu
ties is indicated by the vote
of 424 to 21 in the National
Assembly Wednesday lifting
his parliamentary immunity
from arrest.
There are, to be sure, a
number of other figures,
tagged at least in the pub
lic imagination as potential
leaders of the revolutionary
movement, who are conven
iently out of the country at the
moment. Jacques Soustelle,
Gen. de Gaulle’s bitter polit
ical antagonist, is in New
York attending the United
Nations debate on Algeria as
a "journalist." Gen. Raoul
salan, former commander-in
chief in Algeria, is "vacation
ing” in Spain since his recent
attack on the government's
policies. Marshal Alphonse
Juin, France’s highest rank
ing military officer and strong
partisan of French Algeria,
is in Germany.
If any of these gentlemen
were to throw their weight
behind an insurrection in Al
geria the outlook would be
grim*, indeed. But there is no
evidence so far that any of
them are planning an immi
nent move. And in contrast
to the mood in Algeria, there
is a tendency here to treat
the current crisis more as a
piece of mystery fiction than
a real threat against the
safety of the Republic.
Senator Byrd's mind the
platform the Democrat can
didates ran on was too so
cialistic, and, therefore, ■
something he did not, in his
heart, believe in. Jf he was
honest in his convictions,
and to the principles in
which he believes so strongly,
he could not support the
Democrat platform in its
entirety. ,
Senator Byrd is an honest,
dedicated man. There should
be more like him in the
United States Senate and
less people who bow to pres
sures to get elected to public
office, even to the Presidency
of the United States.
Donald Baldwin
44 4 4
Senator Harry Byrd's letter
to Senator Joseph Clark in
which he explains his political
philosophy is interesting. Sen
ator Byrd, like Vice President
Nixon and other Republi
cans, proclaims himself a
‘disciple of Jeffersonian De
mocracy and States’ Rights.
Jefferson's principles of
government applied when the
13 States were largely agri
cultural communities best
served by strong, local gov
ernment. Long since then,
with the Industrial Revolu
tion in the 19th Centum and
with technocracy in the 20th
Century, this Nation has be
come a giant industrial com
plex with the need of Fed
eral supervision and aid. The
population growth alone has
rendered the poorer States
unable to provide adequate
services for their citizens.
New situations and problems
have made the advocacy of
strong, local government ob
solescent. (The portion of
Jeffersons philosophy that
lives is his supreme dedica
tion to human and civil
rights. Some Southerners and
Republicans are strongly si
lent in this vital area.)
Is it not Senator Byrd who
is radical when he still ap
plies 18th Century political
principles to the 20th Cen
tury complex? Wouldn’t it be
commendable and honest of
Senator Byrd to relinquish
his label of Democrat and
join the Goldwater school of
thought that so nearly
matches his?
The Democratic Party of
today has experienced an
evolution necessary to meet
the demands and challenges
of the jet-nuclear environ
ment. Senator Byrd has not
changed with the times.
Kathryn T. Eager.