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MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
Library Staff.
Record Group/Collection:
George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
Collection/Office of Origin:
Speechwriting, White House Office of
Series:
Snow, Tony, Files
Subseries:
Subject File, 1988-1993
OA/ID Number:
13896
Folder ID Number:
13896-009
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National Review, 10/27/89
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18
29
2
4
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49145
OCTOBER 27, 1989 $1.95
The End of History-or of Liberalism? See p. 33
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MUST WE BECOME JAPANESE?
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Ready to say Uncle?
Frustrated by the failure to hold the line on soaring health care
costs, many business leaders are calling for some type of national
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NATIONAL REVIEW
OCTOBER 27, 1989 VOL. XLI, NO. 20
COVER STORY
BOOKS, ARTS & MANNERS
30 Must We Become Japanese?
45 Outdoorsman Chilton Williamson Jr. is sadly
The Bush Administration thinks SO. But David
disappointed by Bill McKibben's thin-blooded
D. Hale points out that the Japanese formula
environmental alarmism in The End of Nature.
is one part favorable investment climate and
Forrest McDonald praises C. Vann
one part careful tinkering by a competent and
Woodward's The Future of the Past, which
prestigious civil service-which we won't see
again proves him, among other things, an
soon.
historian who's accessible-and fun-for the
amateur.
Out of the Cold, Robert
ARTICLES
McNamara's prescription for world peace, is
quite as arrogant and disingenuous as its
24 On the Scene
author, smiles Lee Edwards.
Ronald
Why, asks William McGurn, do Democrats
Bailey is invigorated by Microcosm, George
think bailing out Polish state industries is
Gilder's history of the computer revolution and
anti-Communist?
Taki Theodoracopulos
analysis of its philosophical and economic
reports from the birthplace of democracy on the
implications.
Attention anarchic aesthetes:
murder of a member of parliament and the
Peter Lubin has a new word for you.
indictment of a prime minister.
Brian
James Gardner bemoans the middlebrow
Crozier doubts German reunification is worth
tendency to politicize everything, exemplified
the price.
Jacob Neusner visits
by the demand that the Elgin Marbles be given
Auschwitz and reflects on Catholic-Jewish
back to Greece
Joseph Sobran visits
relations.
Plus: Right Data.
with Mick Jagger and thirty thousand friends.
A Dry White Season is neither flashy
33 The End of History-or of Liberalism?
enough for the box office, nor subtle enough for
Does the death of Communism mean the end
John Simon.
of history? No, says John Gray, who predicts
that nation, faith, and family will grow strong
SECTIONS
as Marxism and liberalism decline.
4 Letters
38 Do Congressmen Have Mothers?
12 On the Record
Is day care just as good for kids as staying
14 From the Editor
home with Mom? That depends, notes Maggie
Gallagher, on whether we want civilized
16 The Week
adults, or basket cases.
36
help
40 A Free Market in Government
44 The Open Question
Donald Devine argues for a market in which
54 Random Notes
people would choose the sort of government
they like.
60 Trans-O-Gram
62 On the Right
42 The Real Blacklist
64 Off the Record
Are the Hollywood 10 really "martyrs of free
speech"? Joseph Farah finds they actually
had a blacklist of their own.
Cover illustration by Jennifer Lawson
NATIONAL REVIEW (ISSN: 0028-0038) is published bi-weekly, except for the first issue in January, by National Review, Inc., at 150 East 35th Street, New York, N.Y. 10016.
ABC
Second-class postage paid at New York, N.Y. and additional mailing offices. National Review, Inc., 1989. Address all editorial mail, manuscripts, letters to the editors, etc. to
Editorial Dept., NATIONAL REVIEW, 150 East 35th Street, New York, N.Y. 10016. Address all subscription mail orders, changes of address, undeliverable copies, etc. to
REULATIO
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should be accompanied by a current mailing label or facsimile. Direct all display advertising questions to The Leadership Network at 212-684-5500.
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unsolicited manuscripts unless return postage or, better, a stamped self-addressed envelope is enclosed. Opinions expressed in signed articles do not necessarily represent the views
of the editors.
OCTOBER 27, 1989 / NATIONAL REVIEW 3
NATIONAL
LETTERS
REVIEW
William F. Buckley Jr. Editor-in-Chief
Wick Allison Publisher
John O'Sullivan Editor
Senior Editors
Richard Brookhiser / Priscilla L. Buckley
Jeffrey Hart / Joseph Sobran
The Ghosts of Malthus
Linda Bridges Managing Editor
come to treat their corpus of belief more
Brad Miner Literary Editor
Ray Percival's muzzling of Malthus and
like a religious system than a scientific
William McGurn Washington Bureau Chief
his pro-population-control pit bulls, the
theory. Precisely as philosophers of
Paul Hebert Art Director
neo-Malthusians ["Malthus and His
science like Thomas Kuhn and Paul
Mark Cunningham Assistant Articles Editor
David Klinghoffer Assistant Literary Editor
Ghost," Aug. 18], was masterly. Paul
Feyerabend predicted, it is impossible to
Geoffrey Morris Assistant Managing Editor
Ehrlich and the doom-and-gloom crowd
convince anyone operating within neo-
Radek Sikorski Roving Correspondent
depict man as a voracious consumer.
Malthusian constraints of its falsity by
Susan Mandel Congressional Reporter
Yet every stomach comes with two
rational or empirical argument. They
Frances Bronson Executive Secretary
hands attached. As Percival points out,
are immeasurably fortified in their
Jane Buckley Smith Editorial Associate
by producing more than he consumes
intransigence by the ample funds to
Tony Savage Assistant to the Editor-in-Chief
man has worked his way up from the
which they have access, since they have
Editorial Services
near-universal poverty that was his lot
managed to convince many governments
Michael Ashton / Mary Edson
Michael A. Watkins
two short centuries ago.
and foundations that they hold the key
Dorothy McCartney Research Director
Percival's argument needs emenda-
to mankind's success as a species:
John J. Virtes Librarian
tion at only one point. In his refutation
reducing the numbers of living, breath-
Ed Rubenstein Economics Analyst
of Ehrlich's simplistic formulation that
ing, emoting, and loving human beings.
Research Assistants
"more people = more famine," he pro-
Steven W. Mosher
Russell Jenkins / Josie Salcedo
poses that there have been "at most 15
Director of Asian Studies
Joseph Vetter
million famine deaths" in this century.
Claremont Institute
Contributing Editors
In fact, there have been nearly twice
Montclair, Calif.
Tom Bethell / Brian Crozier
W. H. von Dreele / Nika Hazelton
that in China alone. Most of which
D. Keith Mano / Richard John Neuhaus
occurred from 1959 to 1962, following
Batman: Our Hero?
Alan Reynolds / John Simon
the Great Leap Forward.
If NATIONAL REVIEW intends to investigate
Ralph de Toledano / Ernest van den Haag
Timothy J. Wheeler
It was the calculations of men, not
pop culture, could it at least do SO
the vagaries of nature, that led to mass
intelligently and without the breathless,
Edward A. Capano Associate Publisher
starvation after the Great Leap For-
hyperbolic enthusiasm Martin Sieff ex-
Robert F. Sennott Jr. Advertising Director
ward. Mao Tse-tung had organized the
hibits in his review of Batman 'Books,
Rose Flynn DeMaio Treasurer
countryside into huge agricultural col-
Arts & Manners," Sept 15]? The success
Arthur F. Stetzner Fund Director
lectives, only to neglect farming. Food
of Batman is a tribute to the success of
Sylvia Wolinsky Circulation Director
production plummeted as peasants in
marketing hype, not some primeval
Jason Ng Circulation Manager
Patricia B. Bozell Special Projects Editor
vast numbers were dispatched to mine
urge among the American people to
Lisa Nelson Special Projects Director
coal, smelt iron, and build public works.
reinstate the death penalty. Batman is
Dorian Robbins Assistant to the Publisher
When food shortages threatened the
not the hero of the film that bears his
Business Services
cities, Mao ordered grain collection to be
name. The most popular character, the
Denise Bealin / Louise Croce
stepped up, feeding the urban popula-
one people come to see, the one who
Kevin Longstreet / Nancy Reilly
tion by beggaring the rural. Peking's
dominates the screen, is Jack Nicholson's
ruling group chose, in effect, to sacrifice
Joker. However sick, perverted, and
Contributors
millions of their countrymen, rather
obscene he is, we are invited to laugh
Aram Bakshian Jr. / David Brudnoy
Christopher Buckley / John Chamberlain
than reveal their own incompetence.
with him, not at him. Though we all
Mona Charen / John R. Coyne Jr.
Altogether, in what may be the worst
expect him to be bested by Batman-
Dinesh D'Souza / M. Stanton Evans
famine of the century, between twenty
who is a pretty uninspiring hero—I
Frank J. Gaffney Jr. / George Gilder
and thirty million peasants died.
doubt if the audiences are much over-
Victor Gold / Malcolm Hancock
Henry Hazlitt / Charles R. Kesler
This, of course, is a familiar story,
joyed or feel any cathartic release in the
James Jackson Kilpatrick / Nicholas King
told in the Ukrainian famine, the Cam-
Joker's destruction. What humor there
Jan Lukas / Forrest McDonald
Charles Burton Marshall / Thomas Molnar
bodian famine, and the ongoing Ethio-
is in the film comes entirely from the
Joe Mysak / Gerhart Niemeyer
pian famine. We live in an age in which
Joker's sensibility. And how Martin
Michael Novak / Grover Joseph Rees
governments, more specifically one-
Sieff comes up with the idea that
William F. Rickenbacker / Selden Rodman
William A. Rusher / J. O. Tate
party Marxist dictatorships, deliberately
Batman is "an unrepentant, unashamed,
Terry Teachout / S. L. Varnado
cause famines. Percival's optimism about
pre-Vatican II Roman Catholic" is be-
Richard Vigilante / Charles Wallen Jr.
the ability of unfettered human popula-
yond me. Surely, being a fornicator-
Chilton Williamson Jr.
tions to feed themselves is perfectly on
which Batman is in the film-can't be
Foreign Contributors
the mark: it takes considerable evil
sufficient cause to justify that assertion.
Anthony Lejeune London
Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn Munich
genius to create economic systems and
H. W. Crocker III
Donald Coxe Toronto
policies which render people incapable
Arlington, Va.
Robert S. Strother Cuernavaca
of providing for their basic needs.
Richard C. Carpenter Athens
The population-control zealots have
Mr. Crocker finds my comments
4 NATIONAL REVIEW / OCTOBER 27, 1989
Jhe 1957 Chevrolet Air
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N30
"My job is to
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MARK OF EXCELLENCE
Chevrolet Pontiac Oldsmobile Buick Cadillac GMC Truck
"breathless" and "hyperbolic." I
departed, [Jeff] MacNelly lost a beat.
appear in the Times during those
find his humorless, raving, and rabid.
All conservatives, in their various ways,
halcyon days was that his cartoon then
They are also wrong. The streets of
did. He began a comic strip, Shoe, and
was distributed by the Chicago Tribune-
America are not filled with children
for a time devoted himself wholly to it."
New York (Daily) News Syndicate,
wearing Joker masks, but rather Bat-
Not so. Shoe made its debut on Septem-
which today is simply the Tribune-
man T-shirts. Nor can that be put down
ber 12, 1977, more than three years
owned Tribune Media Services. During
to big, bad marketing masterminds. Mr.
before Carter left the Presidency. More-
the Carter years, the New York Daily
Crocker should remember the Edsel.
over, the comic strip had been in
News ran his cartoons. The Times is
Since Mr. Crocker appears unfamiliar
preparation for about two years prior to
not the only newspaper reluctant to
with the Biblical references I quoted,
Carter's inauguration.
run the competition's stuff. (Although I
the symbolism of the Joker's defeat and
Brookhiser says that "The man who
cannot say SO with certainty, I believe
death comes straight from Chapter 14
boosted MacNelly to stardom was James
that the Times did not start running its
of Isaiah. The symbolism of the movie
Earl Carter." Although stardom lacks a
Sunday roundup regularly until 1980.)
reflects Biblical morality. But, from
precise definition, Jeff won his first
Todd A. Culbertson
Gotham Cathedral and its gargoyles to
Pulitzer in 1972 (for cartoons drawn in
Richmond News Leader
the Joker's fate, it reflects Catholic or
1971), five years before Carter went to
Richmond, Va.
high-church semiotics, not fundamental-
Washington. He was a star during the
ist ones.
Nixon-Ford years (his cartoons of the
Internalizing Deterrence
Batman is not portrayed as promiscu-
1976 Republican primaries are price-
Nearly all of the points raised and
ous, but as sexually reticent. He has an
less) and throughout his ten years at
questions asked about my piece on
affair with one woman, whom he deeply
the Richmond News Leader.
deterrence and the death penalty ["So
loves; they will marry. In Mr. Crocker's
And finally, Brookhiser writes, "Dur-
What if the Death Penalty Deters?"
view, such conduct bars a man from
ing the Carter years the New York
June 30] can be answered if I can
being a Catholic. One can see why he is
Times began running roundups of the
make two additional points.
not a theologian of the Church. -MS
week's best political cartoons in The
1. You can't do anything about crime
Week in Review. I turned to it each
until you do something about the causes
Poison Pens
Sunday in suspense, to see how they
of crime. This argument is as silly as it
According to Richard Brookhiser's es-
would manage yet again to omit Mac-
is ubiquitous. Now, it is, of course, true
say about political cartooning "Poison
Nelly."
that you can't do anything about an
Pens," Sept. 1], "When [Jimmy] Carter
Perhaps one reason MacNelly did not
effect (in this case, crime) unless you
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OCTOBER 27, 1989 / NATIONAL REVIEW 9
alter one necessary condition-or reduce
one of the complementing factors (the
to the ability of the internalized resis-
one predisposing factor-of the cause.
severity of punishment) can certainly
tance to murdering to prevent the act.
But this one factor can be the punish-
reduce the frequency of the effect with-
Some people who yell or sulk, rather
ment factor in the causal formula of
out altering the degree of poverty.
than murder, would murder if their
crime. In medicine it is often the case
2. It seems likely, though not demon-
internalized resistance were nurtured
that a disease can be prevented by our
strated, that throughout life we internal-
by perception of a weaker punishment.
blocking one necessary condition for the
ize society's view of the relative wrong-
To be sure, for most people most of the
disease when we otherwise understand
ness of acts-and develop a relatively
time, punishment of a crime by life
it not at all.
stronger or weaker resistance to such
imprisonment is more than enough to
To argue that you can't do anything
acts-in part on the basis of the relative
engender an internal resistance suffi-
about crime until you do something
strengths of the punishments that the
cient to prevent the crime. And, to be
about poverty is-to use Ernest van den
acts elicit. It seems likely, though not
sure, other factors (social frustration,
Haag's devastating analogy-to play the
demonstrated, that the death penalty
the absence of a father, the likelihood of
fireman who refuses to turn on the hose
engenders-in most people, most of the
being caught, etc.) are more strongly
because "you can't do anything about
time-a stronger resistance to an act
related to crime than is the difference
fire until you do something about the
than does life imprisonment. In other
between the death penalty and life
cause of the fire." To put out a fire you
words, it seems reasonable to suppose
imprisonment (though most frustrated
need merely remove one necessary ele-
that for some marginal groups of people
individuals, fatherless sons, etc. do not
ment of the causation-oxygen. To the
the difference between the death pen-
commit crimes). But these factors are
extent that the death penalty deters (if
alty and life imprisonment will deter-
irrelevant to the question of whether
it does deter), it works even better than
mine whether they do or do not murder
the death penalty deters and will be
water on a fire: it prevents the effect
when they encounter an emotional or a
unless alteration of these other factors
from occurring in the first place.
practical situation in which murder is
can reduce the murder rate to zero. The
Poverty is a cause of murder only in
an option.
question regarding the death penalty is
that it is a facilitating factor that must
This process occurs long before the act
whether the presence of the death
be complemented by other factors if the
itself, however; there is no issue of
penalty renders the murder rate lower
effect (murder) is to occur; the vast
calculation at the time of the act of the
than it would be when the other factors
majority of poor people do not, after all,
difference between punishments; there
are at any given levels.
murder anyone. But, to the extent that
is, therefore, no reason to believe that
Steven Goldberg
it is a facilitating factor, alteration of
acts of passion are inherently immune
New York, N.Y.
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ON THE RECORD
Gov. Tom Kean did eight years ago
as a tax-and-spend, party-boss con-
gressman from Camden. Some one
hundred state Republicans came out
for Florio-including four ex-assem-
blymen. And, in act of desperation,
Courter canned campaign manager
and named replacement. who did not
want the job.
In Virginia,
Marshall Coleman (R.) appears like-
Does the crack-up of Communism
Bob Santamaria, in Australian
ly to hold slight lead in race for
mean the end of a superpower? De-
news magazine News Weekly, reports
statehouse against Lt. Gov. Douglas
fense Department's annual report,
on likelihood that Japan's Liberal
Wilder. Virginia Beach race riots
Soviet Military Power 1989, illus-
Party may lose both the Upper and
enabled Coleman to paint Wilder as
trates that, despite all the talk of
Lower Houses of parliament to the
soft on crime,
In New York City,
economic collapse in Soviet Union,
Socialist Party led by Miss Takako
nobody is betting on former U.S.
Moscow has made modest reductions
Doi, who has long advocated breaking
Attorney Rudolph Giuliani in bid to
in the size of forces, and the drive to
Japan's commitment to U.S.-Japan
succeed Ed Koch as city's mayor
modernize and improve quality over-
Security Treaty. Santamaria writes
against liberal Democrat David Din-
shadows any prospects of reduced
that the treaty "has provided for 13
kins. Giuliani has been hurt by
threat. Soviets, the report says, still
Japanese divisions plus significant air
"insensitive" remarks by supporter,
hold superior technology in surface-to-
and naval power as well as forward
comedian Jackie Mason. As one wit
air and anti-satellite missiles and in
bases for U.S. nuclear and naval
remarked when asked Giuliani's chances,
high-technology defense: lasers, electro-
forces across the Soviets' eastern
"Well-he's lost the Jews, the blacks,
magnetic rail guns, high-power micro-
coastline, paralleling the role of NATO
the Catholics-Wall Street
"
wave weapons, and more. President
in Europe." Miss Doi has said that a
Mikhail Gorbachev has promised
condition of her support for the treaty
When Moscow Book Fair opened
14 per cent reduction in Soviet mili-
would be for United States to declare
last month, booth of the Evangelical
tary budget, but Pentagon report says
if ships are or are not carrying
Christian Publishers Group was
USSR has increased spending on
nuclear weapons-an identical stance
mobbed with interested readers, where-
defense at annual rate of 3 per cent
to the one taken by New Zealand,
as booth representing Madalyn Mur-
over last five years. Defense Secretary
which led to its withdrawal from the
ray O'Hair's American Atheist Press
Dick Cheney stated, "We now find
ANZUS treaty.
went virtually unnoticed.
Yorba
a Soviet Union which retains enormous
Linda, Calif., the official birthplace of
military power, the only nation still
ELECTION WATCH: Jim Courter, GOP's
Richard M. Nixon, is now proposing
capable of threatening the very sur-
high hope to keep the statehouse in
to make the former President's birth-
vival of the United States
the
New Jersey, has been fumbling since
day a city holiday.
Beverly
West may face a Soviet leadership
winning nomination in June. Courter
LaHaye's Concerned Women for Amer-
disillusioned with new ways and will-
reversed his pro-life stance following
ica is celebrating its tenth anni-
ing to return to the old, familiar
Webster decision; never managed to
versary with a conference in Wash-
policies of repression at home and
take the offensive in defining his
ington, D.C., November 4. Speakers
confrontation abroad."
Jane's
opponent, Jim Florio, as present
include William Bennett, Patrick
Underwater Warfare Systems 1989-
Buchanan, and Focus on the Family
1990 reveals that Moscow launches a
president James Dobson. Theme of
nuclear submarine every seven weeks
conference is "1990-2000: The Dec-
and a conventional submarine every
ade of Destiny for America's Chil-
ten weeks. Jane's says Soviet Union
dren." For info, call Karen Randau at
has 350 active submarines and one
800-552-6404.
hundred in reserve, more than double
all of NATO nations' forces combined.
Had enough of Vietnam War films-
Soviets have seven thousand mer-
Apocalypse Now, Platoon, Full Metal
chant ships and growing, while the
Jacket, Uncommon Valor, Casualties
U.S. has a declining and ill-outfitted
of War, etc.? You may be, like
360.
In Afghanistan, U.S. esti-
thousands of others, contracting what
mates are that Soviets are pumping
Greg Gutfeld in the San Francisco
in $300 million monthly to boost the
Chronicle calls Videonam, or the Video
Communist regime of President Naji-
Film Stress Syndrome. Gutfeld de-
bullah. In Ethiopia, Soviets are send-
ing $1 billion annually to dictator
Berkin/ Rothco
scribes the illness as "video-related
battle stress, interwined with a mania
Mengistu Haile Mariam, who has
concerning the 1960s. It's not just the
been funding policies leading to more
war they are living, it's the entire
than a million deaths through man-
"Oh, God-I forgot to have
decade
the general atmosphere of
made famine.
any babies!"
discontent and rage."
12 NATIONAL REVIEW / OCTOBER 27, 1989
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FROM THE EDITOR
The behavior of an organization can
best be predicted by assuming it to be
controlled by a secret cabal of its
enemies. Examples: virtually any con-
servative party anywhere, the Ronald
O'Sullivan's First Law
Lauder for Mayor campaign, and the
British secret service. That last exam-
ple is, however, flawed, since the
British secret service actually was
controlled by a secret cabal of its
R
OBERT MICHELS-as any reader
Let us suppose this to be the case.
enemies in the form of Kim Philby,
of James Burnham's finest book,
What follows? A mentally retarded
Anthony Blunt, et al. In which case,
The Machiavellians, knows-
person incapable of understanding the
Conquest's Law should have operated
was the author of the Iron Law of
significance of his actions cannot be
to make MI-6 a crack anti-Soviet in-
Oligarchy. This states that in any
guilty of murder or of any other
telligence service of James Bond pro-
organization the permanent officials
crime. A law that punishes him (as
portions. But these are deep waters.
will gradually obtain such influence
opposed to one that confines him for
that its day-to-day program will in-
his own and society's safety) is unjust
Incidentally, Bob Conquest, who
creasingly reflect their interests rather
and should be changed-whether or
also doubles as a poet and literary
than its own stated philosophy. To
not he faces the death penalty. On
critic, presciently commented ten years
take a homely example, congressmen
the other hand, someone who is guilty
ago on the recent controversy over the
from egalitarian parties somehow end
of murder may be executed with
Mapplethorpe exhibition. His 1979
up voting for higher pay and generous
perfect justice. His race or economic
collection of essays, The Abomination
expenses for congressmen. We can
circumstances do not affect the mat-
of Moab (not, alas, published in this
also catch an ironic echo of Michels's
ter at all. The fact that other murder-
country), coined the term Moabites to
law in Stalin's title of General Secre-
ers may obtain lesser sentences does
describe the false friends of art as
tary, as well as in the fact that
not in any way detract from the
opposed to its open enemies, the
powerful mandarins in the British
justice of his own punishment. After
Philistines: "The characteristic of
government creep about under such
all, some murderers have always es-
modern methods of destroying art is
deceptive pseudonyms as "Perma-
caped scot-free. Would Amnesty have
that they are carried out by those
nent Under-Secretary."
us release the rest on the grounds of
who, far from being indifferent or
All of which is by way of introduc-
equality of treatment? Finally, Am-
hostile, are deeply concerned." The
ing a new law of my own. My copy of
nesty's argument from discrimination
Biblical Moabites were the insidious
the current Mother Jones (well, it's
could be met just as well by executing
enemies of Israel "who, from their
my job to read that sort of thing-I
more rich, white murderers (which
capital at Shittim, infiltrated temple
take no pleasure in it) contains an
would be fine with me) as by execut-
and harem and set the children of
advertisement for Amnesty Interna-
ing no murderers at all.
light whoring after strange doctrines."
tional. Now, AI used to be a perfectly
Significantly, Amnesty's list of
Today's Moabites have been out in
serviceable single-issue pressure group
death-penalty "victims" does not in-
force to defend both Mapplethorpe
which drew the world's attention to
clude political prisoners. America does
and a strange doctrine of unrestrained
the plight of political prisoners around
not have political prisoners, let alone
government funding of the arts. The
the globe. Many people owe their lives
execute them. Why, then, Amnesty's
falseness of their friendship consists
and liberty to it. But that good work
campaign on the issue?
of their denial of any distinctions,
depended greatly on AI's being a
That is explained by O'Sullivan's
moral or artistic or political, where
single-issue organization that helped
First Law: All organizations that are
Art is concerned. Morally, they argue
victims of both left- and right-wing
not actually right-wing will over time
that if Mapplethorpe's pornographic
regimes and was careful to remain
become left-wing. I cite as supporting
photographs are banned today, the
politically neutral in other respects.
evidence the ACLU, the Ford Founda-
Venus de Milo will have to wear a bra
Its advertisement in Mother Jones,
tion, and the Episcopal Church. The
tomorrow. Artistically, they discern
however, abandons this tradition by
reason is, of course, that people who
no distinctions between different works
calling for an end to the death
staff such bodies tend to be the sort
of art which would offer a general
penalty.
who don't like private profit, business,
basis for providing or withholding
The ad itself, needless to say, is the
making money, the current organiza-
subsidy. And, politically, they obliter-
usual liberal rhubarb. "In American
tion of society, and, by extension, the
ate any distinction between the ab-
courtrooms," it intones, "some have a
Western world. At which point Mi-
sence of a subsidy and outright
better chance of being sentenced to
chels's Iron Law of Oligarchy takes
censorship.
death." That is true: the people in
over-and the rest follows.
Once something is called Art, Bob
question are called murderers. But AI
told me over the phone, Moabites take
naturally means something different
Is there any law which enables us
it to be transcendental and beyond
and more sinister-namely that poor,
to predict the behavior of right-wing
human criticism: "In which case it is,
black, and retarded people are more
organizations? As it happens, there is:
in effect, a religion and thus debarred
likely to face the electric chair than
Conquest's Second Law (formulated
from federal funding under the First
other murderers.
by the Sovietologist Robert Conquest):
Amendment."
-JOHN O'SULLIVAN
14 NATIONAL REVIEW / OCTOBER 27, 1989
Great Minds.
Great Opinions.
Challenging opinions by 54 National Columnists and Cartoonists
Vol. Number 20
Hampton, lowa
Wednesday, May
IRS, Taxes & Other Looney Tunes
Under Liberals,
Nation's Capital
A Disaster Area
Read Pat Buchanan
SURPLUS SOCIAL SECURITY FUNDS
James Kilpatrick
CONGRESS
William F. Buckley
For
quick
reference
articles.
TOPIC
on
page
Donald Lambro
Jeane Kirkpatrick
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comparison with the MPLA, UNITA is "by far the
THE
lesser evil for Angola."
WEEK
It took guns and tanks in Tiananmen Square to
force a change in British policy toward Hong Kong.
Deng's cracking down on the dissidents and his
subsequent bland denial that he had done so made
a mockery of the assurance in the 1984 treaty that
Hong Kong would be permitted to live in freedom
"Say what you like about negative political
for fifty years after the takeover in 1997. Last week
campaigning," a prominent New York Democrat
British Foreign Secretary John Major outlined at
whispers, "it's a helluva lot more honest than
the United Nations his government's decision to
positive campaigning."
grant asylum to people "deemed essential to Hong
Kong's future stability and prosperity," in the hope
Reagan may be gone, but the forces of greed are
that giving them a safety net should the gamble fail
still out of control. Lamenting the House vote in
would encourage these people to stay on. What will
favor of reducing the capital-gains tax, Time moans
happen to the millions of non-"essential" Hong
that Congress has indulged in a "politically irresist-
Kong residents is anyone's guess; Britain has of-
ible orgy of tax cutting.
Washington cannot say
fered them nothing. Still, this is a major step
no to any kind of giveback." The cut only feeds the
forward, and a warning to Deng that unless he
nation's hunger for immediate gratification." Ah, the
abides by the spirit of the 1984 treaty, he could
rapacity of these people who want to keep their own
inherit in Hong Kong a lifeless shell and not a
money! What's happening to the national fiber?
functioning, hard-currency-producing major financial
center. A start, but one that the Thatcher govern-
Angola's Marxist government launched a pre-
ment might more honorably have made five years
emptive strike against Jonas Savimbi just before his
ago when the treaty of cession was originally signed.
Washington visit by taking out ads on various Op-
Ed pages across the nation. "Here's what William
Federal officials have begun a study to determine
F. Buckley's NATIONAL REVIEW is saying about Savimbi's
how many Americans are infected with the AIDS
U.S.-backed UNITA group," ran the ads, going on to
virus, but they're meeting resistance in Dallas:
quote unfavorable judgments of Mr. Savimbi taken
gay-rights groups oppose cooperation. They argue
selectively from an article by NR's roving correspon-
that the study is intrusive, flawed in methodology,
dent, Radek Sikorski. Yes, Mr. Sikorski did reach
and dangerous to privacy, all of which may well be
the judgments quoted, and we are delighted that the
the case. But is that the real reason they oppose it?
Marxist MPLA accepts him as an
unbiased observer. A pity, therefore,
©1969 SAN DIEGOUNION
COPLEY NEWS SERVICE
"SPARE THE ROD,"
SJELLY
that its ads did not have space for
what Mr. Sikorski said about it, viz:
YOU SAID... "GIVE THEM
MORE FREEDOM," YOU SAID...
"The MPLA is in a league of its
WELL, MR. PERESTROIKA,
own when it comes to doctrinaire
WHAT NOW?
policies, collectivist mismanagement,
and mindless propaganda.
the
Angolan economy has sunk into
oblivion
black marketeering,
smuggling, and extortion flourish in
MPLA-run Angola
Party hacks
are the only thing in over-supply.
MM
HARD
Luanda National Radio sounds
LINERS
like Radio Tirana on a bad day
MPLA officers tell their soldiers, in
all seriousness, that if captured by
MOLDAVIA
LITHUANIA
UNITA they may fall into the
clutches of its fearsome allies, a
ESTONIAL
vicious white tribe called 'Ameri-
cans,' who will cook and eat them."
All of which perhaps explains why
Mr. Sikorski also concluded that, by
16 NATIONAL REVIEW / OCTOBER 27, 1989
on AT
$1.95
Wm. THE SCROOGE TAGON NATIONAL
IN CHINA
Does Japa
for Power
TI
REVIEW
eek
RONALD REAGAN
PEOPLI
AND THE
MEANING OF
LEADERSHIP
BEIJING:
BY MARGARET THATCHER
Defying
CHRISTMAS,
Dictatorship
CHRISTIANS,
AND JEWS
BY IRVING KRISTOL
A TRAPP FAMILY
CHRISTMAS
BY ALOISE BUCKLEY HEATH
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SA1027TN
Grim as it is for its victims, AIDS has been a
steer at the state fair, was in fact none other than
distinct disappointment for those of all moral and
Carl, a winning steer in Illinois, who had had his
sexual persuasions who were looking forward to a
hair dyed. Hank, or Carl, cannot be reached for
holocaust: it hasn't spread outside the high-risk
comment, having been sold for $21 a pound.
groups in which it was concentrated at first, and
there has been no exponential increase of sufferers.
It may be that the gay-rights lobby fears that a
study would reveal the number of homosexuals to be
only a small fraction of the 10 to 20 per cent of the
Capitol Gains
population it's been claiming.
EASON prevailed over egalitarian rhetoric as 64
The Reverend Ian Paisley, Ulster's turbulent
R
House Democrats defected from the McGovern-
non-priest, once intimidated a television interviewer
ite leadership, voting to reduce the onerous tax
by leaning forward suspiciously at his first question
on capital gains. The benefits of a less punitive tax
and demanding: "Young man, let me smell your
are well understood. High taxes have discouraged
breath." He is likely to have less success denouncing
investors from selling assets, resulting in a loss of
the Archbishop of Canterbury as "an ecclesiastical
tax receipts. With tax rates on the immediate
Judas Iscariot" for his willingness to accept a
income from junk bonds now identical to those on
limited and largely symbolic primacy for the Pope
the uncertain future gains from stocks in new
among Christian churches. Episcopalians like being
companies, investors have begun preferring debt to
attacked by fundamentalists; it testifies to their
equity. In response, companies have taken on
progressive virtue. Dr. Paisley's ferocity will tend to
dangerously heavy debts and retired equity through
offset any liberal disquiet that the Archbishop
leveraged buyouts, thus reducing taxable profits as
should be cozying up to a conservative Pope in the
well as taxable capital gains.
first place. Obstacles to Christian ecumenism come
Against all this, the McGovernites had only two
today not from militant Protestantism, which is
answers, neither of which could even persuade their
declining in the "mainstream" churches (though
own party. The first was that those who sell over
flourishing outside them), but from the vulnerability
$200,000 worth of assets in any given year are
of those churches to every secular fashion from
likely to have an "income" above $200,000, since
Nicaraguaphilia to feminism, which, once adopted,
the one-time capital gain was counted as regular
then distances them from orthodox Catholicism. Dr.
income. In reality, the truly affluent are never
Runcie seemed to recognize this when he declared
compelled to liquidate their wealth, and can benefit
that "there must be bounds to legitimate diversity."
from postponing the tax as much as from a lower
Women priests, of whom the Archbishop has been a
rate. Those with modest incomes, on the other hand,
cautious supporter, remain a stumbling block.
often sell their stocks and their homes in order to
Otherwise, he may have stopped being an ecclesias-
acquire cash for retirement, or to put children
tical doubting Thomas.
through college. The "soak the rich" Democrats
somehow continue to be amazed that hard-working
The press has gone into a thick lather over the
voters are not delighted to see their life savings
charge that CBS News ran faked Afghan battle
confiscated by a deadly combination of taxes and
footage. It wouldn't be the first time. In 1986, ABC
inflation.
and NBC broadcast film of a cement factory in
A second line of defense, popularized by The New
Trieste as a hot glimpse of the disabled Chernobyl
reactor. Back during the oil crisis, it was common
Tiptoeing Eastward
for background shots of tankers steaming "through
the Straits of Hormuz" to be filmed off hotel
As Mr. Genscher's song is sung
balconies in Muscat, two hundred miles away. And
And Mr. Kohl suggests
so on. The Afghan charges are as yet unproven, and
A chicken eyeing errant young
even if true would not implicate CBS's face card,
Returning to their nests,
Dan Rather, but only the freelance cameraman who
took the shots. Still, it serves as a useful reminder
The aviary shared among
to treat the press with at least as many grains of
All European birds
salt as it commonly reserves for corporations, the
Grows raucous as, in every tongue,
Pentagon, or non-liberation theologians.
The birds are having words.
The Beef Committee of the Ohio Expositions
W. H. VON DREELE
Commission suspects that Hank, a grand-champion
18 NATIONAL REVIEW / OCTOBER 27, 1989
Republic, was that genuine fidelity to the principles
Governors' Association in hazy alliance with the
of laissez-faire should require conservatives to keep
White House staff. They say they'll be back in a few
tax rates equal on all sources of income. While we
months with particulars. How this comes out will
are always eager to hear liberals' ideas regarding
depend on whether those busy folks take on the
the proper interpretation of conservative economics,
hard work and tough choices themselves or-far
the idea is preposterous. For example, treating
more likely-leave the heavy lifting to the self-same
capital gains like any other income would require
"experts" and interest groups that brought us the
that capital losses be fully deductible from any sort
education system we now need to replace.
of income. But liberal advocates of tax "neutrality"
Missing from the goal statement (though in some
are certainly not demanding such even-handed
cases mentioned elsewhere in the summit communi-
treatment.
qué") are the sorts of heroic structural changes that
The proposed legislation is far from perfect. It
make the education establishment truly queasy,
would exclude 30 per cent of capital gains from
such as choice among schools, rethinking what we
taxation, but only through 1991, resulting only
mean by "compulsory attendance," merit pay, and
temporarily in a top tax rate below 20 per cent. Yet
rigorous accountability measures, including an end
letting the tax rate jump back to 28 per cent in 1992
to the absurd tenure system that protects incompe-
would both crash financial markets and slash tax
tent teachers and principals from dismissal. If we
receipts. The Senate should instead put a perma-
don't rewrite the system's basic rules, no goals—
nent 20 per cent ceiling on the capital-gains tax,
however lofty-will produce better results.
even for those in a 33 per cent tax bracket, and
Were there any welcome developments? One was
index future gains against inflation. Once that is
a decision to start judging our schools against "an
done, soaring tax receipts from soaring stock and
internationally competitive standard." This is long
bond markets will once again surprise the liberal
overdue. Most states and localities judge their
editorialists, as has happened with every cut in
education progress only in relation to domestic
marginal tax rates.
norms and averages, seemingly blind to the sad
reality that these are much lower than the stand-
ards of our allies, competitors, and enemies.
President Bush's own address was not carried on
Pap Talk
the networks, which was a pity. It was well crafted,
shrewd, and showed that he and his staff now
realize that the solution to our grave national
W
HILE THE White House and the governors
problem in education does not lie in incremental
wished William Bennett had joined in their
changes in federal aid programs. But as for his
orgy of mutual praise rather than speaking
education secretary, the main contributions of Dr.
the truth, the former Education Secretary gave the
Lauro Cavazos were to smile benignly and murmur
most accurate account of the "education summit" in
banalities. The "education President" has finally
Charlottesville, Virginia: "the standard Democratic
begun to get his own mind around this issue, but he
and Republican pap," quoth the drug czar, "and
still does not employ competent help.
something that rhymes with pap."
That's not to say the assembled multitude didn't
try to do something useful. Their main accomplish-
ment was the adumbration of seven broad "national
education goals." This was not a bad idea, but they
Sam Stays Silent
wound up with items of the how-could-anyone-
disagree genre, couched in that vague language that
"consensus." The "readiness of all children to start
F
ORMER HUD Secretary Samuel Pierce finally
committees of disparate views are apt to call
appeared before his congressional tormentors,
only to take the Fifth-the first time, the
school," for example, could mean just about any-
historians of the press breathlessly informed us,
thing, as might the "functional literacy of adult
that a veteran of the Cabinet had done so since
Americans." The one that promises an adequate
Albert Fall of Teapot Dome fame. Clio can work
supply of "qualified teachers" may even turn out to
both sides of the street, if it comes to that: it could
be pernicious, depending on whether the qualifica-
be said of Tom Lantos and Barney Frank that they
tions are taken to mean paper credentials conferred
are congressional bullies in a class with Joe
by colleges of education or concrete evidence of
McCarthy. It is more profitable, however, to under-
mastery of the subject matter.
stand why Pierce has been SO coy.
The task of getting more specific about these
A congressional committee with its blood up
platitudes has been entrusted to the National
almost always poses a no-win situation-for
OCTOBER 27, 1989 / NATIONAL REVIEW 19
everyone except the committee. Once in a long
Eight years under the guidelines means eight-yes
while, someone with perfect histrionic pitch-a Joe
eight-years in prison, not some lower figure
Welch, or an Oliver North-can turn the wrath of
determined by a Parole Board long after the details
the inquisitors back on themselves. But if you are
of the crime and its victims have been largely
not so gifted, you do best to keep your head down.
forgotten.
The proof that Congress has its blood up is to be
Third, federal judges and prosecutors are remark-
found in the glaring imbalance and insubstantiality
ing on the guidelines' severity for the most serious
of its charges. NR has already noted (see "The
offenses. Drug traffickers and armed criminals, for
Week," Oct. 13) the HUDscams of the Carter years.
example, are being sentenced to terms far in excess
Throughout late 1979, while the Carter-Kennedy
of what they received prior to the guidelines-
battle for the Democratic nomination looked to be a
without parole. All this is heartening. But, for our
near-run thing, a blizzard of federal largesse fell on
part, virtually anything that reduces the unchecked
Iowa, New Hampshire, and other critically deprived
discretion of federal judges enhances the rule of law
states. No one made a peep of complaint then.
and ought to be encouraged. Let the states now
What are they complaining of now? In every
emulate these reforms in their own criminal-justice
thorough story of Pierce's derelictions, about twenty
systems.
paragraphs past the Fall reference, there will
appear the admission that no one has as yet been
accused of any crimes. The consultants' fees, the
efforts to drop a word in the right ear-these may
be reprehensible, but they are not illegal. They are
Bush's Folly
scarcely avoidable where a honeypot like HUD is
concerned. They are business as usual.
Scandal, in Washington terms, is when Republi-
L
AST WEEK at the United Nations, President Bush
passionately urged his audience to attach the
cans are caught in the act of imitating Democrats.
same extraordinary priority that he does to the
This being the case, Pierce is well advised to keep
completion of a treaty banning chemical weapons
his mouth shut unless and until the innuendoes
(CW). It should have told him something that his
against him coalesce into the clear and definite form
remarks received only polite applause.
of indictments.
Prohibiting the production and stockpiling of
chemical weapons is like trying to prohibit crime:
saying the activity is illegal will not keep people
from engaging in it. Indeed, making chemical
Our Object All Sublime
weapons and concealing them is so easy as to defy
any system of verification yet devised. As a result,
the only nations certain to give up chemical arms as
A
T LONG LAST we can say something good about
the accord proposed are those, like the United
our nation's criminal-justice system: Year One
States, that obey the law and honor their treaty
in the federal experiment with "sentencing
commitments. In other words, it would be as if,
guidelines" has been a clear success. In lieu of the
crime having been banned, the only people we made
previous practice of simply setting maximum sen-
sure to disarm were the police.
tences for federal crimes and allowing judges
This prospect is the more troubling for two
unlimited discretion in sentencing convicted crimi-
reasons. First, a growing number of countries are
nals to terms anywhere up to those limits (e.g., zero
to twenty years), the guidelines set narrow ranges
within which judges must sentence (e.g., ten to 12
The Capital-Gains Trap
years). Such ranges are based upon the nature of
Discreetly camouflaged, the hole,
the offense and the criminal history of the offender.
Though smaller than the Cotton Bowl,
Only under extraordinary circumstances can judges
Is big by Beltway standards; so
disregard these guidelines.
When Democrats fell in below
The new system's theoretical advantages have
been borne out thus far in practice. First, the
The sidewalk level, where the ooze
guidelines have prompted uniformity of sentencing.
Seeps into pumps and business shoes,
Felons committing essentially the same offense are
The outcry could be heard beyond
no longer being sentenced to terms that can vary
The hall and its reflecting pond.
four- or five-fold depending upon the judges in-
volved. Second, implementation of the guidelines
W. H. VON DREELE
has been accompanied by the abolition of parole.
20 NATIONAL REVIEW / OCTOBER 27, 1989
obtaining the capability to produce chemical weap-
or a fool; far from it. Those who have spent time
ons. Such capabilities range from dedicated facilities
with him find him remarkably well-informed. But
like the one being built in Libya to less obvious
both the 1992 and, believe it or not, the 1996
assets such as fertilizer, petrochemical, and pharma-
presidential campaigns are now stirring, with such
ceutical plants being built in many other places
potential Republican candidates as Jack Kemp, Bill
around the world. The latter can be converted to do
Bennett, Phil Gramm, Dick Thornburgh, and no
what the former is designed to do-namely, produce
doubt others waiting in the wings. Even at this
large quantities of toxic chemical agents-in very
supposedly early date Mr. Quayle needs a political
short order.
identity with much sharper edges-in a word,
Second, countries like Iraq have greatly eroded
authority-if he is to be the one to continue and
the inhibition that supposedly exists against the
expand the conservative legacy, or even stay on the
first use of chemical weapons. Iraq's successful and
ticket in 1992. It may well be that his boyish good
cost-free use of chemical warfare against Iran and
looks weaken the impact of his sensible speeches. If
against its own Kurdish citizens impressed many a
so, time will heal that particular wound.
Third World nation with the value of this inexpen-
sive and potent weapon of mass destruction.
Of course, it is precisely these developments that
have given great impetus to President Bush's
Artistic Freedom
personal crusade to prohibit chemical weapons. At
the same time, these factors ensure that, even if a
For Taxpayers
new CW treaty can be negotiated and signed, it will
be neither comprehensive nor verifiable.
Under these circumstances, simple prudence dic-
A
HOUSE-SENATE conference committee has adopted
an amendment forbidding federal funding of
tates that President Bush should abandon his
"obscene" art, though falling short of the
quixotic pursuit of a CW ban. Instead, the United
restrictions proposed by Senator Jesse Helms. Those
States should adopt a simple but realistic formula:
would have banned funding of art that either was
This country will retain a modest, but effective,
"indecent" or "denigrated" a religion or race.
ability to retaliate in kind-the only proven deter-
Granted that any such guidelines are bound to be
rent-so long as any other nation is able to produce
more or less vague, Helms has earned the gratitude
lethal chemical agents.
of voters, not the derision of liberals that has been
heaped on him. Anyone who can appreciate Jeffer-
son's argument that it's tyrannical to force a man to
subsidize beliefs he opposes should at least be able
Where's Dan Quayle?
to manage empathy for people who don't want to
subsidize art that offends them (and is often
intended to). The general principle is that Jews and
R
ECENT polling indicates that a) people have
Poles shouldn't have to pay for swastikas.
received a good deal of information about Vice
The New York Times and Washington Post argue
President Quayle, but b) they have no sense of
that art should be insulated from politics and its
who he is or what he stands for politically. Indeed,
independence maintained. In this context, that's
the more people learn about him, the less sense of
flagrant nonsense. He who pays the piper has the
him they seem to have.
right to call the tune, especially if his right not to
Of course, this has in part to do with the nature
pay the piper is denied. Compelling people to
of the Vice Presidency, not worth a bowl of warm
support what they are not allowed to control doesn't
whatever it was John Nance Garner specified. This
mean "independence" but irresponsibility, akin to
is the reason, no doubt, that George Bush is the
taxation without representation.
first Vice President since Martin Van Buren in 1836
It's particularly hypocritical for publications to
to win the Presidency in his own right.
demand the compulsory subsidization of art they
Dan Quayle's political identity problems surely
aren't willing to describe in detail, let alone
also owe something to the unexpectedness of his
reproduce graphically, in their own pages. It's also
selection. A second-term senator from Indiana, little
tiresome to hear the "artistic community," as it
known outside the Beltway, Quayle came before us
calls itself, complain that everyone else's freedom
as a complete surprise. When he was nominated, the
depends on its own privileged status, which inverts
unlamented Tony Coelho quipped that the two most
the truth. As with any form of commerce, freedom in
feared words in the language were "President
the arts belongs as much to consumers as to
Quayle."
producers. Freedom of speech doesn't require that
NR does not regard the Vice President as a joke
every crank orator be provided with a captive
OCTOBER 27, 1989 / NATIONAL REVIEW 21
audience. The right not to participate is precious
part, which most people considered the "song."
too.
Thus the aria followed the recitative. "The girl that
I will marry will have to be / As soft and as pink
as a nursery." The Tin Pan Alley composers also
ransacked the classical music of the nineteenth
Ferdinand Marcos, RIP
century for adaptable melodies.
Irving Berlin was at the pinnacle of that golden
phase of popular music, golden because it so
E WAS more of a democrat than Indira Gandhi
H
powerfully expressed our ideal and romantic aspi-
and no less ethical than Jim Wright, but
rations, in a world very much before the Grateful
somehow Ferdinand Marcos became a comic-
Dead, before safe sex, before whining about Viet-
book villain, identified in the liberal mind as the
nam. Berlin may have been the best of them all,
archetypal U.S.-supported tinpot dictator, mouthing
Jerome Kern, Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart, Cole
anti-Communism to keep the aid coming and Imelda
Porter, and many others notwithstanding.
in shoes. He was in fact a classic Filipino pol:
This NR senior editor's mother had minor parts in
boisterous, flashy, sentimental; his hand in the till,
many of the great revues of the 1920s. She rode
doling out funds to his supporters in a fashion any
singing on a swing in the Ziegfeld Follies, played in
Chicagoan will recognize; less anxious to build an
Showboat and Poppy, and for several years figured
efficient military that could properly fight an
in The Music Box Review in the Music Box Theater,
insurgency than to secure his own power against a
built by Irving Berlin and Sam Harris. During the
Diem-style coup. But throughout his twenty years in
1930s, when I was too young to know who he was,
power, he was a staunch U.S. ally and a genuine
Irving Berlin a few times dropped in at our
anti-Communist.
apartment for a cup of tea, a rather sallow and
Finally, though, after an election that failed to
gentle genius, as I remember him.
meet U.S. standards (though it was honest by
Beginning in 1911 with "Alexander's Ragtime
Philippine ones), the Reagan Administration gave
Band," he delivered to Americans a remarkable
the nod for a military switch of loyalties and
bagful of tunes. Like traditional heroic literature,
Senator Laxalt's famous telephone call. Mrs. Aquino's
his songs were almost always a celebration of the
faction of aristocrats got their turn to show their
best." Alexander's band was "the best band in the
incompetence, and the Marcoses moved to Hawaii,
land." "White Christmas" and "God Bless America"
to intrigue there as the Aquinos had done in
and "Easter Parade" celebrated the ideal potenti-
Massachusetts, though rather more hemmed in by
ality of their subject matter. Irving Berlin believed
U.S. Government harassment.
those lyrics, and I judge that with the patriotism
It is doubtful that a healthy Marcos would have
and romanticism of the immigrant he believed every
been chased from power; his illness rendered his
line he ever wrote-"A Pretty Girl Is like a
final days more pathetic, for those who looked past
Melody," "There's No Business like Show Business,"
headlines. (Even William Shawcross was moved by
"Cheek to Cheek," and a thousand others.
the last days of the Shah, victim of another triumph
Though Irving Berlin has died at 101, he had long
for democracy and human rights.) Marcos's warning,
since made certain that his ideals would haunt our
in a piece for NR (January 22, 1988) that Mrs.
best selves in tunes that live in the mind even in
Aquino could betray the U.S. as the U.S. betrayed
this cultural moment.
-J. HART
him, has proved prescient: her government is
blackmailing us for our bases at Clark and Subic,
fumbling the counterinsurgency and the economy,
NOTES & ASIDES
and so on. Democracy does not cure all ills.
Memo to: WFB
From: Bill Finucane
Irving Berlin, RIP
Dear Bill: Thought you'd like to see this letter
published in the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner. You
HE TIN PAN ALLEY tunes of the first half of this
will see it is written by one of your fans. XXX B.
T
century conformed to a model as strict as the
sestina. The model resembled a romantic opera,
I dislike William F. Buckley as much as it is humanly
compressed to a miniature. The dramatic situation
possible without hating him. But, he often speaks of
was set forth in a few stanzas of three or four lines
profound truths as in his June 16 Op-Ed column,
each, after which came the romantic and lyrical
"Speaking of Sleaze." He stated that the poor are hurt
22 NATIONAL REVIEW / OCTOBER 27, 1989
more by the increasing of minimum wages because of
Or you would like to be the romantic captain of a
inflation. My hat is off to him. He hit the nail on the
romantic ship but can't find time to study navigation
head. Briefly stated: I'm a resident of L.A.'s Skid Row.
or charts of the ocean or the seaboard;
In early 1988, I was left with $18 weekly; after rent,
You want a lot of money but you are not prepared to
tithe and bus tokens. Over a seven-day period of
work for it,
budgeting, I was able to get one "hot" chicken dinner
Or a book to read in bed but you do not care to go into
for $2.65. When the minimum wage went up, the
the nocturnal cold and murk for it;
establishment from which I purchased this "hot dinner"
And now if you have any such symptoms you can
increased the salary of its employees and the cost of
identify your malady with accurate spontaneity:
that dinner became $3.20, thereby relegating me to
It's velleity,
cold-cuts all week long.
So don't forget to remember that you're velleitous, and
John W. Bonapart
if anybody says you're just lazy,
Los Angeles, Calif.
Why, they're crazy.
Dear Aunt Bill: I'm not sure M. Bonapart deserves
Dear Mr. Buckley:
anything more than cold-cuts.
XXX B.
In "Notes & Asides" [Aug. 4] you wrote, "They
[words] came into being because there was
a
Dear Bill:
'felt need."
Since your readers, or at least one of them, is so
That summarizes my long-endured frustration of
exercised by your occasional use of the word
explaining the hours I have worked for a number of
"velleity," I pass along a poem I stumbled across-
years: midafternoon to about midnight. It was not
or rather, a copy of said poem. I don't know who the
lexically correct to say I worked days, afternoons,
author was, but must suppose it was Ogden Nash.
evenings, or nights. To say I worked P.M. was so, but
Anyway, it is great fun and it seems to me you are
hardly satisfying. On June 29, 1989, I settled on my
now absolutely in the clear with that word.
newly invented word. It is afeni.
Aff.
Reid [Buckley]
afeni (af'e-ni). A period of time or course of action
Camden, S.C
beginning in the afternoon and extending into night.
Its spelling (AFternoon, Evening, NIght), like its
Where There's a Will, There's Velleity
meaning, encompasses in part three time frames.
Seated one day at the dictionary I was pretty weary and
Any of your readers who feel an attraction or
also pretty ill at ease,
interest toward afeni are welcome to copy and use it.
Because a word I had always liked turned out not to be
If there is ensconced in the twenty volumes of the
a word at all, and suddenly I found myself among
new second edition of the Oxford English Dictionary
the v's,
an established word with the same meaning, I
And suddenly among the v's I came across a new word
welcome information.
which was a word called velleity,
Sincerely yours,
So the new word I found was better than the old word
Raymond Vaughn Banner
I lost, for which I thank my tutelary deity,
Des Moines, Iowa
Because velleity is a word which gives me great
satisfaction,
Because do you know what it means, it means low
Dear Mr. Banner: Hm. Don't like it, to tell the
degree of volition not prompting to action,
truth. For one thing, said quickly it sounds like
And I always knew I had something holding me back
haffthenite, and that exactly is what you do not
but I didn't know what,
mean to communicate. I'd try again. Cordially,
And it's quite a relief to know it isn't a conspiracy, it's
-WFB
only velleity that I've got,
Because to be wonderful at everything has always been
my ambition,
Yes indeed, I am simply teeming with volition,
So why I never was wonderful at anything was
something I couldn't see,
While all the time, of course, my volition was merely
volition of a low degree,
Which is the kind of volition that you are better off
without it,
Because it puts an idea in your head but doesn't
©Ross Rothco Syndication
prompt you to do anything about it.
So you think it would be nice to be a great pianist but
"Equal Rights for queens is all well and good.
why bother with practicing for hours at the keyboard,
But we kings have our Divine Rights!"
OCTOBER 27, 1989 / NATIONAL REVIEW 23
Lehn, an aide to Senator Robert Dole
ON THE SCENE
(R., Kan.). "But these are huge
differences. The Simon bill would
spend a lot more money in areas
where the Polish government is not
asking for it, and the Democrats
would fund this by taking the money
from U.S. defense, primarily SDI."
Even so, it's a neat trick. Senator
Simon and his colleagues are position-
ing themselves to attack the Presi-
Washington Shows Solidarity
dent for "not doing enough" for
Poland; their ideal scenario would be
to force President Bush to veto their
WILLIAM McGURN
package, thus making him appear too
viet Union) with a vested interest in
cheap to help Solidarity in its time of
seeing it fail. With a crushing $39-
need. So far it seems to be working.
billion debt, an industrial sector with
"We're in support of the Simon
lower productivity now than in 1982,
bill," says the executive director of
and signs of incipient hyperinflation,
the D.C. office of the Polish-American
the outlook is bleak. Undaunted,
Congress, Myra Leonard. "We're shoot-
Warsaw's first non-Communist govern-
ing for as much American support for
ment since World War II has boldly
Poland as we can get."
announced its intention to "trans-
But another member of the Polish-
form the Polish economy into a mar-
American Congress says its support
ket economy."
was only a tactic to pressure the
"Poland is full of human potential
Administration. So things may
and dynamism," says Mark Michal-
change now that the President has
ski, an émigré Polish economist who
come up with a more comprehensive
works at the Australian Embassy
package, which corresponds to the
Jennifer Lawson
here. "They have the will-many
reform program Finance Minister
Poles work two or three jobs just to
Leszek Balcerowicz put on the table
make ends meet-but they need to be
at the IMF-World Bank annual meet-
retrained and redirected. That's where
ing here late last month. Mr. Bal-
W
ASHINGTON, D.C.-On a clear,
the U.S. can really help. Money is not
cerowicz called for a $1-billion loan to
cool day last April, George
the main thing."
stabilize the all-but-worthless zloty,
Bush addressed a small but
You wouldn't know that from the
along with $500 million in immediate
enthusiastic crowd of Polish-Ameri-
check-writing contest on Capitol Hill.
short-term assistance to pay for goods
cans from the steps of city hall in
The original White House package of
like spare parts and fertilizer.
Hamtramck, Michigan. With Edmund
$100 million was offered by President
The impression that the Democrats'
Cardinal Szoka at his side, the Presi-
Bush in Warsaw this July, when
plan is more generous is misleading,
dent pledged U.S. backing for the
Poland still had a Communist govern-
because the money would go into
Solidarity-inspired reforms beginning
ment. The Democratic alternative,
long-term loans rather than the short-
to take root in Warsaw and outlined
introduced by Senator Paul Simon
term fix the new government says it
a number of specific actions the U.S.
(D., Ill.) and reported out of the
desperately needs. Nevertheless the
could take: reducing tariffs, renegoti-
Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
Democrats will argue that the Ad-
ating Poland's foreign debt, clearing
would raise that to $300 million for
ministration's new package is a grudg-
the way for joint ventures, loaning
the next three years.
ing concession, and that their willing-
money to the private sector, arrang-
"The only difference between our
ness to spend is a sign of their
ing debt-for-equity swaps, and in-
bill and the Administration's [original
greater sincerity. Senate Majority Leader
creasing U.S. technical and educa-
proposal] is that we are adding more
George Mitchell (D., Me.), for exam-
tional assistance. President Bush ended
money to the enterprise fund," says
ple, has called President Bush too
his speech with the words Nieck zyje
Simon aide John Stein. "We're talk-
"timid" in his responses to changes
Polska-"Let Poland live."
ing about supporting the Solidarity
in the USSR and Eastern Europe,
Things have changed; the question
government by trying to create a
and his colleagues appear ready to
of Poland's survival is no longer just
middle class." Mr. Stein argues that
ride this horse for all it's worth.
rhetorical. Obviously the most signifi-
the bill is directed toward the private
A taste of this came during a
cant change has been the emergence
sector, and thus bears no resemblance
Senate debate on an amendment
of a Solidarity government, led by
to the 1970s loan policies which left a
offered by Jesse Helms (R., N.C.) to
Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowjecki.
$39-billion debt in their wake.
ensure that any U.S. assistance for
This government has inherited an
But the GOP isn't buying. "Sure-
Poland not go to help the Commu-
economy in shambles and a Commu-
they are just spending more money
nists. Democrat after Democrat rose
nist faction (not to mention the So-
and changing the funding," says Al
to counterattack. Barbara Mikulski
24 NATIONAL REVIEW / OCTOBER 27, 1989
(D., Md.), the first Polish-American
the exception of the lone Republican
millions in the Bank of Crete al-
woman elected to Congress, took the
(D'Amato), the new member (Robb),
though the institution was failing);
lead, invoking her pious, immigrant
and a member who voted for Contra
unlawfully tapping telephones of op-
great-grandmother and declaiming that
aid once, three years ago (Lauten-
position leaders and of his own cabi-
"no one can be as fiercely anti-
berg). As for Simon, his seriousness
net ministers; and forgiving a $6-
Communist or militarily anti-Commu-
can be judged from a $25-million
million debt, owed by a friend to the
nist as someone of Polish extraction."
telecommunications provision inserted
government, in return for the use of
This fierce anti-Communism was con-
because of his pique at having to wait
the friend's villa, where the prime
spicuous by its absence when support
several hours to get a phone call
minister lived with his airline-hostess
for the democratic resistance in Nica-
through to the U.S. during his own
mistress, now his wife. To think that
ragua has been at stake, with Miss
recent trip to Poland. In short, Con-
Nixon was forced out of office for
Mikulski giving the Contras not a
gress remains committed to the idea
destroying a few tapes! But for those
farthing.
that aid is the solution to develop-
of you more familiar with Grecian
She's not alone. According to an
ment, an idea as discredited as the
2000 than with Greece 1989, I should
American Conservative Union legisla-
Jaruzelski government.
perhaps explain how the rot set in.
tive analysis, the co-sponsors of the
"The Polish economy is like a
In 1981, Pasok, with Andreas Papan-
Simon bill-Claiborne Pell (D., R.I.),
rusted old car with a dead battery,"
dreou at its head, won a landslide
Alan Cranston (D., Calif.), Tom Harkin
says Fred M. Zedar, president of the
victory on an anti-America, get-out-of-
(D., Iowa), Charles Robb (D., Va.),
Overseas Private Investment Corpo-
NATO-and-out-of-the-Common-Market
Howard Metzenbaum (D., Ohio), Al-
ration, which has already identified
platform. Needless to say, he did
fonse D'Amato (R., N.Y.), Donald
274 Polish firms that might be
nothing of the sort. Rather, he cre-
Riegle (D., Mich.), Joseph Biden (D.,
matched up with U.S. partners. "What
ated a state machinery rivaling that
Del.); Bob Graham (D., Fla.), Paul
we're hoping to do is give it a jump
of a Third World potentate. He began
Sarbanes (D., Md.), and Frank Lau-
start to get it going. In that regard,
a propaganda program of hate, with
tenberg (D., N.J.)-all have unblem-
it's not a matter of money-it's
an aggressive, anti-democratic purg-
ished anti-Contra voting records, with
moxie."
ing of civil servants, police, judges,
and members of the military.
Worse, he abolished the anti-
terrorist laws as soon as he came into
Greek Farce
power, and throughout his rule re-
fused to sign an international agree-
TAKI THEODORACOPULOS
ment of cooperation with his Euro-
pean allies. In the run-up to the 1989
tions should turn into such a farce-
election he appointed 96,000 civil
or tragedy, for that matter. Which
servants and promised them tenure if
was the case last week.
Pasok won. He raised wages, forgave
Pavlos Bakoyannis, member of Par-
various agricultural debts ($2 billion
liament, press officer for the New
worth), and gave 200,000 civil serv-
Democracy Party, and son-in-law of
ants a 20 per cent raise.
party leader Constantine Mitsotakis,
Even by Greek standards, this
was shot dead by the November 17
public spending spree was outra-
terrorist group on Tuesday, Septem-
geous, and yet Papandreou came in
ber 26, and Greece has been in an
second in the polls. The center-right
uproar ever since. Bakoyannis was
New Democracy Party came in first
one of the most intelligent and capa-
but failed by a few thousand votes to
Jennifer Lawson
ble of the conservative parliamentarians;
capture the necessary majority, for
indeed, he was the architect of the
Papandreou, seeing the likelihood of
historic compromise between the con-
defeat, had switched from the previ-
servative and Communist parties, which
ous electoral system to an extreme
Another Athens shall arise,
forty years ago fought a bloody civil
version of proportional representation
And to remoter time
war.
that ensures that every party has a
Bequeath, like sunset to the skies,
This temporary coalition, arranged
say and no one can govern. The
The splendor of its prime;
in June, booted out of office the
caretaker coalition-created by Bako-
And leave, if nought so bright
Socialist Party (Pasok) of Andreas
yannis's patient political skill-has
may live,
Papandreou, the greatest America-
been running the nation since June
All earth can take and
hater west of Teheran, replaced it
18, and a successor caretaker govern-
Heaven can give
with a caretaker government of Left
ment will oversee the elections sched-
and Right, and indicted the former
uled for November 5.
A
THENS-Poor Shelley. After eight
prime minister on four major counts:
years of Andreas Papandreou's
looting the Bank of Crete (with
Mr. Theodoracopulos is the author, with
socialist rule it is impossible to
Papandreou receiving $6 million in
Jeffrey Bernard, of High Life, Low Life
read this now without a twinge of
stolen funds); abusing public office (by
and a regular columnist for the London
sadness that such exalted expecta-
forcing public agencies to deposit
Spectator.
OCTOBER 27, 1989 / NATIONAL REVIEW 25
In the circumstances, Constantine
murders have been committed against
German leader to take public note of
Mitsotakis, a man of immense
Pasok's enemies. There have even
the deadly threat of the Soviet SS-20s
strength, honesty, and resilience, is
been public allegations that Pasok
-was powerless to halt the drift
favored to be the next premier once
and Papandreou prevented the discov-
toward neutralism in his own party.
the results of the new election are in.
ery and punishment of the killers.
As if to celebrate his impending
Though extremely close to his son-in-
When Papandreou appears in public
retirement, the SPD decided, at its
law, he went straight from the
today, he is greeted by cries of
party congress in April 1982, to adopt
morgue to Parliament and asked for
"murderer" and "thief."
a new policy of "security partnership
national unity. Papandreou did not
But Greek democracy has had more
with the States of the East." Nor was
even bother to attend the special
obituaries than Ernest Hemingway,
this a timid change of course: support
session honoring the victim, nor did
Mark Twain, and Queen Anne laid
was overwhelming.
he attend the funeral.
end to end. Since the murder and the
Surprising? Not really. The rebel-
Perhaps he did well to stay away.
prosecution of Papandreou, a new
lious students of the 1960s, products
Since the murder, a former Greek
climate reigns in Greece. The rumors
of the "long march through the
ambassador to Libya has revealed
that Pasok spread after Bakoyannis's
institutions," now run the SPD. The
how he received orders from Athens
death-that he was involved in the
new policy translated as a commit-
to prevent a Greek anti-terrorist unit
Papandreou scandals-have been mostly
ment to quit NATO.
from making inquiries in Tripoli aft-
ignored-as if Joe Biden called Neil
That is bad enough. But when
er the murder of a publisher of an
Kinnock a plagiarist: laughable if it
Chancellor Kohl came back late last
anti-Pasok newspaper. Significantly,
weren't for the tragedy of it all. It is
year from his trip to Moscow, he
during the long string of assassina-
a tragedy for Greece, but given Pa-
advocated support for key Soviet pro-
tions since 1974 not a single terrorist
pandreou's character-all flaws, no
posals, such as meetings between the
has been caught. And all of the
heroism-it is not a Greek tragedy.
ministers of the EEC and the Come-
con countries, and of NATO and the
Warsaw Pact. Schmidt's successor as
SPD chairman, Hans-Jochen Vogel,
Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Furor
congratulated Kohl for adopting the
SPD's own policy toward the USSR.
BRIAN CROZIER
The hysterically enthusiastic public
welcome for President Gorbachev on
his West German visit in June under-
lined the euphoric angle.
The all-German perspective, how-
ever, changes as fast as the pace of
the amazing events in the USSR and
Eastern Europe. The weakening of
the Soviet power center brings two
contradictory consequences: it makes
the prospect of One Germany more
concrete, and the danger of Soviet
Jennifer Lawson
military intervention less likely.
Although Mikhail Gorbachev has
not formally renounced the Brezhnev
Doctrine, he is tacitly conceding that
ONN-The German Democratic
B
than I do about the prospect of a
it no longer has compulsive force.
Republic has even less claim to
united Germany if the politicians in
Under any of his predecessors the Red
legitimacy than Stalin's other
Bonn were more impressive. Chan-
Army would long since have stepped
Eastern European satellites: it is the
cellor Kohl doesn't seem to mind
in to prevent the Poles from giving
rump of an artificially divided coun-
when he is described as a 'populist";
themselves a Solidarity government
try. But it may not be with us
and he is not the only pragmatist in
and the Hungarians from tolerating
forever. Today, in the wake of collapse
high office in the West. As for the
non-Communist parties and sabotaging
and bankruptcy in the USSR, talk of
Social Democratic opposition (SPD),
the Berlin Wall. The key, as ever, is
German reunification sounds less un-
frankly, it scares me.
still in Moscow, but in quite a
realistic than even a few weeks ago.
For some years, when Chancellor
different sense from the familiar one
The spectacle of East Germans-
Helmut Schmidt was running the
of the past 45 years.
mostly young, active, and successful
SPD, the FRG seemed sound and
Let us look at a possible scenario.
families- leeing to the German Fed-
staunch. One could even develop tem-
The wave of discontent in the USSR
eral Republic is intoxicating. But let
porary amnesia over Willy Brandt
has already reached such a pitch that
us not forget that the root of that
and his Ostpolitik, which, among
the possibility of uncontrollable chaos
word means poison. In small doses,
other things, had given the Soviet
and even of civil war can no longer be
they say, cocaine makes you feel good;
Union formal recognition of the East
discounted. The ruling party is los-
in large, euphoria takes over.
German regime. Yet even Schmidt-
ing its grip. It would no longer be
I confess that I would feel easier
who, after all, had been the first West
unthinkable for the Red Prussians of
26 NATIONAL REVIEW / OCTOBER 27, 1989
East Germany to drift with the
not find it an intellectual strain to
I recited the prayers for vespers,
Polish/Hungarian tide. German re-
envision an enlarged European Com-
then the survivor of Warsaw said
unification would then be a possible
munity including the unified Ger-
Kaddish, then the French Resistance
option, in conditions of maximum ad-
many, Poland, and Hungary, for a
leader said the prayer in memory of
vantage to the West.
start.
the deceased, but, instead of a name
In such conditions, NATO would
For the West the strategic priority
or two, he said, "All those who died
lose its meaning and purpose. Simi-
is a wider vision of Europe: wider
in this land." Jews know what to do,
larly, the SPD policy of a "security
than the petty commercial Europe of
when they have to. And we all cried.
partnership with the States of the
the Brussels bureaucrats; and geo-
All this we did facing a white wall,
East" would become irrelevant.
graphically wider, too. Let the Europe
in a grotto-like room, knowing noth-
The Russians and Ukrainians, the
of 1992 find room for Moscow's col-
ing of what was round about. When I
Georgians and Azerbaidzhanis, the
lapsing satrapies. But let the West
turned around, I found the room filled
Uzbeks and Kazakhs, etc., would be
Germans calm down. Euphoria is an
with reporters and photographers,
sorting out their own allegiances,
enemy. The contemporary equivalent
waiting for a sermon or a message on
probably with the shedding of much
of Cromwell's "keep your powder dry"
the Auschwitz controversy. Being the
blood. As for President Gorbachev's
is a firm and united commitment to
rabbi, I was expected to speak.
"common European home," it would
NATO. The scenario hasn't happened
My message was to the Polish
acquire a new meaning. I, for one, do
yet.
people: "Poland is a land that many
peoples have loved and called home:
Germans, Lithuanians, Latvians, Ru-
thenians, Ukrainians, Byelorussians,
Polish Memories
Jews. Poles were a minority in the
borders of pre-1939 Poland. We are
JACOB NEUSNER
here to stand on this occasion for our
people-in our own names alone, to
sunset, in front of 500,000 people in
be sure-and there is a reason and a
the middle of a square in the newly
message we want to bring.
constructed old town of Warsaw, they
"We Jews loved this country too.
ask you to light a candle? Seeing the
Every town has its Jewish memories.
sun set, I said, "
Who
has
This morning I went to my father-in-
sanctified us by His commandments
law's hometown of Ostrolenka, to find
and commanded us to kindle the
some sort of past for my children. It
Sabbath light." My light-blessed for
was on the road to Lomza, where was
the Sabbath-joined the lights kin-
a great yeshiva, en route to Bialystok,
dled by the faithful of every other
a home to Jewry for half an eternity.
religion, East and West, but it sancti-
To us Poland is poh lin, stay here,
fied the Sabbath.
Jennifer Lawson
and while to us only the Land of
This meeting of religious groups
Israel can be holy intrinsically, this
was assembled by a community or-
country has been made holy to us by
ganized by the Vatican to do good
our centuries of love and loyalty. To
W
ARSAW-A trip to Poland, such
works, called "the community of
us it is now no more: we ask only that
as I took as part of a
Saint Egidio," a collection of genu-
you respect the bones of our an-
commemoration of the fifti-
inely lovely young Italians and other
cestors. Allow us our sacred memo-
eth anniversary of World War II,
Europeans. Each of the groups was
ries, and let them be holy to us."
brings unfamiliar experiences, which
to conduct a prayer service as part of
I added: "And God does not want
challenge you to confront the unprece-
the on-going rites.
this fight: it is not a dispute 'for the
dented. How, for instance, do you
Forewarned, I had brought with
sake of Heaven,' and it cannot endure
deal with a woman who sees you on
me the JWB Prayerbook for the
and will produce no good and must
the street, asks whether you are
Armed Services. There were only
end." A Communist reporter laughed
Jewish, and when you say: "Yes, I
three of us, each there for his own
out loud at the statement that God
am," proceeds to tell you "During
reasons: a Jew, now head of the
had a stake in what was then at
the war, I saved two Jews in my
World Interfaith Council, who was
issue. But my companions of the
home"? What do you say to that?
saved in Warsaw through the war by
community of Saint Egidio under-
On the spur of the moment, I said,
a Christian family; a French Jewish
stood, and the Polish people who had
"God sent me to you to say thank
resistance hero; and I. We had three
come to join us Jews in our commem-
you. May you live to 120 years."
young Polish Jews (one, Matteusz/
oration understood.
She cried. I cried.
Matti, six foot three, blond, blue-
This was my message in Poland. I
What do you do, as a guest of the
eyed, who wants only to go to Israel,
think it was a Jewish message, and I
Vatican, when at the advent of the
get himself circumcised, and become
think that, in my way, I said what
Sabbath, on Friday evening, just at
a real Jew), but no minyan (quorum
Rabbi Avi Weiss said in his.
of ten for religious worship). I said:
Whether or not I was heard as he
Mr. Neusner is a member of the Institute
"Friends, in Poland there is always
was heard I do not know. The
for Advanced Study at Princeton.
a minyan of ghosts."
commemoration was complex, with
OCTOBER 27, 1989 / NATIONAL REVIEW 27
creating what many, but by no means all, see as a
RIGHT DATA
dangerous reliance on foreign capital to finance the deficit.
Things have improved over the past two years, however.
The savings rate increased one full percentage point in
A Nation of Savers?
1988, to 4.2 per cent, making for the largest year-to-year
increase since 1973, and during the first six months of
1989 Americans saved a robust 5.6 per cent of disposable
The notion that the deficit is sopping up an ever-larger
income, a rate which if continued for the rest of the year
share of our personal savings, seemingly valid for most of
will generate a record $202 billion of personal savings.
the Seventies and Eighties, is seriously threatened by the
Why the resurgence? The reduction in the top personal-
savings surge of the past few years:
income-tax rate to 28 per cent undoubtedly played a part,
as does our aging population. A Bureau of Labor Statistics
survey found that households headed by individuals under
THE DEFICIT AND PERSONAL SAVINGS
25 years of age had negative savings rates, spending
($ Billions)
nearly 20 per cent more than they earned, but those
Deficit
headed by people between 35 and 44 (the largest
Calendar
Federal
Personal
as % of
baby-boomer contingent) saved, on average, 5.0 per cent of
Year
Deficit
Savings
Savings
their income. Those with incomes $40,000 and over saved
1973
5.6
89.0
6.3
an enviable 20.1 per cent of income.
1980
61.3
136.9
44.8
The reduction in international tensions may also have
1986
206.9
124.9
165.7
contributed to our improved savings performance. Univer-
sity of Michigan economist Joel Slemrod finds a strong
1987
161.4
101.8
158.5
negative relationship between the perceived likelihood of
1988
145.8
144.7
100.8
nuclear war and a country's rate of private saving: an
1989
146.5(a)
201.5(a)
72.7
increase of 10 per cent in the fraction of the population
a. Annualized rate based on first six months.
that believes a world war likely is associated with a
4.1-percentage-point drop in the savings rate. In a Gallup
In 1973 the deficit absorbed only 6.3 per cent of personal
Poll released in January 1987 49 per cent of the
savings, leaving more than $80 billion to finance private-
respondents in the U.S. indicated they thought there was
sector investment. The savings rate (savings as a
at least a 50-50 chance of a world war occurring within
percentage of disposable personal income) took a dive after
the next ten years. In Japan, where personal savings rates
1973, falling from 9.4 per cent that year to 3.2 per cent in
are consistently in the 16 to 18 per cent range, only 15 per
1987, and the deficit savings ratio deteriorated to the
cent expressed a high fear of world war.
point that in 1983, for the first time since 1945, the
A higher savings rate is not an unmitigated economic
federal deficit exceeded total personal savings. By 1986
blessing. But in economics, as in sex, gratification is often
the deficit was $80 billion larger than personal savings,
greater for being delayed.
-ED RUBENSTEIN
the Communists, Solidarity, the Pol-
knew what the other represented).
me: gas lines, such as we had 15
ish Church through Cardinal Glemp,
Each night he said to me, "I am very
years ago, and empty shops, except
the international Church through the
glad you came. Do come with me to
for people with dollars to spend.
Vatican, not to mention Leonard Bern-
Cracow" (and he meant, of course,
Poland's economy has been wrecked
stein at the Opera House, all partici-
Auschwitz/Oswiecim).
by the Communists. The people have
pating, each running its own celebra-
I said: "I will come with you,
voted out Communism, the first coun-
tion. So who heard what message, I
Cardinal Glemp, and will do so with
try in history lost to Communism by
cannot say.
good will, when and if the day comes
free action of its own population.
But mine was a message, delivered
that you can go with honor and I can
Poland now needs billions of dollars
in my person, I hope of Jewish
go with honor. But that is not today."
for the reconstruction of its economy.
dignity, self-respect, persistence and
We had that exchange three nights
All who care for freedom will sup-
stubbornness: we call it akshanut.
running. Happily, we now can go with
port this country's doing its fair share
It was the message that we have
honor.
in the reconstruction of a free Poland.
our claim and our right and our sense
Religions have yet to learn to think
We Jews cannot and will not hold
of what is appropriate; and, with
religiously about the other, the out-
hostage to our concerns, sacred
respect for the other, we ask that the
sider. We differentiate within and
though they are and unanimous
other respect us, meaning, the wish
homogenize the stranger. That event-
though we are, a nation ridding itself
and will of our survivors, the Jewish
ful week in Warsaw, so it seems to
of a political system as evil as
People, SO far as Poland is concerned.
me in retrospect, that was the right
Nazism, as capable of mass murder
Three nights running I met Cardi-
thing to which to call attention. But,
of its citizens as Nazism. In the scale
nal Glemp at one affair or another,
like all truth, it also scarcely needed
of priorities, tomorrow matters more
and, being the only rabbi present
saying: there were plenty of people
than today, and today more than
(with a kippah on my head), I found
out there ready to prove I was right
yesterday. Poland must not default to
he knew who I was, as much as I
in saying the obvious.
Communism by any action we take or
knew who he was (or rather, each
One other memory came home with
fail to take.
28 NATIONAL REVIEW / OCTOBER 27, 1989
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Must We Become
Japanese?
Japan's indisputable economic success evokes envy-andtempts us toward imitation.
But we need to know more about the reasons for that success before
we try to adapt Japanese policies to our own circumstances.
DAVID D. HALE
W
ILL REVISIONIST HISTORIANS someday reclassify the
require retaliation by other countries if their parliaments
American defeat in Vietnam as a strategic victory
enacted similar laws. (Admittedly, President Reagan
for trade policy? If the U.S. had vanquished the
vetoed congressional efforts to increase import protection
Communist insurgency twenty years ago, South Vietnam
for textiles, but the disagreement with Congress was not
probably would have joined the ranks of Asia's newly
over principle, but merely over whether the U.S. textile
industrializing countries during the 1980s. Assuming its
industry deserved even more protection than it already
bilateral per-capita trade surplus with the U.S. was
enjoyed under the multilateral fiber agreement.) Finally,
mid-way between Taiwan's $650 and South Korea's $250,
the Reagan Administration laid the foundation for a
Vietnam's 35 million people would now be adding $10 to
de-facto industrial policy through a number of initiatives
$15 billion per annum to America's trade deficit. Because
designed to bolster the competitiveness of America's
of its trade surplus, Saigon would now be under constant
high-technology industries, including the creation of a
pressure from the U.S. Treasury to revalue its exchange
federally funded semiconductor consortium (Sematech).
rate. As the exchange rate appreciated, Vietnamese
The Bush Administration appears likely to maintain the
insurance companies would inevitably have started gob-
trend toward more interventionist microeconomic policies-
bling up chunks of downtown Los Angeles and Seattle.
as the decisions to extend steel quotas, renegotiate the
The Harvard Business Review would now be publishing
FSX deal with Japan, and relax antitrust barriers to U.S.
articles about how Vietnam had prospered by developing
consortiums all demonstrate.
a unique export-oriented industrial policy blending ele-
ments of Confucianism with a dirigiste style of economic
management inherited from the French.
W
HAT UNDERLIES this transformation? First, there is
the sheer size of the U.S. trade deficit. By the mid
It is doubtful that such a radically revisionist view of
1980s, as the dollar rose and the trade deficit
America's experience in Indochina will become popular
grew to 4 per cent of GNP, the political balance of power
until the Iowa Democratic caucuses of the early twenty-
shifted toward protectionism. Secondly, the emergence of
first century. But Japan's emergence as a major industrial
a trade deficit in high-technology products has stirred
power and the rise of other Asian nations as trade
fears that America is suffering from competitiveness
competitors have set in motion a revolution in the way
problems that extend beyond the exchange rate. The third
Americans think about free trade, industrial policy, and
factor is the emergence of a new economics literature
the economic role of government.
arguing that governments can enhance national welfare
The Reagan Administration itself signaled the start of
by targeting investment on sectors capable of achieving
the transformation. Ronald Reagan was the most protection-
oligopoly profits in the long term.
ist President in modern American history, pushing the
America is falling behind other countries, say the
share of total imports subject to quota or official restraint
advocates of more aggressive trade and industrial policies,
from 12 per cent to 23 per cent. He also signed a trade bill
because the U.S. Government does not systematically
in 1988 that authorized the U.S. Government to pursue
guide macro and microeconomic policy in directions that
trade retaliation policies unilaterally rather than through
enhance America's comparative advantage as an indus-
GATT; the U.S. itself pursues trade practices that would
trial power. These arguments are, of course, not totally
new. Books praising Japanese experiments in industrial
Mr. Hale is chief economist for Kemper Financial Services.
policy and export promotion began appearing eighty years
30 NATIONAL REVIEW / OCTOBER 27, 1989
ago. By the late 1970s, there was another flurry of books
redefine the objectives of economic policy in mercantilist
heralding the emergence of a Japanese superstate. All of
terms without acknowledging the fact. Although Japan is
these books suggested that Japanese success resulted from
worthy of much applause, her triumphs still leave
an economic model quite different from the one familiar in
important questions unanswered about what constitutes
America and other Anglo-Saxon societies. As Chalmers
economic success. In the 1960s, most economists made fun
Johnson of the University of California explained in a
of Portugal because the Salazar government ran trade
major historical study of Japan's Ministry of International
surpluses and accumulated a huge stock of gold while
Trade and Industry (MITI):
presiding over a country that was often referred to as
Japan's political economy can be located precisely in the line of
"Africa's last colony in Europe." Japan seems more
descent from the German Historical School-sometimes labeled
threatening because her trade surpluses reflect export
"economic nationalism," Handelspolitik, or neomercantilism
success, not just import repression, and she is using her
In states that were late to industrialize, the state itself led
cash hoard to buy a large portfolio of foreign assets. But
the industrialization drive-that is, it took on developmental
is a growth strategy SO dependent on high productivity in
functions. These two differing orientations toward private
one sector of the economy truly beneficial if the overall
economic activities, the regulatory orientation and the develop-
level of productivity and living standards remains low?
mental orientation, produced two different kinds of government-
Indeed, is such a growth strategy even viable once a
business relationships. The United States is a good example of
nation's share of world GNP exceeds 10 per cent and its
a state in which the regulatory orientation predominates,
whereas Japan is a good example of a state in which the
developmental orientation predominates
Until recently, such arguments were considered to be of
Is a growth strategy like Japan's
merely academic interest. But today Japan accounts for
even viable once a nation's
nearly 20 per cent of industrial-world GNP, compared to
less than 1 per cent in the 1950s. The nominal dollar
share of world GNP exceeds
value of Japan's capital investment exceeds America's in
absolute terms and is twice as high per capita. And
10 per cent and its large
Japan's external assets are likely to exceed $500 billion by
external surpluses encourage
the early 1990s, more than half of which will probably be
invested in the United States. Americans are now either
protectionism among
SO alarmed or so awed by the scope of Japan's economic
power that they increasingly regard her achievements as
trading partners?
a challenge to their traditional assumptions about the role
of markets, the government, and the private sector in
shaping a count economic destiny.
large external surpluses encourage protectionism among
trading partners?
B
UT IT IS FAR from clear that the Japanese experience
The other great question posed by its history is whether
is either properly understood or readily transferrable
the Japanese policy experience can be transferred else-
to a society such as the United States. In the first
where. For Japan's economic miracle is underpinned by
place, analysts disagree about whether the decisive
social and political features that would be difficult to
contribution to Japan's success was made by macroeco-
duplicate in the United States.
nomic policies such as low taxation of savings, or by
First, the Japanese policy process is highly elitist, more
microeconomic intervention such as industrial targeting.
democratic in form than in substance. One party has ruled
In the aftermath of World War II, for example, Japan had
for the entire postwar period; power is rotated between
a skilled population, an undervalued exchange rate, a
factions based on personality rather than ideology; and
mixture of tax and financial regulatory policies that
cabinet ministers usually serve as front-men for senior
encouraged thrift, and restrictions on land use that forced
civil servants rather than initiating reforms in their own
families to save by inflating the cost of housing. Such
right. The civil service is powerful and attracts many of
macro- and microeconomic characteristics might well have
the nation's best minds. They in turn command the
produced rapid economic growth even if Japan had not
respect of the private sector and sometimes even finish
pursued mercantilist trade policies and channeled credit to
their careers in top corporate jobs. They provide a mixture
favored manufacturing sectors.
of quality, continuity, and consistency in public policy,
It is also important to remember that Japan's economic
which can serve as a catalyst for motivating private-sector
success has been very lopsided. She has a highly efficient
decision-makers without excessive coercion. Administra-
manufacturing sector, but productivity for the economy as
tive guidance of the financial system, not state ownership,
a whole is abysmal because of massive overemployment in
has been the primary instrument for steering investment.
the service industries. Japan might well have achieved a
Secondly, because of Japan's tribal character and sense
superior rate of economic growth and higher living
of insecurity about her place in the world, the Japanese
standards if investment had not been concentrated in the
people have been prepared to subordinate consumer to
manufacturing sector at the expense of services, residen-
producer interests in order to generate the resources
tial construction, and other sectors oriented toward
needed to sustain high value-added export industries.
domestic consumption.
According to research by DB capital markets, a German
Indeed, one of the major problems in this debate is the
brokerage firm in Tokyo, the rise in Japan's terms of trade
increasing tendency of Americans and Europeans to
during the period 1985-1988 produced an income gain of
OCTOBER 27, 1989 / NATIONAL REVIEW 31
35 trillion yen. Yet DB estimates that 18 trillion yen of
the American household sector borrows on a far larger
this income shift stayed in corporate profits and that only
scale than the household sectors of other countries, while
five trillion yen was passed on to Japanese consumers.
the corporate sector has been converting equity into debt
Ironically, the strength of the yen in London and New
(and thus depressing the national savings rate) by
York actually depressed the value of the yen in Tokyo by
cannibalizing retained profits in order to pay bondholders
causing Japanese firms to penalize domestic consumers
more. A government truly alarmed about the country's low
through high prices in order to subsidize export prices.
level of savings and investment would slash the subsidies
MITI itself recently admitted that Japanese consumers
for mortgage borrowing, use the revenue gains to finance
have had to pay 50 per cent more than foreign consumers
fiscal equality between debt and equity, and cut the total
for identical products. This tolerance for noncompetitive
public-sector deficit with higher consumption taxes and/or
pricing may erode, but in 1989 it is one of those special
public-spending cuts.
cultural factors that distinguish Japan from other in-
For as Japanese history has demonstrated, while there
dustrial societies.
is room for creative microeconomic tinkering, it will only
Can Washington duplicate Japanese success by adopting
work if accompanied by macroeconomic policies that
similar corporatist and mercantilist economic policies?
promote savings, reduce capital costs, and maximize the
That must be very doubtful because of America's own
share of national output available for investment. In
political traditions and social values. When a new
contrast to American politicians, Japanese politicians do
American President takes office, he
not regard microeconomic tinkering
makes over three thousand appoint-
as a potential substitute for coherent
ments to the executive branch, com-
macroeconomic policy. Indeed, by one
pared to 150 for the British prime
important criterion Japan has less
minister, sixty for the German chan-
state intervention than the U.S. and
cellor, and practically none for the
other industrial countries. Except for
Japanese prime minister. In addi-
public works, Japanese government
tion, the average tenure of an Ameri-
spending as a share of GNP is well
can deputy Cabinet secretary tends
below that in most other industrial
to be only about two years and four
countries, while a considerable share
months, compared to lifetime career
of Japan's educational outlays occur
tracks for the deputy ministers in
in private schools and "cram classes."
most other industrialized countries.
America's experiments in managed
As a result, the American govern-
trade and industrial policy could also
ment suffers from a weak institution-
backfire by generating foreign retali-
al conscience (and memory), poor
ation. In the early 1990s, America
co-ordination of macro and micro
will have such a external debt
objectives, and widespread amateur-
that her primary growth locomotives
ism in policy implementation.
will have to be exports and invest-
In turn, the American private
ment. At the same time, Europe will
sector finds Washington's policy for-
be moving toward economic integra-
mulation to be contradictory, confus-
tion, while Asian intra-regional trade
ing, and a poor basis for long-term
will soon overtake trans-Pacific trade
investment decision-making. In the 1980s, for example,
for the first time in recorded history. Clumsy American
there were two far-reaching overhauls of the federal tax
attempts to imitate mercantilist policies that served Japan
code, three major cycles in the dollar exchange rate, a
well when her GNP was only 5 per cent of world output
poorly supervised deregulation of the thrift industry, and
could slow the speed at which America's trade deficit
a proliferation of protectionist actions in trade policy that
contracts.
totally contradicted the White House's ideological rhetoric
about free trade.
F
INALLY, AND IRONICALLY, an American embrace of
Another danger posed by industrial policy is that many
mercantilist strategies could retard the movement
American politicians regard it as an alternative to
toward internal market liberalization now occurring
coherent macroeconomic policy rather than as a comple-
within Japan itself. Although Japan, with a $3-trillion
ment. Indeed, the most distressing aspect of the current
GNP, still has lower imports than the $300-billion
American debate about competitiveness is the unwilling-
combined GNP of South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and
ness of the nation's political leaders to confront the
Singapore, the post-1985 devaluation of the dollar and
populist nature of America's fiscal policies. In the 1980s
revaluation of the yen have had a powerful impact on
the U.S. was the only industrial country to pursue a
trade flows. American manufactured exports have grown
significant reduction in marginal income-tax rates without
by 79 per cent, while Japan's manufactured imports have
introducing higher consumption taxes to offset the
grown by 80 per cent. If the U.S. were to switch to a
revenue loss. Although it has among the lowest housing
system of managed trade with "affirmative-action quotas"
costs in the OECD, the U.S. is also the only industrial
for U.S. exports, it could probably pick up additional
country to provide large tax allowances for mortgage
market share in the short term, but at the price of
interest without any income test. The U.S. is unique as
entrenching a cartelized system of distribution in Japan
well in not providing any tax allowance to corporate
which in the long term would be more beneficial for
shareholders for taxes paid at the corporate level. Hence,
(Continues on page 59)
32 NATIONAL REVIEW / OCTOBER 27, 1989
AFTER SOCIALISM
The End of History-
or of Liberalism?
The political and intellectual map is changing at a vertiginous pace;
but for those who would find the prospect unbearably boring,
take heart: the 'end of history' is nowhere in sight.
JOHN GRAY
T IS A TRUISM that socialism is dead, and an irony that
is in any case difficult to understand the basis for
it survives most robustly as a doctrine not in Paris,
Fukuyama's confidence about the historic role of liberal
where itmas suffered a fate worse than falsification by
democracy in bringing history to a successful close. His
becoming horoughly unfashionable; nor in London, where
confidence cannot be a reflection of the state of liberal
the political hegemony and economic success of Thatcher-
political philosophy, since that is manifestly parlous. In
ite free-market conservatism have made it redundant, but
my recent book, Liberalisms: Essays in Political Philoso-
in the universi CS of capitalist America, as the ideology of
phy (London and New York, Routledge, August 1989), and
the Western academic nomenklatura. But socialism is
particularly in its Postscript, "After Liberalism," I have
most obviously, and most irreversibly, defunct as an
argued that despite its overwhelming dominance in
ideology in the Communist bloc. There glasnost has
Anglo-American philosophy, liberalism has never suc-
surpassed the wildest hopes of Western anti-Communists
ceeded in showing that liberal democratic institutions are
in discrediting the institutions of central planning and
uniquely necessary to justice and the human good. In all
brilliantly
Snating the intractable problems of the
its varieties-utilitarian, contractarian, or as a theory of
Soviet syst
rights-liberal political philosophy has failed to establish
But what does the collapse of socialism as a political
its fundamental thesis: that liberal democracy is the only
faith por for the future of political life and thought?
form of human government that can be sanctioned by
In a vocative and well-received article, "The End of
reason and morality. It therefore fails to give rational
History" (National Interest, Summer 1989), Francis
support to the religion of the contemporary intelligentsia,
Fukuyama announces in a quietly apocalyptic voice that
which combines the sentimental cult of humanity with a
the failure of socialism means "an unabashed victory of
sectarian passion for political reform.
economic and political liberalism" and promises "the end
The consequent debacle of liberal political philosophy is
point of mankind's ideological evolution and the universal-
not something we have any reason to lament. For liberals
ization of Western liberal democracy as the final form of
are committed to the heroic enterprise of denying a very
human government."
obvious truth-the truth that there is a legitimate variety
The prophecy that human history is about to end and
of forms of government under which human beings have
a new historical epoch about to begin is of course a
flourished and may still hope to prosper. Who can doubt
recurrent one in the history of Western thought. It is
that human beings flourished under the feudal institu-
probably an unintended irony that Fukuyama's article
tions of medieval Christendom? Or under the monarchical
should stand as a contribution to the project of a secular
government of Elizabethan England? It is in virtue of its
theodicy first undertaken by the philosophes of the French
repression of this evident truth that liberal discourse has
Enlightenment, but most notably and energetically pur-
acquired its stridency and intolerance-indeed, its almost
sued in the Marxian system of thought which Fukuyama
obsessional character. In seeking to construct a liberal
correctly perceives to be now in a terminal decline. But it
ideology, liberal theorists are attempting what even they
must sometimes see to be impossible. They are struggling
Mr. Gray is a Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford. This article was
to confer the imprimatur of universal authority on the
written during a period of residence as Stranahan Distinguished
local practices they have inherited. The absurdity of this
Research Fellow at the Social Philosophy and Policy Center,
project has, indeed, been tacitly recognized by one of
Bowling Green State University, Ohio.
this century's most subtle liberal thinkers, John Rawls,
OCTOBER 27, 1989 / NATIONAL REVIEW 33
when in his later work he revealed that he aims only to
uniquely, the Japanese succeeded in grafting onto the
give a coherent philosophical statement of the character
unbroken stem of a traditional culture the institutions of
and premises of a particular historical tradition-the
a modern civil society. As a result, Japan has in the last
tradition of constitutional democracy.
two decades emerged as a global economic superpower,
If Fukuyama's confident expectation of the End cannot
and must willy-nilly become a superpower tout court in
be explained by the state of liberal philosophy, from what
the coming century. This has been achieved without any
does it derive? It is the expression, most likely, not of a
deep commitment to the political institutions imposed
political philosophy, but of a philosophy of history, one
upon Japan at the end of the Second World War, and
dominated by the notion that liberal democracy is
certainly without the support of the ideas and values that
history's telos, other modes of government being recog-
are supposed to undergird market institutions in the
nized only as progressions toward, or aberrations from,
West, such as individualism, natural rights, or the idea of
that end.
progress.
The East Asian exa les show that Western achieve-
T
HE GRAIN OF TRUTH in this interpretation of history is
ments can be reproduced, and for that matter surpassed,
that it is only through the development of civil
without any acceptance of "the Western idea" of which
society-a society in which most institutions, though
Fukuyama speaks when he refers to "the triumph of the
protected by law, are independent of the state-that a
West." The ongoing disintegration of Communism on the
modern civilization can reproduce it-
Soviet model gives Fukuyama's argu-
self. Without those institutions-for
ment no better support. The avowed
example, private property and con-
aim of the twin Soviet reform policies of
tractual liberty under the rule of
THE END
perestrokka and glasnost is to break the
law-modern societies undergo a de-
totalitarian mold and reconstitute a
scent into poverty and barbarism. Civil
IS
civil society. Even if it is successful,
society is the matrix of the market
however, the Soviet reform policy is
economy, which both history and the-
NIGH
unlikely to result in a triumph of
ory show to be the precondition of
Western liberalism. To attempt to fore-
prosperity and liberty in the modern
tell the future cost of Gorbachev's
world. This is a truth that even the
reform policy is idle. Already however,
Soviet leadership may now be learning,
glasnost has to its credit a considerable
after having waged for over seventy
achievement. It has revealed for all
years an incessant war on all the civil
time the ruins of the totalitarian project
societies that have come within its
initiated by Lenin in 19 7. This is the
sphere of domination. It is one that the
project, intimated in Lenin's horrible
Iranian fundamentalists are beginning
1989 Mal Ent. Inc.
saying, "We must be engineers of
to accept, however grudgingly, as they
souls," of destroying the traditional
retreat from the position that a modern
identities of the human beings within
state can be governed exclusively
its power and reconstructing them as
through the precepts of the Islamic sharyah. And it is a
specimens of the new socialist humanit Prosecuted
truth that will become painfully clear to the aged
relentlessly and without mercy for over two ge rations in
Stalinists of Communist China, when they are forced by
an incessant war against religion, the family, and
circumstances to perceive the economic ruin that flows
nationality, this totalitarian project has been own by
from trying to confine an emergent civil society in a newly
glasnost to have been a stupendous failure. As they
re-sewn totalitarian straitjacket.
emerge from the shadows of totalitarianism, the peoples of
To say that no modern state can renew itself with a
the Soviet Union reveal themselves, not as specimens of
decent degree of prosperity unless it contains the
socialist humanity, but as Ukrainians or Balts, Catholics
institutions of a civil society is, however, very far from
or Muslims, bearing traditional identities in no way
allowing that liberal democracy is "the final form of
compromised by decades of totalitarian indoctrination. The
human government." Civil societies come in many shapes
forms of national and religious life that are reasserting
and forms and thrive under a variety of regimes. The
themselves in the Soviet Union give the lie to the
authoritarian civil societies of East Asia-South Korea,
totalitarian idea (echoed by innumerable Western liberals)
Taiwan, and Singapore-have combined an extraordinary
that human beings can be remodeled according to the
record of economic success with the protection of most
dictates of rationalist ideology. If anything, the traditional
individual liberties under the rule of law without adopting
identities of the peoples of the Soviet Union may be
all the elements of liberal democracy.
healthier than those in many Western nations, where
Or consider the case of Japan, which Fukuyama's
subtler forms of indoctrination have had a more corrosive
mentor, the Hegelian scholar Alexandre Kojeve, rightly
effect in rendering traditional forms of life decadent.
recognized as the key exception to the trend of global
It is precisely because the revelations of glasnost give
homogenization. To be sure, Japan has become a consum-
the lie to the totalitarian project of reshaping human
erist culture, and its political institutions are liberal
nature that they also confound Fukuyama's account. If the
democratic. Yet the crucial decades of modernization in
newly self-assertive peoples of the Soviet bloc are not
Japan occurred in the late nineteenth and early twentieth
specimens of Homo sovieticus, neither do their political
centuries; modernization was generated internally and did
beliefs have anything in common with the rationalist and
not arrive as the result of pressure from outside; and,
egalitarian liberalism which has dominated American life
34 NATIONAL REVIEW / OCTOBER 27, 1989
for fifty years. They are defined, and define themselves,
ideas and assumptions in American intellectual life, and
not primarily as buyers and sellers in markets, nor as
such is their constraining power over public discourse,
abstract bearers of rights and entitlements, but in terms
that it sometimes seems barely possible to formulate a
of their membership in a nation or a church. They may
thought that is not liberal, let alone to express it freely.
share a common longing for emancipation from the Soviet
The domination of the American mind by liberal ideology
system, but that is all they share. Each of the subject
has fostered blind spots in American perception of the real
peoples in the Soviet bloc harbors particular claims,
world that have been immensely disabling for policy.
territorial or otherwise in character, which sets it in
The fetish of open government, as symbolized in the
conflict with the rest. It is for this reason that the waning
Freedom of Information Act, congressional oversight, and
of the Soviet system is bound to be accompanied by a
the respectability given to leaking, prevents the United
waxing of ethnic and nationalist conflicts-just the sort of
States from ever again engaging in any major covert
stuff history has always been made of. These conflicts are,
operation. The domination of public life by the power of
in part, undoubtedly a legacy of Stalinism, since it was
the invasive media calls into serious question the capacity
Stalin who ruthlessly dislocated entire peoples and
of the United States to wage any war larger, or more
relocated them without regard to their history or
protracted, than the invasion of Grenada. Liberal egalitar-
traditions. But these conflicts also embody age-old enmi-
ianism in education, coupled with absurd and counterpro-
ties and loyalties, which are now coming back to the
ductive affirmative-action programs, has resulted in a
surface after decades of totalitarian suppression. What we
de-skilling of America that is awesome in magnitude.
are witnessing in the Soviet Union is not, then, the end
(Consider that, whereas at age six Japanese and American
of history, but instead its resumption-and on decidedly
children have roughly similar mathematical abilities, at
traditional lines.
age 18 the average Japanese child has the mathematical
All the evidence suggests that we are now moving back
competence of the top 1 per cent of American children.)
into an epoch that is classically historical, and not forward
In many other areas, liberal ideology has in America
into the empty, hallucinatory post-historical era projected
proved itself to be the enemy rather than the friend of
civil society. In its expressions in organized feminism and
in affirmative-action policy, liberalism has sanctioned the
As they emerge from the
invasion of privacy, the curtailment of freedom of
association, and the erosion of contractual liberty. Because
shadow of totalitarianism,
of the ravages wreaked on civil society by liberal ideology
America already has a more bureaucratized and regulated,
the peoples of the Soviet Union
less tolerant, more divided, and more statist society than
most other modern democracies, squandering the histori-
reveal themselves, not as
cal patrimony of civil society on which American pre-
specimens of socialist
eminence in the world rested. Liberal ideology guarantees
blindness to the dangers that liberalism has itself brought
humanity, but as Ukrainians
about. In sum, the danger for America is that, confronted
with comparative economic decline, an uncontrollable
or Balts, Catholics or Muslims.
crime epidemic, and weak or paralyzed political institu-
tions, it will drift further and further into isolation and
disorder. At the worst, America faces a metamorphosis
into a sort of proto-Brazil, with the status of an ineffectual
in Fukuyama's article. Ours is an era in which political
regional power rather than a global superpower.
ideology, liberal as much as Marxist, has a rapidly
dwindling leverage on events, and more ancient, more
N GENERAL, all speculations about the future are riddled
primordial forces, nationalist and religious, are contesting
with hazards. Michael Oakeshott, the English conserva-
with each other. In retrospect, it may well appear that it
tive philosopher, has written that we know as much
was the static, polarized period of ideology, the period
about where history is leading us as we do about future
between the end of the First World War and the present,
fashions in hats. There are, perhaps, only two things of
that was the aberration.
which one may be reasonably sure. The first is that the
If the Soviet Union does indeed fall apart, that
days of liberalism are numbered. Especially as it governs
beneficent catastrophe will not inaugurate a new era of
policy in the United States, liberalism is ill-equipped to
post-historical harmony, but instead a return to the
deal with the new dilemmas of a world in which ancient
classical terrain of history, a terrain of great-power
allegiances and enmities are reviving on a large scale.
rivalries, secret diplomacies, and irredentist claims and
We know this much at least: history will not end with
wars. The vision of perpetual peace among liberal states,
the passing of liberalism, any more than with the collapse
which has haunted Western thought at least since it was
of Communism. The second thing we know for sure is that
given systematic formulation by Immanuel Kant, will soon
we have no reason whatever to expect that our future will
be seen for what it always was-a mirage that serves only
be markedly different from our past. As we have known it,
to distract us from the real business of statesmanship in
human history is a succession of contingencies, catastro-
a permanently intractable world.
phes, and occasional lapses into peace and civilization. If
Fukuyama's brilliant and thoughtful argument is a
this is the case, there is at least one misfortune that we
symptom of the hegemonic power of liberalism in
will surely be spared-the melancholy and boredom that
American thought. So ubiquitously pervasive are liberal
is evoked by the prospect of the end of history.
OCTOBER 27, 1989 / NATIONAL REVIEW 35
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OCTOBER 27, 1989 / NATIONAL REVIEW 37
THE DAY-CARE DEBATE
Do Congressmen
Have Mothers?
You might well wonder, considering the Act for Better Child Care and the terms
in which it is being discussed. The message for women is unmistakable:
Your child is better off without you than with you.
MAGGIE GALLAGHER
F YOU SURVEY recent social-science literature, you will
confined to the pages of fashion magazines, it would
get the distinct impression that mothers are a modern
merely be a disturbing blip on the cultural horizon. But
invention. Intense mother-child bonds are something
this year, the Democrats in Congress have come very close
American culture dreamed up to trap women in the home;
to making it official. In June, the Senate passed a version
they can easily be dispensed with, or broadened to include
of the Act for Better Child Care, a day-care subsidy which
men, other relatives, and the local day-care teacher. At
bypasses family choice and goes only to women who put
different times, in different places, children have been
their kids in for-profit day-care centers. The House is
raised in a variety of ways. Customs differ. Who are we
expected to follow suit. With these votes, the Democratic
to say ours are best?
Party came down squarely against maternal care of
As feminist anthropologist Maxine Margolis writes, "If
children. The insult to women is hard to miss: Your baby
such [an intense mother-child] relationship were in fact
is better off without you than with you.
essential, we would
have to believe that mothers
throughout the ages have failed their offspring and that
W
HAT SOCIAL SCIENTISTS like Miss Margolis-and the
only within the last 150 years in the United States and
congressmen who fashion legislation based on
other Western industrialized societies have the psychologi-
their ideas-fail to consider is this: All the
cal needs of children been met."
varying ways of raising kids may well be, in the narrow
It is in this intellectual atmosphere that the current
anthropological sense, equally natural. That doesn't mean
political debate over subsidized day care is being con-
they are equally enjoyable for children or produce adults
ducted. From movies, books, magazines, and television,
with the same emotional and mental capabilities. Ka-
women repeatedly receive the message that for them to
lahari bushparents are very adept at producing children
care for their own babies not only is unnecessary, but may
who fit into a foraging, semi-nomadic, illiterate culture. It
actually be harmful. One popular women's magazine
is not clear that their child-rearing practices would be
cheerfully asserts: "Research suggests that children in
equally adapted to raising children who can read and
quality child care socialize more effectively, are more
write, hold down a nine-to-five job, and respect authority
self-reliant, do better in school later on, commit fewer
while retaining a healthy commitment to individual rights
crimes, and are more likely to graduate from high school
and political democracy.
and continue their education than those whose mothers
From a public-health standpoint alone, one would think
stayed home with them all day." (These studies were
that government would try to maximize care by mothers,
conducted on ghetto children, which does not prevent
relatives, or even smaller family day care over large
magazines catering to middle- and upper-middle-class
day-care centers. The best summary of the potential
women from suggesting that we too are dangerous to our
hazards of day care was compiled by Dr. Bryce Chris-
children's mental health.)
tensen and published in the November 1987 issue of
If this condescending attitude toward women were
Family in America, a publication of the Rockford Institute.
A 1984 study of hemophilous influenza Type B (which can
Adapted with permission from Enemies of Eros: How the Sexual
lead to childhood meningitis and epiglottitis) concluded
Revolution Is Killing Family, Marriage, Sex, and What We Can
that day-care children were 12 times as likely to catch the
Do about It, by Maggie Gallagher; due out next month from Bonus
disease as children cared for by their mothers. Another
Books, 160 E. Illinois St., Chicago, Ill. 60611.
study by the Centers for Disease Control found rates of
38 NATIONAL REVIEW / OCTOBER 27, 1989
infection for giardiasis were 15 to twenty times higher
in the same direction: children placed in full-time day care
among day-care children. Dr. Stanley H. Schuman of the
(especially as infants) are on average less responsive to
Medical University of South Carolina maintains day-care
adults, exhibit less altruistic behavior, appear to take
centers are responsible for recent "outbreaks of enteric
moral and social rules less seriously, and engage in more
illness-diarrhea, dysentery, giardiasis, and epidemic
aggressive acts.
jaundice-reminiscent of the pre-sanitation days of the
The work of economists confirms the research of
seventeenth century."
child-development experts: women's work in the home is
Babies and toddlers wear diapers. They suck their
by no means a waste of time. Unlike child psychologists,
fingers, slobber on toys, and joyfully spit up food. From
economists interested in the development of human
time to time, they take one of those brightly colored,
capital have made many attempts to measure the
educationally approved wooden blocks, stick it in their wet
long-term effect of maternal care. Belton Fleischer, for
little mouths, and pass it on to a friend. They do these
example, using the Department of Labor's National
things regardless of how caring the personnel or how
Longitudinal Survey, constructed an index based on the
strictly licensed the facility. As long as babes will be
number of years during which the mother worked less
babęs, putting two dozen or so toddlers in one room will
than six months of the year while her child was 15 or
facilitate the spread of disease.
younger. Taking into account other variables, including
In 1978 Jay Belsky and Laurence D. Steinberg reviewed
schooling, earnings, and IQ, he found that the earnings
the scholarly literature on day care
payoff resulting from each year of
and concluded: "High-quality center-
formal school for a child was posi-
based day care has neither salutary
tively related to the index of the
nor deleterious effects upon the
mother's child-care time. In other
intellectual development of the child."
words, if you take two children with
They warned, however, that there
identical education and intelligence,
was "shockingly little" research into
the child whose mother devoted fewer
the long-term effects of widespread
full-time years to the work force will,
use of day care. In the intervening
on average, be more successful.
ten years, Jay Belsky has been one
In A Mother's Work, Deborah Fal-
of the principal researchers investi-
lows went to hundreds of day-care
gating these effects, and he has
centers and saw what hundreds of
stepped up his warning against
social scientists refused to see: the
full-time day care for infants.
pain, loneliness, confusion, and bore-
Problems with day-care children
dom of many toddlers in group day
are showing up in two particular
care. I have put my own son in four
(undoubtedly interrelated) areas: at-
different day-care centers in three
tachment and aggression. Attach-
different states, and I cannot dis-
ment is the term psychologists use
KATHERINE TRUNK
agree with her. Nor apparently do
to describe the emotional bond be-
many other working mothers. Indeed,
tween a child and its parents, which is necessary for
when asked: "What worries you most about raising
healthy social and psychological development. Most re-
children?" in a recent Roper poll, 29 per cent of women
search on attachment has focused on the mother-child
answered, "Working and not being home full-time." When
bond. Surprisingly, there is now evidence that it is the
you consider that about a third of mothers are home
father-child bond which is most at risk when children are
full-time, that suggests about half of working mothers are
placed in day care. In the February 1988 issue of Child
experiencing a great deal of anxiety about the fact that
Development, Belsky and Michael J. Rovine report on the
they must work.
evidence from two longitudinal studies of day-care chil-
This is particularly disturbing because one fairly
dren. Infants placed in day care twenty hours a week or
consistent research finding is that when mothers are
more were more likely to be classified as insecurely
unhappy about being in the work force, the negative
attached to their mothers than those who spent less time
effects of day care are likely to be exacerbated. (Research-
there. When mothers worked 35 hours a week or more,
ers frequently then attribute the child's trouble to "family
baby boys were almost twice as likely to be rated
stress," not day care.) So why are the Democrats intent on
insecurely attached to their fathers. When the mother
constructing a society in which women have no other
worked less than twenty hours per week, only 7 per cent
choice?
of boys were insecurely attached to both parents. Among
Day care as an option for women who want to work is
boys with extensive day-care experience, almost 29 per
a very different matter from institutionalizing socialized
cent were insecurely attached to both parents. When these
motherhood, which is what the Federal Government is
boys reach the aggressive temptations of early manhood,
doing when it taxes one-income families at unprecedented
society may well pay a high price for our current
rates and offers tax subsidies only to mothers who work.
infatuation with subsidized day care.
The economic and cultural pressures now pushing mothers
In the 1950s and '60s, psychologists warned mothers
of young children into the work force guarantee that day
that even partial separation from their children could
care will be more harmful than when it is voluntarily
have disastrous consequences. The current research does
chosen by women who have the option to withdraw if their
not support that sweeping a condemnation. Nonetheless,
children suffer because of it.
an impressive number of studies of day-care children point
(Continues on page 59)
OCTOBER 27, 1989 / NATIONAL REVIEW 39
RADICAL CONSERVATISM
A Free Market
in Government
Until the turn of the century, when the Progressives decided there was
too much diversity about, most power in America was exercised on the local level.
It could be again.
DONALD DEVINE
C
ONSERVATISM is becoming boring. By now, anyone who
Take two problems most worrying to social conserva-
knows anything knows that freedom works, that the
tives: the problems of values in schools and of pornogra-
market is the only way to rationalize an economy.
phy. How about arguing that, in fact, these problems were
When even Chinese and Soviet Communists see the light,
solved in the past by libertarian means-by using a large
an insight is on its way toward becoming a cliché.
number of independent corporations, called local govern-
True, U.S. congressmen seem not to have learned this
ments, in a market that allowed freedom and choice? For
lesson; but their furtive glances betray them. You might
most of American history, local, independent districts
have missed it, but during the debate on the minimum-
defined the values schools taught, and local governments
wage bill, Teddy Kennedy himself quietly exempted
regulated standards for pornography. Yet despite the
Puerto Rico because not even he wanted to drive that
regulation, there were so many different standards that
many people out of work.
the overall picture was diversity and freedom.
Likewise, it is hard to work up much anti-Communist
As Nobel laureate F. A. Hayek has noted, Western
fervor when the whole socialist enterprise seems to be
freedom itself developed around the "sworn commune" of
falling apart. Undoubtedly, we should find some way to
the voluntarily created city. Freedom sprang up in the
help the Eastern Europeans and the Soviet nationalities
interstices between the municipalities, the feudal estates,
loosen the Kremlin's bonds; but this is almost kicking a
the church, and the central monarchy. The 'political
guy when he's down, hardly an inspiring assignment.
anarchy" created by the competition among the different
There are controversies, to be sure, but in a perverse
powers permitted freedom to flower in the cracks. Traders
way the current ill will between social and economic
could choose to operate in those cities which provided the
conservatives exists, to a great degree, because there is no
necessary commercial freedom.
debate on the economic side. So the debate focuses too
narrowly upon the desirability of the ends, rather than
N AMERICA, the original pattern of local settlement
looking at both means and ends. Yet modern conservatism
almost perfectly followed a Lockean-libertarian social-
means nothing without both: it is libertarian means in a
contract model. When a group of people did not like the
conservative society that will produce traditionalist ends.
values where they were, they moved and created another
That was the fusionist insight of Frank Meyer, William
voluntary community based upon their own values.
Buckley, and others, which started the conservative
Consequently, the preponderance of power and responsi-
movement moving in the Fifties.
bility rested with the localities: even at the dawn of the
The challenge for conservatives today is to find the
twentieth century, 90 per cent of government spending
appropriate call to arms for a new conservative vision
was done by local government. State and national
based upon the original fusionist ideal, harnessing the
governments were insignificant in comparison to both the
energy of social conservatives and the rationality of
private sector and local government.
economic conservatives for the good not only of the
But a little group called the Progressives ended all of
conservative movement but of the country.
that. They did not like such untidy diversity and wanted
to organize the resulting anarchical confusion. They
Mr. Devine, former director of the U.S. Office of Personnel
wanted to "run government in a businesslike way," to
Management, is a Washington political and management consult-
apply economies of scale to what Edmund Burke had more
ant and chairman of Citizens for America.
feelingly seen as "little platoons." This perversion of the
40 NATIONAL REVIEW / OCTOBER 27, 1989
capitalist vision swept all before it. While the private
subordinate units, which, in turn, have no indicator as to
sector today still accounts for much more than three-
whether they are successful. Indeed, failure-measured by
fourths of the total economy, local government now
the fact that the problem which justified the government
handles a minority of government activity. The shocking
program in the first place still exists-is the best
fact is that, thanks to the Progressives, there are no more
guarantee that more funds will be provided.
municipalities, towns, and townships in 1989 than there
The only solution is to create a large number of
were in 1889. In 1942, there were 108,000 school districts
municipalities, SO as to create a market of governments,
in the U.S.; there are fewer than 15,000 today.
with success measured by the desirability of living in the
Two Progressive reforms created this revolution. The
different local communities. Constitutionally, local gov-
first was the urban annexation movement, whereby cities
ernments must be viewed as quasi-voluntary associations,
(and school districts) gobbled up adjacent municipalities
protected from national government as are private
and unincorporated land. While the intellectual force
associations. The fact of the matter is that they were
behind this movement should not be underestimated,
originally called municipal corporations rather than
Progressivism's most valuable ally here was the newly
governments at all. Yet, as Willmoore Kendall noted, one
created penny press, the metropolitan dailies. The news-
day Americans awoke, after the school-prayer decision, to
papers quickly recognized that the larger the unit, the
hear their local governments arbitrarily classified by the
more customers would identify with the urban-named
Court as "the state." But the people knew they were not,
newspaper.
and, in their bones, remain SO convinced to this day.
New York City itself was only created in the late 1890s
Recreating a market of local governments would
from two score local governments. Every other American
automatically answer many of the objections it would
city followed a similar, if
raise. With a large enough
less dramatic, pattern. Yet,
PORN
number of local governments
after Progressivism created
to give real choice within
these monstrosities, the cit-
metropolitan areas, libertarians
ies began to destroy them-
without the ideological blind-
selves. A half-century of fed-
ers of the ACLU should be
eral aid has not restored
willing to let municipalities
them to the livability they
engage in activities, such as
enjoyed when they had a
teaching values in schools or
fraction of their current pri-
regulating pornography, that
vate wealth.
should not be ceded to the
A second Progressive re-
Ray Alma
national state. If there were
THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD!"
form had even greater long-
108,000 school districts today,
term consequences. Before Progressivism, the county was
and the freedom to transfer between them, teaching
simply an administrative sub-unit of the state govern-
values would be much less of a problem. If there were two
ment, managing the judicial system and keeping some
hundred local governments or independent boroughs (and
statistics and records. The Progressives realized that if
a sin city or two) within the present large cities and
they transferred municipal functions to the county, they
metropolitan counties, regulating pornography should
could organize the population outside of the cities too. If
raise no objection from any but the most doctrinaire
population moved beyond the reach of the city, a
libertarian.
municipal county would make it unnecessary to create
The consolidation of New York City was the crowning
new local governments to provide services. So states were
blow in the Progressives' political assault on local
persuaded to grant municipal functions to the counties.
diversity. Yet, in politics, what goes around comes around:
With the suburban population explosion after 1945, the
on July 1, the state legislature authorized a referendum
Progressive plan was fulfilled beyond its wildest expecta-
to allow Staten Island to secede from New York City.
tions in the large metropolitan-area suburban county
A radical program to create many more local govern-
governments. The result has been bureaucratic monstrosi-
ments and give them power is a daunting task, but it is
ties almost as inhuman as the Department of Health and
one that is truly compassionate, able to deal with
Human Services.
questions of values, and also fully consistent with
libertarian ideals. Local government allows social conserv-
T
HE BANNER of Progressivism-moral uplift and effi-
atives to solve real problems and libertarians to have their
ciency of scale-transformed America's landscape.
valued means of freedom. On a practical level, this
But the venture failed to work because it was based
program could unify these now often-warring factions.
upon a poor theory of organization. It seemed reasonable
The dissatisfaction today with government at all levels
at the time that efficiencies of scale would apply to
is manifest. Pursuing privatization and deregulation will
government as they had to the private sector, but Ludwig
be part of the conservative response. But it will not be
von Mises, in his magisterial Bureaucracy, proved that the
enough; and much of that battle can be left to establish-
only reason private-sector firms could successfully create
ment Republicans. The conservative challenge is to create
the large bureaucracies necessary for efficiency of scale
the vision for the next century. Establishing a market of
was that they had a reliable communication device: the
local governments may just be humane, socially conscious,
profit-and-loss bottom line.
idealistic, libertarian, rational, and popular enough to
Government, on the other hand, simply has no bottom
revitalize the conservative movement in its never-ending
line. When government enlarges, it loses contact with its
quest for a society based upon ordered freedom.
OCTOBER 27, 1989 / NATIONAL REVIEW 41
THE HOLLYWOOD 10
The Real Blacklist
True or false: The Fifties was a period of blacklisting and fear
in the American movie industry. True. But most of the blacklisting was done
by the Communists, not to them.
JOSEPH FARAH
N 1947, A GROUP of prominent writers and directors
refusal to answer that question had nothing to do with
known as the Hollywood 10, all members or former
principles but everything to do with self-preservation.
members of the Communist Party, refused to answer
The truth about what has become romantically known
the questions of a congressional committee investigating
as "the blacklist era" begins with the fact that every
the Party's activities in Hollywood. Each of the ten served
member of the defiant Hollywood 10 had indeed at some
brief jail terms for contempt.
point been a member of the Communist Party. That fact
Forty-two years later, Hollywood's treatment of the two
was established during the committee hearings. As each
surviving members of that group is a study in contrasts.
member of the Hollywood 10-Lardner, Dmytryk, Robert
Ring Lardner Jr. continues to write and is widely
Adrian Scott, Lester Cole, Dalton Trumbo, John Howard
celebrated in the film community, a hero who wears his
Lawson, Albert Maltz, Alvah Bessie, Samuel Ornitz, and
status as a non-cooperative witness like a badge of honor.
Herbert Biberman-refused to answer the key question,
Edward Dmytryk, on the other hand, is a pariah, shunned
committee investigator Louis J. Russell, a former FBI
by many of his former colleagues; he now makes a living
agent, was called to the stand to produce the number of
teaching his craft to university students.
that person's Communist Party registration card for 1944.
The difference? Lardner followed the Party line, while
Some might ask: So what? What difference does it make
Dmytryk, soured by his experiences with Stalinists,
that there were Communists writing and directing motion
publicly rejected his Communist affiliations after serving
pictures? It isn't now and wasn't then a crime to be a
his sentence.
member of the Party. But those questions would be better
The hypocrisy within the industry was never more
directed to the ten who refused to answer.
evident than last spring when the Writers Guild of
"We decided that it was not a good idea to deny
America presented Lardner with a special lifetime-
membership in the Communist Party," recalled Lardner in
achievement award for "personal integrity"; the speeches
an interview published last fall.
We just felt that
and proclamations made it clear that he was being hailed
there were too many stool pigeons and various other ways
for his refusal to answer one straightforward question
to find out, and you could get yourself in a much worse
from the House Committee on Un-American Activities:
situation for perjury; it would be very hard to organize
"Are you now or have you ever been a member of the
any sympathy around that."
Communist Party?"
At least Dmytryk could have testified honestly, for he
"I could answer that the way you want, but I'd hate
had left the Party after a brief flirtation two years earlier.
myself in the morning," was Lardner's witty, if somewhat
Roy M. Brewer, at the time the head of the Hollywood
ambiguous, response at the time. That answer, and
office of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage
Lardner's citation of his First Amendment rights, was
Employees, is currently writing a book on his efforts with
interpreted as a bold, principled stand against an
Ronald Reagan to rid Hollywood of Communist influence.
inquisition into artists' personal political convictions. Few
He recalls how Dmytryk was double-crossed by the Party
in the entertainment industry yet understand that the
members.
"No one knew at the time that four of the five
Mr. Farah is a syndicated columnist and editor of Between the
[attorneys for the Hollywood 10] were Party members, so
Lines, a publication monitoring political abuses by the media and
they could get an agreement that whatever the majority
in Hollywood.
of the lawyers decided, all of the ten would fall in line,"
42 NATIONAL REVIEW / OCTOBER 27, 1989
he said. "So, in effect, the Party was making the decision.
tubercle-dissolve that waxy covering and you could kill
"John Howard Lawson was the commissar," explains
tuberculosis in no time. And that's what you have to do
Brewer. "He was the person that mattered most to the
with Communism. I know. I've been there."
Party, and he was the one they wanted to protect. He had
What was it that turned Dmytryk around? "The
previously testified before the state Committee on Un-
hardest thing I had to live with was the realization that
American Activities that he was not a Party member. He
they were trying to protect Communism in this country by
knew that the congressional committee had positive
invoking the Constitution and civil liberties, things that
evidence of his membership, SO regardless of how he
wouldn't last five minutes if the Commies ever took over,"
testified in answer to the all-important question-'Are you
he said. "This was on my conscience constantly."
now or have you ever been .'-he would be subject to
Dmytryk, too, is putting the finishing touches on a book.
a perjury charge. So they devised this plan of defiance to
He believes he knows more about the Hollywood 10 than
get him off the hook." By refusing to answer and by
anyone else alive with the possible exception of Ring
attacking the committee's right to ask, they hoped to
Lardner Jr., "and he's not telling."
create a cause célèbre that would further radicalize their
If he had any doubts about the viciousness, bitterness,
industry, polarize American public opinion, and save their
and dogmatism of today's Hollywood Left, his eyes were
own skins. And, in the long run, they succeeded.
opened last year when he attempted to participate in an
industry symposium on "the blacklist era" in Barcelona,
H
OLLYWOOD, because of its wealth and influence, was
Spain. Though he was the only member of the Hollywood
one of the prime targets for subversion. Even
10 in attendance, he was denied the opportunity to take
Lardner recently boasted that the Party wielded
tremendous power in the industry prior to the hearings.
"We did play a part, I think, in most everything that was
going on in the Hollywood scene," he recalled. "Organ-
Hollywood, because of its
izations such as the Motion Picture Committee to Aid
Spanish Democracy, the Hollywood Anti-Nazi League, and
wealth and influence, was one
the League of American Writers would not really have
of the prime targets
functioned anywhere near to the extent that they did
without the very active participation of Communists in
for subversion.
their forefront; nor, I think, would the unions that were
being formed or reformed at the time
have
gotten
as
strong as fast as they did without the extra work that the
Communists put into organizing and recruiting people for
part in a panel discussion with a group of writers,
them."
directors, actors, and newsmen when other participants
Today's liberals conveniently forget that it was the
threatened to boycott the event.
Communists themselves who first instituted censorship
"I said I wouldn't participate in this if Dmytryk were
and blacklisting in the movie industry. Lardner, for
here," said screenwriter Walter Bernstein. "It's not a
instance, was among a group that circulated a petition at
debatable subject."
MGM to halt production on a film whose political content
Director Jules Dassin shared that view: "I don't believe
they disagreed with. Trumbo once boasted in a bylined
that you enjoy your freedom," he told Dmytryk, who was
article in the Communist Worker that, while Hollywood
allowed to sit in the audience and endure insults from his
produced few "provocative" or "progressive" films, agents
colleagues. "They made a mistake by inviting Dmytryk.
within the industry were able to spike "reactionary" and
There are no two sides to the question, only one side."
anti-Soviet scripts. Witness after witness in the Hollywood
Meanwhile, the record shows that the cooperative
HUAC hearings-courageous people like Reagan, Gary
witnesses suffered, in some cases, worse fates than the
Cooper, Brewer, and writer Morrie Ryskind-charged that
exposed Communists. Ryskind, Adolphe Menjou, and
the Communists conspired to create opportunities in the
screenwriter Richard Macaulay are examples of highly
industry for their political allies and to destroy them for
successful artists who scarcely worked again following
their enemies.
their explosive testimony.
That situation did not change greatly after the hearings.
But, for most of Hollywood, all that is remembered of
Yes, it's true that those with studio contracts were fired.
that period is the supposed "sacrifice" made those who
But most managed to continue writing for the silver
refused to cooperate. And that distortion of reality is as
screen under pseudonyms, and just over a decade later,
much an indictment of the news media as it is of the
the forgetful and forgiving nature of the American public
memory of Hollywood. Not one of the many news accounts
allowed them, once again, to receive screen credits for
of Lardner's recent award even mentioned his membership
their work. Now being a member of the Hollywood 10 has
in the Communist Party. Several news reports actually
become a badge of honor.
chalked up the Hollywood 10 convictions to Senator
Except for Dmytryk. Becoming an anti-Communist was
Joseph McCarthy, whose hearings didn't begin until
too much for the Hollywood establishment to forgive.
several years later.
When he got out of prison in 1950, Dmytryk blasted his
Ironically, it is Hollywood's self-delusion about the
former comrades in a Saturday Evening Post article,
causes of "the blacklist era," its failure to grasp the real
"What Makes a Hollywood Communist." "The time has
lessons, and its unwillingness to police itself that make it
come now when even the fellow traveler must get out," he
all the more likely that another political backlash will
said. "They're like the waxy capsule that protects the
someday occur.
OCTOBER 27, 1989 / NATIONAL REVIEW 43
THE OPEN QUESTION
which itself derives from God, and
which in civil society are the legally
prescriptive safeguards to life, liberty,
and property? No traditional conserv-
Paleo Right and Natural Right
ative ever "contemned" these natural
rights. Or is the term "natural
rights" a mere political slogan, as it
PETER J. STANLIS
was to the French revolutionists, who
in the name of "the rights of man"
massacred whole populations, impris-
C
HARLES KESLER'S review ["All
grandeur of the past, personal and
oned thousands of innocent people,
against All," Aug. 18] is a not
national idiosyncrasy." He ignores
and confiscated corporate and private
very subtle attack on the whole
their serious case for constitutional
property? Burke vehemently contemned
conservative tradition that derives
government and civilized society.
these "natural rights" or "rights of
from Burke, as set forth by Russell
Even on the level of diction, he
man," and SO have traditional conserv-
Kirk in The Conservative Mind and
strings together a series of abstract
atives ever since 1790. Burke said:
elaborated by many writers since
words to justify his strictures against
"Far am I from denying in theory,
then. Kesler's main purpose is to dis-
traditional conservatives. The follow-
full as far is my heart from withhold-
miss traditional conservatism, cen-
ing sentence is a good example:
ing in practice
the real rights of
tered in its principles and values in
"When reason, equality, and natural
men. In denying their false claims of
the Judaeo-Christian religious order
rights
are contemned in the name
right, I do not mean to injure those
of Western civilization, to deny its
of a monolithic and unrestrained
which are real, and are such as their
paramount place in the mainstream
'tradition,' the ground for evil has
pretended rights would totally de-
of American life, and to replace it
been prepared." To illustrate what is
stroy."
with the essentially secular and ra-
wrong with Kesler's thinking, I shall
Kesler's next abstract phrase, "a
tionalist political philosophy of Leo
examine each word in its sequence.
monolithic and unrestrained 'tradi-
Strauss.
In Western philosophy there are at
tion," is a figment of his imagina-
Kesler's entire essay is on such a
least half a dozen distinct traditions
tion, a fiction attributed to traditional
high level of abstraction that it may
of rational thought, several of which
conservatives in order to make them
obscure for some readers the viru-
contradict each other, and it is possi-
appear narrow-minded, dogmatic, mind-
lence of his attack on traditional
ble to believe in one kind of "reason"
lessly anchored to a dead past, and
conservatism. Kesler deals wholly in
while rejecting another. In political
therefore opposed to "reason, equal-
generalized categories, which he then
philosophy it is possible to accept
ity, and natural rights." This is
treats as though they were facts of
normative reason while rejecting dis-
precisely the line of argument so often
history or possessed philosophical re-
cursive reason and logic; the same
taken by Marxists, social democrats,
ality. In forty years of teaching hu-
applies to corporate reason as distinct
liberals, and ideologues of "progress"
manities and political philosophy, I
from individual reason. Aristotle's
against conservatives.
have had to flunk many undergradu-
treatment of reason differs radically
Kesler's final pointless abstraction,
ates for this crude technique.
from Cartesian rationalism. Kesler's
the word "evil," is presented stark
Kesler distinguishes political think-
failure to specify what kind of "rea-
naked and isolated. He includes no
ers in terms of their "state of mind,"
son" is "contemned" by traditionalists
code of ethics or normative principle
or by geographical areas (Eastern and
makes his criticism of them utterly
by which to judge what is good or
Western Straussians). Unlike Edmund
pointless.
evil, but all traditional conservatives
Burke, who refuted wholesale and
The same objection applies to "equal-
are clearly "evil" in his argument.
indiscriminate British criticism of the
ity." Kesler's own egalitarianism, which
On the practical level he fails to
American Colonies ("I do not know
derives from his belief that American
consider that one man's meat is
the method of drawing up an indict-
society is based on the Declaration of
another man's poison, or that one
ment against a whole people"), Kesler
Independence rather than on the
man's church is another man's prison.
does not hesitate to pass adverse
principles of the Constitution, is itself
judgments against whole populations
subject to criticism: egalitarianism
in large regions. He labels political
is destructive of individual freedom,
V
ARIATIONS ON meaningless ab-
stractions contained in this sen-
thinkers south of the Mason-Dixon
standards of excellence, and basic
tence are found throughout Kes-
line as "partisans of the Confederate
justice between citizens in American
ler's essay. An article at least as long
cause," and makes preposterous state-
society. His egalitarianism would re-
as his would be required to identify
ments on the politics of John C.
duce America to its lowest common
and analyze all the errors of fact and
Calhoun, Willmoore Kendall, and M.
denominator in education and every
judgment in his essay. But his fee-
E. Bradford, picturing them as starry-
other aspect of social life.
ble attempt to displace the tradition-
eyed adolescents "in favor of a ro-
And what is the meaning of "natu-
al Judaeo-Christian-oriented con-
mantic appreciation of passion, the
ral rights" as he uses the term? Are
servatives in American politics with
they the innate or inherent "rights"
the rationalism of the Straussians
Mr. Stanlis is Distinguished Professor of
common to all men by virtue of their
and the materialism and utilitarian
Humanities at Rockford College. Mr. Kesler
humanity, the "natural rights" de-
epicureanism of the so-called "neo-
will reply in next issue's "Letters."
rived from the moral natural law
cons" simply won't wash.
44 NATIONAL REVIEW / OCTOBER 27, 1989
Honda (1981, I think he says) and
BOOKS, ARTS & MANNERS
owns a fax machine-as are the
moralism and the solution, though
McKibben is not betting on the Archie
Bunker types (or, presumably, on wild
Last Things
men like Edward Abbey) to take him
up on it. McKibben's ideas, for the
CHILTON WILLIAMSON JR.
most part, are direct withdrawals
from the Upper-Middle-Class-Northeastern-
American-Ideological-Spermbank. For
HREE YEARS AGO, at a festival sponsored by the Telluride Institute
my money, anyone who can attribute
T
in Colorado, the late Edward Abbey spoke as follows: "The
impending ecological disaster to the
homocentric view is self-destructive and infantile. The world is
fact that the Western world has been
older, bigger, and more interesting than we are. Growth is the enemy.
on a "binge" during the last century
Every organism grows to optimum space, then stops." If our great
or SO has clearly SO little comprehen-
sion of the moral perplexities of man,
technological civilization, so-called, does not stop growing, he pre-
of his purpose here on earth, and of
dicted, it will experience a great explosion, and, after that, collapse.
the contradictions of history that he
"That's why I'm an optimist," Abbey concluded genially.
ought to be reading books in his
Bill McKibben, in The End of
retreat in the Adirondack Mountains,
Nature, is saying much the same
not the only reason why I am under-
not writing them.
thing, only he is not an optimist. He
whelmed by Mr. McKibben's book.
The End of Nature is certainly a
believes that when civilization col-
To begin with, if this really is the
disturbing book; it is not, however, a
lapses, it will take nature with it;
end of nature and of human civiliza-
thought-provoking one, since it is not
that, in fact, it already has. Abbey,
tion we are facing, we should all be
particularly thoughtful itself. Its cen-
trying to go out writing an Augustan
tral message-that modern industrial
The End of Nature, by Bill McKib-
prose, i.e., something different from
and technological society has substan-
ben (Random House, 288 pp., $19.95)
the semi-transparent, almost weight-
tially raised the amount of carbon
less, skim-milk prose that The New
dioxide in the earth's atmosphere over
Yorker has made its specialty for far
the past hundred years and that it
who did not expect the ultimate
too many years. Mr. McKibben was a
will continue to do so, with profound
catastrophe for either man or nature,
writer and editor for that magazine,
but as yet unforeseen environmental
foresaw instead a vigorous balancing
and it shows. On the other hand,
effects that may well impinge cat-
of the scales. "An ice age would be
every good writer adapts his tech-
astrophically on the world as we
very nice," he remarked, since it
nique to the message he is trying to
know it and, therefore, upon our
would leave a remnant of humanity
convey, and so, perhaps, McKibben is
future both as a species and as a
to build a more modest, less hubristic
not to be faulted on this ground. The
congeries of civilizations-is entirely
civilization among the ruins, one
New Yorker knew what a yuppie was
unexceptional and by no means apoc-
based on a hunting-and-gathering econ-
even before the yuppies did, and it
alyptic. This notion-that we "have
omy. Of three possible scenarios,
has been addressing them ever since,
deprived nature of its independence,
Abbey's is the one McKibben cannot
in their own idiom and on their own
and that is fatal to its meaning"-is
envision. In his mind, either mankind
ground. Basically, the pitch depends
true to a point, but scarcely a new
will take what he calls the "defiant
upon the tautological assumption that
idea and perhaps not even a new
path," seeking to ensure its advanced
the social, intellectual, and cultural
development. "The invention of nu-
level of existence by obtaining even
world of the Boston-Austin axis is the
clear weapons may actually have
greater control over nature, and thereby
only world there is, and that that
marked the beginning of the end of
conclusively altering its historical rela-
world is comprehensible only by its
nature," McKibben says. "We pos-
tionship to nature; or mankind will
own terms. Both the pitch and the
sessed, finally, the capacity to over-
choose the "humble path," making a
assumption are evinced in the con-
master nature, to leave an indelible
conscious decision to go and sin no
crete detail-those smug, smooth nug-
imprint everywhere all at once." But
more, to accept its subordinate place
gets of "fact" and reference for which
now we have moved forward a stage.
within the natural world and sit on
The New Yorker is justly famous,
"The temperature and rainfall are no
its Faustian urges. In Abbey's opin-
many of them culturally encoded to
longer to be entirely the work of some
ion, this sort of thinking is completely
provide the reader with that comfort-
separate, uncivilizable force, but in-
unrealistic, man having proved him-
able nudge of self-conscious self-
stead in part a product of our habits,
self for millennia to have far more
recognition-as well as in the general
our economies, our ways of life. Even
technological sense than common sense:
effect: the moralism that is always
in the most remote wilderness, where
"As a species we act no better than
adjusted to the perception that a
the strictest laws forbid the felling of
mule deer or rabbits. We're rabbits
society managed by graduates of MIT
a single tree, the sound of that saw
with briefcases." I agree, but that is
and Radcliffe necessarily has a solu-
will be clear, and a walk in the woods
tion for everything. In The End of
will be changed-tainted-by its whine.
Mr. Williamson is senior editor for books at
Nature, the "facts" are present-we
The world outdoors will mean the
Chronicles.
learn that Mr. McKibben drives a
same thing as the world indoors, the
OCTOBER 27, 1989 / NATIONAL REVIEW 45
hill the same thing as the house. An
But this could be the epoch when
methodological fads that have ren-
idea, a relationship, can go extinct,
people decide to go no farther down
dered its own work untrustworthy. It
just like an animal or a plant." Mr.
the path we've been following-when
is small wonder, then, that the United
McKibben is entirely right about that,
we make not only the necessary
States has become a nation of histori-
and I am entirely in sympathy with
technological adjustments to preserve
cal illiterates, despite the huge num-
his fears. Only, I can never go into
the world from overheating but also
ber of history books published every
wilderness country without thinking:
the necessary mental adjustments to
year.
What kind of wilderness is it in which
ensure that we'll never again put our
There have been exceptions, by
a man cannot cut down a tree? Is
good ahead of everything else's. This
which I mean professionals who ad-
there not something artificial, to the
is the path I choose, for it offers at
here to the highest scholarly stand-
point of unreality, about a wilderness
least a shred of hope for a living,
ards and yet manage to write in a
that exists solely by a dispensation of
eternal [!], meaningful world." The
fashion that is challenging, stimulat-
special protection? Did the "end of
difficulty with this attitude, of course,
ing, exciting, and a joy to read. Today
nature" really begin with man's abil-
is that fighting against the Green-
there may be as many as twenty
ity, however unintended, to produce
house Effect is not the same thing as
Americans, still active, who fit that
hotter summers? Or did it begin, in
fighting against capitalism, racism,
description. Of these, the dean is C.
fact, sometime earlier? Does anybody
economic inequality, male chauvin-
Vann Woodward, now in his 81st year
know? Perhaps it really doesn't mat-
ism, and all the other bogies of the
and, though not as prolific as he once
ter.
last 150 years. Nature, even under
was, still writing with the vigor, the
My guess is that the continued
the influence of Progressive Man, will
perceptiveness, the wit, and the charm
dominance of an independent nature
not yield to visionary isms. As James
that have marked his work through-
will in future be strongly evinced by
Burnham liked to say, "If there's no
out a brilliant career. The Future of
two things: 1) the unpredictability
alternative, there's no problem." Re-
the Past, his latest, is a collection of
even of humanly influenced climate,
gardless whether or not it is an event
23 pieces, all but two of which
and 2) the fact that human beings
to be looked for, Abbey's glacier
have been published before. Some,
have no solution available to the
(which some scientists consider a
as is to be expected, concern the
problem that they have created. McKib-
possible opposite result of the accu-
area of his greatest expertise, the
ben says: "If it took ten thousand
mulation of carbon dioxide in the
South since the Civil War. The others
years to get where we are, it will take
atmosphere) may, even now, be grind-
deal with broader themes-myths,
a few generations to climb back down.
ing imperceptibly into motion.
history, fiction, reinterpretations-
which he is able to see from a special
perspective growing out of his im-
mense learning and his sense of
Woodward's Strange Career
tragedy and irony. These senses,
without which the historian of the
FORREST McDONALD
South is as nothing, Woodward pos-
sesses in abundance. Put all this
U
NTIL THE END of the nineteenth
Then, at the turn of the century,
together, and one has some notion of
century, the writing of history
the craft was taken over by profes-
what an invigorating and pleasure-
in America was a "calling" or
sionals, people who were trained in
able experience it is to read the
avocation practiced by gentlemen (and
newly established graduate schools,
essays under review. One also has an
sometimes ladies) of leisure and let-
earned their livelihoods by teaching
encapsulated survey of Woodward's
ters. The most successful were Wil-
in colleges, and garnered status among
life's work.
their peers-and, incidentally, jobs-
But there is more here, just as
The Future of the Past, by C. Vann
by writing history books for one
there is more to the strange career of
Woodward (Oxford University Press,
another. Their standards of research
C. Vann Woodward. From the begin-
370 pp., $24.95)
were rigorous, and because they con-
ning, with the publication of Tom
ceived of themselves as scientists,
Watson: Agrarian Rebel (1938), Wood-
liam Prescott, Francis Parkman, and
they were loath to commit to writing
ward has been a political activist as
George Bancroft, contemporaries of
anything they could not document
well as a scholar. In 1955, for in-
the great Scottish historians Thomas
abundantly. Their works were solid,
stance, he published an extremely
Carlyle and Thomas Macaulay, whose
analytical rather than narrative, and
influential book called The Strange
works the Americans outsold. Histori-
impossible to read. They did not, as
Career of Jim Crow; in answer to
ans addressed an unspecialized public
C. Vann Woodward puts it, "so much
segregationists who insisted that it is
-history was the best selling and
lose the public as abandon it." The
not possible to legislate social custom,
most prestigious branch of literature-
popular appetite for history was thence-
Woodward demonstrated that racial
and they were at pains to write on
forth filled by freelancers, journalists,
segregation itself had been the prod-
subjects of common interest in lan-
and novelists, whose books were as
uct of legislation enacted by Southern
guage that the public could and did
unreliable as the historians' were
states during the late nineteenth
understand.
dull. Moreover, the profession itself
century. There is nothing inherently
has been engulfed from time to time
wrong in such "relevant" history,
Mr. McDonald is a professor of history at
(never more than during the last
provided that one resists the tempta-
the University of Alabama.
quarter-century) by ideological and
tion to distort in behalf of one's
46 NATIONAL REVIEW / OCTOBER 27, 1989
causes; and Woodward always ad-
David Potter, and Alexander Bickel.
land of rebels and its redistribution to
hered to the canons of disinterested
All this left Woodward disturbed,
the freedmen. We cannot know for
scholarship.
disillusioned, and somewhat confused.
sure what would have happened, of
It was the blights that plagued the
A Northern liberal might have re-
course, but Congress already had
South of his childhood and young-
acted, as many did, by becoming
control of a vast public domain which
manhood that Woodward most wanted
neoconservative. But Woodward had
it made available for blacks under a
to understand as a historical problem,
been a Southern liberal, and he
Southern Homestead Act. Nearly all
and to remedy as social and economic
responded by rediscovering the vir-
this land ended up in the hands of
evils. As he saw things, Jim Crow
tues of the South (both Old and New,
railroads and Northern speculators,
was the greatest injustice that cried
antebellum and postbellum) that he
and there is no reason to suppose that
out for remedy, and it was exacer-
had worked SO long and SO diligently
confiscated rebel land would have
bated by the South's having been
to change. The essays in The Future
done otherwise.
reduced to colonial dependency by
of the Past echo with an appreciation
But this is piddling stuff, Wood-
unbridled Northern capitalism. Two
of the South, its literature and his-
ward goes sardonically on. If we truly
of his most powerful books, both
tory and culture; and, with thinly
want a revolution, "we must be cruel
published in 1951, were focused upon
disguised regional pride, Woodward
in order to be kind," we must be the
the roots of those problems: The
points out that the South is an
social engineers of the future," and
Origins of the New South, 1877-1913
exception to American exceptionalism,
thus must "compassionately" off all
and Reunion and Reaction: The Compro-
meaning that it knew a semifeudal
white Southerners-some to Gulags,
mise of 1877 and the End of Recon-
past and invasion and conquest, whereas
Alaska serving in lieu of Siberia, but
most simply slaughtered. What then?
That would leave the South occupied
by black people under the benevolent
guardianship of well-meaning whites
sent down from Washington. As it
happens, we have a test case to cover
this speculative proposal as well: the
West was occupied by red people
under the benevolent guardianship of
well-meaning whites sent out from
Tim Bower
Washington, and we know what hap-
pened there.
struction. These and other works
the rest of the nation lacked those
Having disposed of the radical his-
raised him to the pinnacle of his
soul-enriching experiences.
torians in a way that would meet the
profession, the culmination coming
How far Woodward has traveled
approval of any Southern conserva-
with back-to-back presidencies of the
toward becoming a Southern conserv-
tive, however, Woodward unwittingly
Organization of American Historians
ative and how many light-years he
makes it clear that he is not of that
(1968) and the American Historical
remains from completing the journey
breed. He confesses "a failure of my
Association (1969).
are both illustrated by a witty essay,
own, the failure to find a satisfactory
By that time, however, things had
previously unpublished, called Recon-
explanation for the failure of Recon-
gone dreadfully awry. First the civil-
struction: A Counterfactual Playback."
struction." This, he writes, is a prob-
rights movement, long dear to Wood-
This is "What if?" history, and un-
lem that "remains unsolved." To a
ward's heart, went berserk, degenerat-
derstanding it requires a little back-
conservative it is no problem at all:
ing into riots and the "black power"
ground. For nearly a century after the
the attempt to engineer a revolution
movement-and resegregation by
collapse of Radical Reconstruction,
failed because it is impossible to
blacks themselves-and the irreversi-
history judged the phenomenon a
engineer a revolution. Conservatives
ble decline into poverty that followed
tragedy because it went too far,
understand this, understand that there
inexorably from Lyndon Johnson's
Congress having trampled the judicial
can be no clean, rational break with
War of the same name. Then came
and executive branches and the Con-
the past, that what can be is delim-
the "student protest" movements, in
stitution itself. In the 1960s radical
ited if not determined by what has
which students attempted to trash
historians turned this interpretation
been. Far from grasping that truth,
the academy (only partially succeed-
upside down: without a shred of new
Woodward writes that 'revolutions
ing; they finished the job a generation
evidence, they pronounced Radical
are not invariably successful." As I
later when they had become the
Reconstruction a tragedy because it
said, in regard to certain fundamen-
professors), and in the face of which
did not go far enough, did not effect
tals we are still light-years apart.
college administrators capitulated dis-
a genuine revolution.
But I would not close on a negative
gracefully. Simultaneously, New Left
There is no need, Woodward writes,
note. Vann Woodward has contributed
historians were trashing the study of
"to be flanked on the Left in specula-
to making an enlarged understanding
history and Woodward himself in the
tive audacity," and he tries out a few
of the American past accessible to lay
bargain. Finally, he endured a per-
revolutionary proposals of his own.
readers as well as professionals. If
sonal tragedy, losing to cancer, in
Suppose Congress had passed the bill,
conservatives cannot give him the full
rapid-fire order, his son and three of
sponsored by the Radical Thaddeus
complement of three cheers, we owe
his best friends, Richard Hofstadter,
Stevens, for the confiscation of the
him at least a rousing two.
OCTOBER 27, 1989 / NATIONAL REVIEW 47
Peace in Our Time
result of his policy of promoting
strategic parity during the Sixties.
LEE EDWARDS
We slowed down; they caught up.
After emphasizing the immense cost
L
ONG AGO AND far away, Robert S.
But before detailing how to end the
of the cold war-but not mentioning
McNamara was something of a
cold war, he feels obliged to explain
that defense expenditures by succeed-
hawk. As Secretary of Defense
its origins, asserting that they were
ing Administrations preserved the
under President Kennedy, he pro-
essentially a matter of
misper-
freedom of the non-Communist world
posed that the United States spend
ceptions." The West thought Moscow
and forced Gorbachev to seek accom-
billions to close the much-debated
was expansionist when it Commu-
modation with the West-McNamara
"missile gap" with Russia, and he
nized all of Eastern Europe, but it
lauds the Soviet president's new
supported Kennedy's decision to send
was really just securing its borders.
thinking" in foreign policy, his eco-
17,000 soldiers to Vietnam as a way
The East thought the Truman Doc-
nomic reforms, and his human-rights
of demonstrating American strength
trine, the Marshall Plan, and NATO
policies, sounding more than a little
to Premier Khrushchev, who had
were part of Washington's policy of
like the gushing George Bernard
sharply challenged the President at
Shaw of the 1930s. Communist ideol-
the Vienna summit. In the Johnson
ogy is dead, McNamara declares,
although he never tries to explain
Out of the Cold, by Robert Mc-
(there is no explanation other than
Namara (Simon & Schuster, 192
ideology) why Moscow continues to
pp., $18.95)
ship copious amounts of arms and
matériel to Afghanistan and Nicara-
gua, two countries not even Stalin
Administration, McNamara insisted
considered swallowing up.
we would win in Vietnam only if we
At last we come to the McNamara
committed enough American men,
Plan. It is one part Atlantic Charter
and subsequently increased troop
(!), one part a Code of Conduct (the
strength from 23,000 to more than
superpowers will pursue their inter-
half a million in under three years.
ests through diplomacy, not force),
During this massive buildup, he
several parts arms control (SDI must
publicly declared that we had
go), and several more parts the
"stopped losing the war," and that he
was "cautiously optimistic" about
Sam Westbrook
United Nations, that great institution
of Third World sound and fury. He
victory. Privately, however, he admit-
briefly considers and dismisses criti-
ted the conflict could not be won
cisms of his "Program to End the
militarily, thus establishing a stand-
"world domination." McNamara con-
Cold War," and concedes that so far
ard of hypocrisy since unequaled by
cedes the Soviet Union moved aggres-
"there has been little change in
any other public official.
sively in the ensuing three decades,
Soviet military doctrine or defense
Frustrated by his inability to win
although only when it 'perceived
forces," but argues that given the
the war, and disillusioned with the
threats to its security," or when
West's failure to respond to Gor-
cold war in general, McNamara quit
opportunities for "low-cost expan-
bachev's proposals, "criticism of his
the Administration in 1968, and began
sion" presented themselves. So much
inaction is hardly justified" (emphasis
a metamorphosis from sometime hawk
for reasoned analyses of Hungary in
added). The diplomats and experts at
to fulltime dove that culminates in
1956, Czechoslovakia in 1968, Af-
the various arms-control conferences
Out of the Cold.
ghanistan in 1979, and Poland in
in Geneva, Vienna, etc. would take
As always, McNamara insists upon
1981. Détente came and went, a
umbrage at their work being dis-
being taken seriously. The world has
victim of Watergate, in McNamara's
missed SO cavalierly.
been fundamentally changed, he pom-
view, and of myopic pols such as
McNamara predicts there will be no
pously observes, because Mikhail Gor-
Scoop Jackson, father of the infamous
great-power conflicts in the next cen-
bachev has proclaimed an end to the
amendment prohibiting most-favored-
tury because "the world of the twenty-
East/West struggle. But so far, he
nation trading status to the Soviet
first century will be different from
laments, the Western response has
Union as long as its citizens were
that of any other period since the
been "skeptical, unimaginative, and
denied the right to emigrate.
dawn of civilization"-it will be inter-
very cautious." So much for President
Soviet "activity" in Africa and Asia
dependent economically, technologically,
Reagan's INF initiative. To fill this
in the Seventies (Angola, Ethiopia,
environmentally, politically, and mili-
vision gap, the one-time head of Ford
Cambodia) can be explained ("quite
tarily. Apparently, the former World
Motor outlines how "the nations of
simply," says McNamara) thus: Hav-
Bank president has not noticed rising,
East and West and North and South"
ing reached political and military
raging nationalism around and across
can move toward a world without
equality with the United States, the
the globe.
superpower conflict.
Soviets "felt entitled to undertake
He boldly asserts that regardless of
such moves." He omits the embarrass-
Gorbachev's personal fate, for the
Mr. Edwards is a senior editor at The
ing fact that the Soviets reached
next decade or two, "the Soviet
World & I.
equality in the Seventies as a direct
Union will move in the general direc-
48 NATIONAL REVIEW / OCTOBER 27, 1989
Richard
Brookhi
Out Smo McLaughy FOR WHAT THE
AND THE BUCKPAC
CAN
$1.95
SO LONG,
THE LAUS /
ABRAMS THESHED?
Bucked
Spooks PARDON OI PARDON $1.95 OI WILL MONEY WILL LET WID BUSH
BILL
Rear
Long
BY
FOO
EXALTED
and
REVIEWAL
BBRON
The
U
N
AYN RAND Sobran REVIVED
12 TANOLDA TEM THE
IEW
REVIEW
N
RONALD REAGAN
AND THE
ANING
OF
THE PLATO REPUBLIC
CHRISTMAS,
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AND
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tion laid down by the General Secre-
What is one to say of Out of the
Scoffed at as a hopeless visionary,
tary." Comrade Yeltsin, on the one
Cold? It is arrogant, tendentious, and
Mead has been thoroughly vindicated.
hand, and Comrade Ligachev, on the
disingenuous. It is a perfect reflection
Incredibly tiny, cheap, and powerful
other, are not quite so certain.
of its author.
computers now surround us. They are
in the commonest appliances, includ-
ing microwave ovens, VCRs, compact-
disk players, handheld video cameras,
Small Is Beautiful
stuffed animals, video games, credit-
card-size calculators, digital watches,
RONALD BAILEY
cellular telephones, automobiles.
But isn't the United States losing
A
READER invariably emerges from
man genius and art." These magnifi-
the computer race to Japan? Not at
one of George Gilder's books
cent microchips-which drive our per-
all, says Gilder. Japan does indeed
intellectually reinvigorated. His
sonal computers, telephone networks,
excel in manufacturing commodity
latest, Microcosm: The Quantum Rev-
video games-are mostly silicon, which
memory chips. But commodities, wheth-
olution in Economics and Technology,
is essentially beach sand. Thus, un-
er high-tech computer memory chips
is no exception. In Wealth and Pov-
like the familiar macrocosm of facto-
or low-tech iron ingots, remain commodi-
erty and The Spirit of Enterprise he
ries, farms, and mines, material costs
ties, and companies manufacturing
brilliantly championed entrepreneurial
in the microcosm are virtually noth-
them subsist on paper-thin profit
capitalism as the wellspring of eco-
ing; the "value added" is the ideas,
margins. Just as a number of Japa-
nomic abundance. Now he takes read-
the computer programs, inscribed in
nese corporations brought on line
ers on an excursion deep into the soul
massive new facilities for manufactur-
ing commodity chips, the technology
Microcosm: The Quantum Revolu-
of the microcosm shifted in favor of
tion in Economics and Technol-
the United States.
ogy, by George Gilder (Simon &
The good news is that the U.S.
Schuster, 426 pp., $19.95)
leads in three crucial technologies-
silicon compilation, parallel process-
of modern high technology. In the
ing, and artificial intelligence. A dec-
process, Gilder administers a power-
ade ago, a new computer chip took
ful antidote to the dreary assertions
years to get from the drawing board
of academic and media doomsayers
to the stage at which it could actually
who, in what they call the "age of
be fabricated. Nowadays, with a sili-
limits," portentously proclaim the de-
con compiler a chip designer can
cline of the United States. American
ignore pesky details and concentrate
capitalism is not only alive and well,
on his overall design. A new chip can
says Gilder, but poised to lead the
Gary Underhill
be created in a matter of days.
world into a new era of abundance
Parallel processing frees computers
and creativity.
from the tyranny of calculating only
"Microcosm" is the metaphor Gil-
silicon. Microelectronics in effect im-
one step at a time. Instead, many
der uses to capture the paradox of
bues matter with the essence of
processors work together simultane-
modern computer technology: as com-
human thought. As Gilder eloquently
ously, vastly increasing computational
puters have grown exponentially more
puts it, "The central event in the
speeds. Advances in artificial intelli-
powerful over the past three or so
twentieth century is the overthrow of
gence are for the first time endowing
decades, physically they have become
matter."
computers with the ability to "per-
not bigger, but smaller-shrinking
In Microcosm, he takes readers
ceive," as in the remarkable Kurzweil
further and further into the "micro-
beyond the dry statistics of profit and
optical scanner which reads text aloud
cosm." The end-product of this evolu-
loss, computational speeds, and silicon-
to the blind.
tion has been what computer people
chip yields, and introduces us to the
The real "value added" in micro-
call "very large-scale integrated cir-
men and women in computer science
electronics is chips designed for spe-
cuits," computer chips containing mil-
whose creativity has done so much to
cific purposes. And designing chips is
lions of transistors and operating at
make American capitalism go. He
something we individualistic Ameri-
nearly unbelievable speeds. "Every
traces the history of electronics from
cans do extremely well. In fact,
era has its pinnacle," Gilder writes.
vacuum tubes to whole computers on
America is home to more than half of
"In medieval Europe, it was the
a single silicon chip. Foremost among
the world's designers, nearly four
Gothic cathedral. In the later twenti-
these pioneers of the microcosm is a
times the number in Japan. New chip
eth century, it is the very large-scale
quiet, impish Cal Tech professor,
designs have exploded from 9,500 in
integrated circuit, the Gothic cathe-
Carver Mead. In the 1960s, industry
1986 to 25,000 in 1988. The number
dral of America. Like a cathedral it is
leaders believed that they were near-
of new superefficient designs will
wrought of common elements-glass,
ing the limits of miniaturization.
grow to hundreds of thousands in the
sand, and metal-transfigured by hu-
Mead, however, boldly prophesied that
1990s. Apostles of industrial plan-
one day an entire computer would be
ning, such as Harvard's Robert Reich,
Mr. Bailey is a staff writer at Forbes.
embodied in a single silicon chip.
call the proliferation of entrepre-
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neurial design companies "cowboy
to administer Japanese semiconductor
I was lucky. The Chilmark library
capitalism," but in fact these compa-
prices. The semiconductor pact, hailed
may not have many books, but what
nies are an enormous source of eco-
by industry leaders and federal bu-
it has is choice, and it is big on
nomic growth. Gilder predicts that
reaucrats as a victory against Japa-
gardens.
American mastery of such technology
nese "dumping," succeeded, in fact,
Here's what your gran conoscitore
will drive robust economic growth
in rescuing strapped Japanese chip
and humble servant discovered: The
throughout the next decade.
makers by guaranteeing their profits.
word was introduced into English by
Meanwhile, though, the promise of
At the same time, the pact dealt a
the formidable Sir William Temple
the microcosm is imperiled by Federal
serious blow to hundreds of small,
(floruit 1690), who possessed the vast
Government meddling. In the mid
innovative American firms by cutting
estate of Moor Park and was a lover
1980s, American commodity-chip man-
off their supplies of computer chips.
of gardens. Having nothing better to
ufacturers began losing their markets
Many companies delayed new prod-
do in those pre-Nintendo days, Tem-
to inexpensive Japanese memory chips.
ucts for several months while desper-
ple would sometimes put pen to
Just like the steel and textile indus-
ately searching for chips in the grey"
paper, and, in an essay on gardens,
tries before them, American com-
markets of Taiwan and Korea.
he tried to distinguish the kind of
modity-chip makers turned to the
As Gilder demonstrates, the bril-
garden then being created in England
Government to bail them out. To its
liant achievements of the microcosm
from the formal gardens popular on
great shame, the Reagan Administra-
are wholly the creations of free minds
the Continent. He suggested that the
tion negotiated an agreement with
working in free markets. His celebra-
guiding principle of the English gar-
Japan that required Japan's Ministry
tion of American capitalism and high
den was what the Chinese called
of International Trade and Industry
technology is dazzling.
sharawadgi. So wrote Sir William,
although Chinese scholars have doubt-
A WORD EDGEWISE
ed his etymology. Nonetheless, the
word entered our language, sank
beneath its surface for several centu-
Sharawadgi
ries, and has recently been redis-
covered by landscape architects; which
PETER LUBIN
is how it came to me, as I lay, a
sunburnt offering, beneath the lazy
HE CONNOISSEUR of words (le con-
T
myself only the morning before, on a
Squibnocket sky.
noisseur des mots, if you will, il
beach in Chilmark from a local land-
What is "sharawadgi"? It is the
gran conoscitore di parole) never
scape architect. It is, I suspect, a
beauty that comes from deliberate
knows when he will find a new
word many people would enjoy know-
asymmetry. Think of the English
specimen, and he herein offers an
ing. I have no doubt there are more
garden or landscape. There's a single
example.
connoisseurs of such a word than the
gnarled oak over there, some bushes
The connoisseur (also known as
world is ready to admit.
over here, a group of three elms
"I") was recently minding his busi-
beyond, and a winding stream. This,
ness while doing some grocery shop-
wrote Temple, contrasts with, say, the
ping on Martha's Vineyard. I was
studied regularity of the French gar-
up-island at a supermarket, newly
den, where lindens or poplars stand
sprung up where once had stood a
like palace guards, or the Italian
farmers' market. I waited patiently to
garden with its rows of sad cypresses
pay for a six-pack of yoghurt, only
and elaborate topiary art. He argued
to discover I would have to obtain
that the garden based on the princi-
"summer check-cashing privileges."
ple of sharawadgi-which implied a
So I stood in another line, filled out a
design dictated by Nature, not Art-
form, and waited at the Courtesy
was superior.
Booth to pose for the proleptic mug
Perhaps. But most of us, chained to
shot. While I stood there, I began
the wheel of work and in city pent,
talking to a seven-year-old boy and
are grateful for any green thought,
his younger sister. The boy told me
Lisa Haney
the smallest bit of cool shade, any
some of the big words he knows, and
half-acre of Arcady, or one lamb-bleat
I told him some of the ones I know.
There is the sound of it: sha-ra-wad-
of bucolic. What the connoisseur of
He gave as good as he got, but after
gi. It is invitingly fluffy and plump,
words wishes to stress is the pleasure
a few minutes, as the line shortened,
like a Persian pillow, and expresses
of "sharawadgi." Once you know the
and knowing it would soon be my
in a single word an idea both useful
word, the world is never the same.
turn, and we would have to part, I
and enchanting.
Once I had learned it, I went traips-
presented him with a word I was sure
When my beach acquaintance first
ing about the Vineyard, looking for
he wouldn't know: sharawadgi.
gave me the word, I knew it was
sharawadgi in the landscapes of God
He was delighted when I told him,
promising-a probable specimen for
and man, and I found it. There was
in terms suitable for a seven-year-old,
the collection, although I would have
sharawadgi at Beetlebung Corner,
what the word meant, and I was glad
to investigate further. I went to the
and amid the wildflowers on the
to pass it along, having learned it
local library that very afternoon, and
dunes at Gay Head. There was little
52 NATIONAL REVIEW / OCTOBER 27, 1989
sharawadgi in the vineyards of West
and irregular, was made more beauti-
keep coal in their bath, or whether
Tinsbury, or in the elaborate rose
ful by the vivid word I now carried
the Indians were ready for self-
gardens of Edgartown, but the beauty
with me; vade-mecum, talisman, boon
government." As for the British Mu-
(and there was plenty of it), regular
companion. Sha-ra-wad-gi.
seum, "one is tempted to say that it
might be more apt if [it] called itself
ART
the Imperial Museum."
But if that goes some way to
suggesting why Hitchens wants the
On Losing One's Marbles
British not to have the marbles, it
does not in itself explain the author's
JAMES GARDNER
interest in championing a specifically
Greek cause. Surely this interest has
G
IVEN THAT Christopher Hitchens
movement that over the past year or
much to do with the fact that, on the
does not seem especially inter-
two has advocated the return of
contemporary political map, Greece
ested in the subject of his most
ancient artifacts to the descendants of
has been for years one of the most
recent book, it is natural to wonder
their original owners. The Smith-
prominent socialist nations, and one
why he wrote it in the first place.
sonian and other museums have agreed
of the most outspoken critics of the
Imperial Spoils (Farrar, Straus) is a
to surrender century-old Indian bones
United States. Furthermore the Greek
slightly oversized pamphlet advocat-
and burial paraphernalia to angry
Cypriots have been engaged in con-
ing the restitution to Greece of those
tribe members. In a celebrated case
flict with the Turks for years now
sculptures that Lord Elgin removed
(about which Hitchens has even writ-
from the Athenian Acropolis and sold
ten a book), and the Turks, of course,
to the British nation early in the
are perhaps the staunchest members
nineteenth century. Even to those of
of the NATO Alliance.
us who have enjoyed Hitchens's sple-
Whatever one thinks of the pro-
netic outbursts in The Nation, in
posed return of the marbles, it would
which he attacks everyone to the
be illiberal to deny that a better case
political right of himself (which is to
could be made than will be found
say, nearly everyone), it is not self-
here. Hitchens is far better at attack-
evident why he should now feel
ing an enemy than at serving a
moved to agitate for the return of
friend. Written seemingly in careless
several tons of ancient stone to a
haste, his book reads like a patch-
small country on the Mediterranean.
work of ill-assorted and often irrele-
Although it may be that Hitchens
vant digressions.
merely feels he is "lending his pres-
Lisa Haney
He begins by recounting the oft-told
tige" to a worthy cause, he would
story of Thomas Bruce, seventh Earl
have us believe that he has been
.........................
of Elgin and 11th Earl of Kincardine,
spurred into print by the beauty of
who, when serving as British consul
the Elgin Marbles and by his outrage
in Constantinople, arranged to have
at their ongoing captivity in the
this August, a federal judge ordered
roughly half the friezes and metopes
bowels of the British Museum. And
an art collector in Indianapolis to
and one of the pediments of the
yet, when it comes to explaining why
return a set of sixth-century Byzan-
Parthenon, together with a pil-
anyone should actually want the
tine mosaics to the Greek Orthodox
lar and caryatid of the neighboring
marbles, Hitchens has little to say.
Church of Cyprus.
Erechtheum, removed from their an-
Aside from several ennobling senti-
More to the point, perhaps, one
cient site and sent back to the British
mentalities on the glories of national-
cannot help but suspect that the
Isles. According to Hitchens, the his-
ism, his aesthetic commentary is
middlebrow temptation to see the
tory of their acquisition is "a re-
limited to such half-digested cribbings
whole issue as politics through other
pressed and guilty secret." And yet,
as the observation that the Parthe-
means has simply proved too much
when put to it, he can find little
non "has eight columns at the end
for the author. For Hitchens, the
support for this claim. Elgin can in no
instead of the usual six," or that
Elgin Marbles epitomize the British
sense be said to have stolen the
"Pericles
called upon that sense
Museum, and the British Museum,
marbles, since to steal is to take that
of balance and symmetry which Thu-
with its gleaming white columns and
which one knows to belong to an-
cydides immortalized in his funeral
millions of priceless artifacts, epito-
other; and, to all appearances, the
oration."
mizes everything stuffy and reaction-
Parthenon seemed to belong to an
Why, really, has Hitchens written
ary and clubbable about the British
ancient people who no longer inhab-
this book at this time? For its
character. Those British who might
ited the earth, and to be in the
publication certainly comes at an
feel a custodial affection for the
possession of the Turks, from whom,
opportune time. No doubt Hitchens
marbles are stigmatized at one point
at all events, Lord Elgin received
was influenced, at least in part, by a
as "John Bull up on his hind legs,"
permission to take the stones away.
and in their words Hitchens "hears
In addition to those vaporous effu-
Mr. Gardner writes about art for NR, Arts
the tones and assumptions of those
sions on truth and beauty cited above,
magazine, and Commentary.
who wondered if the workers would
Hitchens tries to impress us with a
OCTOBER 27, 1989 / NATIONAL REVIEW 53
has recently signed up Kitty Kelley to
RANDOM NOTES
in money, morale, and general prepared-
write the biography of Mrs. Reagan. Miss
ness-to justify continuing the practice
Kelley's reputation is well known. In
(see William Hawkins's review in our
previous "unauthorized" biographies-of
October 13 issue). When the book came
SURE THINGS: When it comes to publish-
Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Jac-
out, Navy Times Editor Thomas Philpott
ing books about controversial subjects, let
queline Kennedy Onassis-Miss Kelley
allowed Mitchell space to summarize his
no one say that Holt or Simon & Schuster
has rarely if ever chosen as a subject
argument, but in the same issue ran an
fails to cover its bases. Consider, just two
someone she admires. Critics over the
editorial dissociating the paper from the
pages apart in Holt's catalogue for the
years have said about her more or less the
book ("Do women belong in the military?
upcoming season, this curious pair of
same thing: "puts in all the dirt and
Yes, definitely") and a week later printed
books. Scheduled for release in November
rumors" previous biographers of Mrs. Onas-
a refutation of Mitchell by an "expert" on
is a typical title for this left-listing house,
sis left out, "eager to chronicle the
the subject.
Feeding Frenzy: The Inside Story of
minutiae of Sinatra's vices," etc. Mr.
The real trouble started when the main-
Wedtech, by William Sternberg and Mat-
Reagan is said to be almost as protective
stream media began noticing the book.
thew C. Harrison Jr. According to the
of his wife's reputation as she is of his.
According to Regnery publicist Debbie
catalogue copy, Sternberg and Harrison
Will it bother him to share publishers with
Stone, on a typical day no fewer than
have written an "exposé" of sleaze
Kitty Kelley? Reagan's editor, Michael
three radio stations would call to arrange
factor' influence-peddling from borough
Korda, did not return phone calls. S&S
interviews. Finally, after Mitchell ap-
president to the offices of the Attorney
Editorial Director Alice Mayhew was huff-
peared on the Today show and a woman
General." That's page twenty. On page 18:
ily dismissive. "We publish all kinds of
reporter complained to Philpott, the editor
Witness to History: Power and Politics in
books. We do not censor our authors.
put his foot down. At least during work
the Reagan White House (due out in
That's all I have to say."
hours, Mitchell was to shut up already-or
February), the memoirs of that unnamed
else. If he wanted to continue spending his
Attorney General, Edwin Meese III. Does
MARTIAL LAW: Ordinarily, when a news-
days on television or talking to reporters,
Editor-in-Chief John Macrae III see the
paper reporter writes a provocative, widely
he would have to use his vacation time to
anomaly of lionizing Mr. Meese as a
talked-about book, his editors will encour-
do it, or alternatively take an unpaid leave
"Witness to History" in one book and
age him to milk as much publicity from it
of absence. Mitchell complied, of course,
skewering him as an influence-peddler in
as he can. What better way to get easy
and from that day forward kept quiet and
the next? "I don't see any inconsistency,"
publicity for the paper itself? Not so,
directed all inquiries to Miss Stone. Ac-
says Mr. Macrae. "Our job is to make
apparently, at the Navy Times, an inde-
cording to Miss Stone, Mitchell was SO
things public. That's really what publish-
pendent weekly based in Arlington, Vir-
fearful of losing his job that he would have
ing is about." Will Meese mind? "No, he's
ginia, serving a half-million active service-
to duck around the corner at lunch to call
not that type."
men. This summer, Regnery Gateway
Regnery from a pay phone. Asked to
If Meese isn't the type to mind getting
published Weak Link: The Feminization of
comment, Philpott would say only that the
screwed by his own publisher, what, one
the American Military, in which Brian
matter was a "private" one between
wonders, about that old friend of his,
Mitchell, a reporter at the Navy Times,
himself and Mitchell. "I think it's wonder-
Ronald Reagan? Simon & Schuster, pub-
argues that the costs America pays to
ful that he's been getting all the attention
lisher of Reagan's forthcoming memoirs,
employ women as soldiers are too great-
he has."
-DAVID KLINGHOFFER
list of famous people who condemned
stay as far away from this point as
not in the citations, and b) are talking
Elgin's act and advocated the sculp-
possible, since the Greeks themselves,
about something entirely different
tures' return to Athens. From a
in acknowledgment of the corrosive
from what Hitchens believes they are
tactical point of view, however, Hitch-
quality of the Athenian air, have
talking about.
ens makes some rather large blun-
recently removed all the other caryat-
As concerns the ancestry question,
ders, of which two are especially
ids from the same building, and
however, if the modern Greeks were
grave. The first is his quoting with
intend never to put them back. In-
descended from the ancients, then
thoughtless approval from Lord Byron's
deed, everything that Elgin left on
they would have the right to the
bigoted tirade against the Scottish
the Parthenon has been or will soon
Elgin Marbles, even though none of
people, of whom Elgin was one of the
be removed from the structure by
their ancestors could be found to say
more prominent members. Though
Greek archaeologists.
anything against Elgin in all the time
Hitchens would probably reject these
But in a sense, this is all by the
that his men were removing the
sentiments if he considered them (or
way. For the question is whether or
sculptures. And yet, there is every
SO we hope), it nevertheless suggests
not the Elgin Marbles should be
good reason to believe that these
an almost acrobatic banality to quote
returned to Greece, and no deficien-
"Greeks" are the descendants of the
them in support of his argument,
cies of the author can permit us
very invaders who, from the seventh
simply because they were written by
legitimately to rule out the cause he
century onward, drove out the coun-
someone famous. Hitchens's second
happens to be championing. The real
try's original inhabitants. All the
error is his enlisting the name of
issue must be the question of the
same, the present inhabitants surely
Harold Nicolson, when Nicolson ad-
degree to which the present inhabi-
love and should have full title to all
vocated not that all the marbles be
tants are descended from the an-
antiquities that are in their posses-
returned, but only the caryatid and
cients. Hitchens's "proof of their
sion; this for the same reason that the
pillar from the Erechtheum, and only
direct descent is almost insulting to
English lovingly preserve Stonehenge,
on condition that they be replaced in
the reader, since the four authors he
and the Americans affectionately study
situ ipso antiquo. Now, one would
quotes in support of his contention a)
Indian artifacts. But do the present-
think that Hitchens would want to
do not support his contention, at least
day Greeks have any right to reclaim
54 NATIONAL REVIEW / OCTOBER 27, 1989
something that was created by a
an affinity and affection for Lord
different culture and that was re-
Elgin's marbles, and those marbles,
Announcing A Very
moved from the land they now occupy
exerting their subliminal influence,
at a time before they had even begun
have become SO important to the
Special Edition Of
to dream of the fiction that they and
Briton's sense of his national identity,
William F. Buckley's
the ancient Greeks were one and the
that they could no longer be wrested
same people? No.
from the British without disrupting
On The Firing Line:
But why should the British have
and dislocating some part of that
The Public Life of
the right to retain the marbles, aside
people's very selves. At this point, to
wrest the sculptures from their pres-
Our Public Figures.
from the legitimate, if unimpressive,
point that they were legally acquired
ent owners would constitute an act of
and purchased? To answer that ques-
insensitivity comparable to that with
tion would require the kind of sympa-
which Hitchens charges those who
thetic insight that Hitchens can't be
wish to retain them. One recalls those
bothered with. It is now almost two
beautiful lines of Ezra Pound: What
centuries since Elgin's disputed act.
thou lovest well is thy true heritage
In the passage of eight generations,
/ What thou lov'st well shall not be
the British have come to feel so great
reft from thee."
MUSIC
National Review is proud
to announce the availability of
a unique collector's edition of William F.
Stony Rolls
Buckley's just-published book, On The
Firing Line, a fascinating collection of
JOSEPH SOBRAN
the best of his TV series Firing Line,
arranged in appropriate categories with
a running commentary by the author
filed into the stadium I noticed wryly
that explains, enhances, and entertains.
that the crowd's spirits seemed un-
It is a formidable feat, but Mr. Buckley
depressed by the previous day's news
has managed to pull it off in impressive
that Irving Berlin had expired. The
style to give you a highly-readable
account of both the issues and the
great majority were no older than my
debating techniques.
daughter.
Now you can get your very own.
You have to give the Stones one
copy of this new book handsomely
thing: they've set a record for pro-
bound in fine leather, stamped in gold,
tracted trendiness. These kids hadn't
and containing one page of the original
manuscript autographed and corrected
been drawn by nostalgia: they like
(by hand) by the author. This holograph
the Stones right now. I'd thought of
is inserted in a pocket inside the front
this event as a farewell tour, Mick
cover. There are only 109 manuscript
Jagger. being 46 and all, but it's by
pages available so all orders will be han-
dled on a first come, first served basis.
way of promoting a new album, Steel
The cost is $195 per copy while they last.
Wheels. It's said to be their best
Relive-with WFB-historic inter-
album in several years, by those who
views with Ronald Reagan, Luis Borges,
can make distinctions I can't.
Norman Mailer, John Kenneth Galbraith,
The opening act, in the twilight,
Ed Koch, Richard Nixon, Margaret
Thatcher, Clare-Boothe Luce, Malcolm
was a black rock band called Living
Muggeridge and a host of others cover-
TOOK MY daughter to see the Roll-
Color. The lead singer, a little guy
ing such subjects as "The Sixties,"
ing Stones Steel Wheels tour when
with dreadlocks that hung to his
"Poverty," "The Struggle for the World,"
it hit Washington. She wanted to
shoulders, bounced around, his hair
"The Role of Intelligence," and "Faith
and the Future."
see it more than I did, even though
flying, trying to occupy a huge stage,
Remember, supplies are limited to
she hadn't been born the day I first
more than 250 feet wide, whose full
the number of manuscript pages so
heard "I Can't Get No Satisfaction."
resources were being reserved for the
please don't delay. Just fill out and mail
As a matter of fact, I've never been a
main act. In other circumstances,
the handy coupon below to order your
Stones fan. My attitude toward them
Living Color would be the featured
copy of this unique collector's edition.
has mellowed from strong distaste to
attraction, but in the fading sunlight,
simple indifference, with a continuing
Yes, please send me my very own copy of
with too much space to fill and most
this special, leather-bound edition of Bill
curiosity about their appeal. To me
of the crowd inattentive, they looked
Buckley's On the Firing Line. I under-
they're the Stony Rolls: hard to get
rather pitiful, desperate.
stand that this unique copy will contain a
holograph of the original manuscript auto-
into, not much flavor.
When they'd finished, there was a
graphed and corrected (by hand) by the
The Stones filled Robert F. Ken-
long, long hiatus as stagehands re-
author. Enclosed is my check for $195.
nedy Stadium both nights they per-
arranged the furnishings and dark-
Name:
formed. We luckily went the first
ess-thickened. At several points the
Address:
night, a cool clear evening: a chilly
crowd stood and roared, thinking the
City:
State:
Zip:
rain drenched the second night. As we
Stones were coming out. The false
Please make checks payable to National Review.
Return to:
National Review;
Attn: Denise Bealin
150 East 35th Street,
New York, N.Y. 10016
alarms intensified a tremendous sense
watts, enough to sustain forty city
The rowdiness of Stones fans is
of excitement, palpable even to the
blocks. During "Honky-Tonk Woman,"
legendary, but this was a long way
recusant.
two gigantic inflatable honky-tonk
from Altamont. The audience was
When the Stones finally made their
women, each 55 feet tall, ballooned on
overwhelmingly young, white, middle-
entrance, the roar that went up was
either side of the stage. As countless
class, and well-behaved. Raucous
the sort of thrilling noise you hear
combinations of colored lights flashed,
whoops seemed to be obligatory, but.
when the home team takes the field
the sweet odor of marijuana wafted
they were the sort of thing you might
for the seventh game of the World
into my nostrils. My daughter traced
hear from Lee Atwater after a couple
Series. The enormous stage was filled
it to a middle-aged couple in the row
of beers. They peaked when Jagger
with multicolored light from hundreds
in front of us. Like most of the crowd,
flirted with one of his backup singers,
of bulbs. Jagger plunged into "Start
they were singing along with the
a pretty black girl dressed up to look
Me Up," the backup instruments
more familiar songs, mimicking even
like a piece of Harlem harlotry.
amplified at bone-shuddering volume.
Jagger's hand gestures. If anyone in
Maybe I'm jaded, but to me it was
Your basic rock concert wouldn't be
that stadium looked as if they should
about as daring as cutting shop class.
entirely lost on Helen Keller.
have been in mourning for Irving
Oh well. Everybody had a good
Even from relatively choice seats on
Berlin, it was these two.
time. That's the important thing.
the field, Jagger was a small, distant
figure. The best way to watch him
FILM
was on one of the three big TV
screens overhead. In fact, that was
the best way to make sure it was
White Season, Black Rain
really him. He doesn't do anything
lots of others couldn't simulate plau-
JOHN
sibly, from a certain remove.
By now Jagger is simulating him-
AKING a good movie about the
world does not make it more tolerable
self, as if Elvis had lived on to make
M
South African problem must
or less tragic.
a second career as an Elvis imperson-
be almost as difficult as solv-
Given the complexity of the prob-
ator. His bad-boy antics have become
ing it, which is to say very nearly
lem, no film that reduces it to good
conventional, like a professional wres-
impossible. Apartheid is a horrible
versus bad, black versus white, can
tler's. His motions-snapping head,
thing and, clearly, must go. But how
do real justice to it morally, intellec-
thrusting arm, skipping across the
to end it and what the consequences
tually, or even aesthetically. But a
stage-are the same ones he was
might be is neither easy nor pleasant
film that tries to see all sides (there
doing on The Ed Sullivan Show
to contemplate. An equitable, nonvio-
must be more than just two) would
nearly a generation ago. Now as then,
lent solution would be lovely, but if
have to bog down in unanswerable
he's vocally and physically limited,
and when the shoe, or hobnailed boot,
questions, and with those you make
self-repetitious, self-consciously funky.
is on the other foot, the bloody
scant headway at the box office.
Actually, none of the Stones except
kicking can be expected to flare up
Keith Richards seems to have any
with renewed vigor.
real interest in rock any more. Jagger
The South African government has,
told one interviewer he can't listen to
to be sure, lately made some concessions—
their early records and doesn't have
minuscule and of only nominal help.
any favorites among current groups.
From my safely distant vantage point,
But he knows the value of a dollar,
I can sympathize with both parties.
having attended the London School of
The blacks, having seen colonialism
Economics once upon a time, SO he
bite the dust in surrounding coun-
and Richards overlook their famous
tries, must feel ready to burst the
differences long enough to do the
repressive dams; the Afrikaners, how-
occasional album, the tour. This year
ever, having inherited the land from
they may gross $100 million. Jagger
generations of ancestors who, in many
is really a prudent soul whose longev-
cases, wrested from the wilderness
ity is due to bourgeois habits at odds
bounties the blacks could not or
with the rock ethos: he's avoided the
would not claim, can hardly feel eager
usual pitfalls of drug overdoses, crook-
to give away large-how large?-
ed managers, marriage to Yoko Ono.
parts of it. And though the brutal and
Limited though he is, he comes
stupid repression they have practiced
Consequently, films about South Af-
onstage trim and fit, ready to give
cannot be condoned, one can under-
rica have oversimplified: Cry Freedom
value for money. He's preserved his
stand the lengths to which an out-
grossly, A World Apart subtly. The
demeanor of hard-bitten callowness.
numbered ruling class would go to
latter is still the best on the subject
For any reader who may still be
keep a justly aggrieved and justifiably
I've seen; Euzhan Palcy's current A
unclear about the difference between
unruly underclass in check. It is an
Dry White Season is effective the way
rock and cabaret singing, the Stones'
ugly, intractable situation, and that
a blow to the gut is. But it is
amplifiers and lights were powered by
something very much like it can be
simplistic, full of puerile dreams of
four generators putting out 2,400,000
found in several other parts of the
glory (of which André Brink's novel,
56 NATIONAL REVIEW / OCTOBER 27, 1989
on which it is based, is free), and, in
"I chose the truth," he says simply.
target here: a slow, simple man who
the end, a self-defeating lie.
I regret that Miss Palcy, a young
becomes heroic without losing his
The question has been raised why
Martinican filmmaker whose only sec-
ordinariness. If only Welland and
the heroes of these films always turn
ond effort this is, and Colin Welland,
Palcy did not vulgarize everything:
out to be whites. It has to do, in part,
her co-scenarist, have elected to make
they have Ben slapping the face of
with the nature of Hollywood financ-
radical changes in Brink's story. Thus
the headmaster who unjustly fires
ing, but also with the fact that, thus
they omitted the love affair between
and then insults him-another piece
far, whites have been in a better
Ben and Melanie, presumably to gain
of pandering to the mob the book
position to effectuate change, whether
time for beefing up the black charac-
never stoops to.
they were historical figures or, in the
ters, but they spread themselves SO
There are further solid perform-
present case, Ben Du Toit, a fictional
thin that everyone, black or white,
ances by a number of black South
Afrikaner college professor (in the
ends up superficial. Worse, they have
African actors (the film was shot in
book-turned high-school teacher in
Stanley lie in wait in his cab for
Zimbabwe), notably Zakes Mokae as
the movie to bring him closer to the
Captain Stolz, the sadistic chief tor-
Stanley and Thoko Ntshinga as Emily.
moviegoing masses). Ben's naiveté
turer of the Special Branch, and have
A couple of distinguished English
about what's going on around him is
him assassinate the brute.
actors, Michael Gambon and Ronald
excessive even in the novel, but after
In the novel, Stanley disappears;
Pickup, can do little for the tiny parts
his gardener's son is killed in the
when Ben looks for him in Soweto, he
they idealistically took on; even so,
Special Branch's vendetta for the So-
only gets savagely beaten up by the
they achieve more than Susan Saran-
weto uprising, and Gordon, the gar-
very people he tried to help. Such
don as Melanie or Janet Suzman as
dener, who has been looking for his
ironies are not for our filmmakers.
Susan, Ben's wife. But Susannah
boy's body, is himself arrested and
Instead, Stolz saunters, alone and
Harker, as Suzette, the daughter who
tortured to death, Ben's conscience is
unarmed, into Stanley's purview on
collaborates with the police while
awakened and not to be stopped.
an empty street; shooting him and
seeming to support her father, is
Du Toit starts nosing around and is
driving away undetected is child's
splendid in her chilling cheerfulness.
led to Stanley, the black driver of a
play. "It's a message of warning,"
On the whole, though, a wooden film
"second-class taxi" (not even cabs are
Miss Palcy said in an interview,
that packs an unearned punch. An
immune to discriminatory laws), who
"that this decent man can be pushed
objet trouve is, pace Marcel Duchamp,
opens his eyes to conditions in Soweto
to violence. I suppose it's my message
rarely if ever art; still less is it
and elsewhere. His education is con-
to the South African government and
wisdom.
tinued by Melanie Bruwer, a liberal
the world." I can't guess the world's
journalist and crusader. Ben is exul-
response-some people in the theater
tant when Emily, Gordon's widow,
applauded heartily and mindlessly-
insists on an inquest into her hus-
but the government, I dare say, will
band's death. It is he who persuades
merely snigger if it deigns to notice
MieslaTame
McKenzie, the brilliant British-born
this wish-fulfillment fantasy at all.
ITALIAN RESTAURANT
lawyer, to take on the case. Though
By making it look so easy, the
McKenzie has had a few Pyrrhic
director cheapens the small, hard-won
"Beyond every horizon,
victories, he at first refuses in view of
advances some few have actually been
there is something
the utter hopelessness of this case,
able to gain.
different"
but relents, if only to prove to Ben,
What is most missing from the
-Nicola Paone
whom he takes a liking to, that
movie, however, is Ben's absorbing
207 East 34th Street
New York
"Justice and Law [are] distant cous-
interior monologue, the poetic rich-
(212) 889-3239
ins, and here in South Africa they are
ness of the book's style, the general
not on speaking terms." His shrewdly
thoughtfulness of Brink's novel. Wel-
sardonic tactics in the case (hopeless
land and Palcy's brinkmanship is
indeed) provide Marlon Brando with
counterproductive: not enough razz-
Unabridged Books on
his best part in years, even if his
matazz for the unwashed, not enough
Cassette Tapes
provide a sim-
screen time is only some ten to 15
sharp, true insight for the discerning.
ple new way to cultivate the habit of finishing one
minutes.
Still, the film offers some perqui-
book per week. Try listening to 1-length recordings
of books by the world's greatest minds. We special-
Ben retains the love and admira-
sites. There is the presence of Brando,
ize in books by Wm. F.
tion of his teenage son, Johan; he
aptly pronounced Wellesian in both
GOD&
Buckley, Norman Pod-
horetz, George Gilder,
loses his friends and the rest of his
flamboyance and girth, and, despite a
Thomas Sowell, Paul
family, including Susan, his wife, and
somewhat hokey British accent and
MANat
Johnson, Irving Kristol,
Malcolm Muggeridge,
Suzette, his married daughter, who
the signature slow pacing, easily the
YALE
Russell Kirk, Milton Fried-
side with the powers that be. "Look
best thing in the film. But Donald
man, G.K. Chesterton,
Friedrich Hayek, Ludwig
at the rest of Africa; it's a mess," says
Sutherland has been unjustly criti-
von Mises and others.
William F. Buckley.J
Susan in her big outburst after the
cized for his Du Toit ("Poor, unin-
For free catalog call:
inquest (and it does give one pause to
spired, virtuous Sutherland is out of
1 (800) 729-2665
For Rent or Purchase
think of the internecine brutalities
it; his characterization is one long
and bloodbaths in other African coun-
CLASSICS ON TAPE
whimper"-Pauline Kael). I find Suth-
tries). But Ben does not choose his
erland, whom I have often castigated
people, as Susan would have him do;
for under- or overacting, perfectly on
OCTOBER 27, 1989 / NATIONAL REVIEW 57
STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MAN-
M
ISS PALCY, who is 32 and may
foster parents, none of them sure
AGEMENT AND CIRCULATION (re-
quired by 39 U.S.C. 3685)
yet do better, would have done
when the delayed lethal effects of
1A. Title of publication: NATIONAL
well to study Black Rain, not
radiation may strike. The intertwin-
REVIEW.
the worthless Ridley Scott-Michael
ing lives of these three and a few
1B. Publication no.: 00280038.
2. Date of filing: September 25, 1989.
Douglas film now usurping that title,
others, with the narrative focus on
3. Frequency of issue: Bi-weekly.
but a new masterwork from the
Yasuko's inability to lie about her
3A. No. of issues published annually:
veteran Shohei Imamura, just shown
endangered condition and so find a
25.
at the New York Film Festival and
3B. Annual subscription price: $39.00.
husband, are unfolded in brief, search-
4. Complete mailing address of known
thus far without an American distrib-
ing, often oblique and even humorous,
office of publication: 150 East 35th
utor. (Given the topic, it may never
but generally piercing scenes. What is
Street, New York, N.Y. 10016-4178.
find one.) This film, based on a 1969
most remarkable here-in the script
5. Complete mailing address of the
headquarters or general business offices
novel, in turn derived from the dia-
by Toshiro Ishido and Imamura, in
of the publisher: Same.
ries of survivors from Hiroshima, is
the latter's direction, in the superb
6. Full names and complete mailing
everything A Dry White Season is not:
acting, even in the score by the
address of publisher, editor, and man-
intelligent, understated, contempla-
world-famous Toru Takemitsu-is a
aging editor: Publisher: Wick Allison,
150 East 35th Street, New York, N.Y.
tive, and shattering. Shot in apposite-
restraint, bursting at the seams yet
10016; Editor: John O'Sullivan, 150
ly sober monochrome, it records the
miraculously holding. The heartache
East 35th Street, New York, N.Y.
superlatively recreated horrors of both
reaches the audience, paradoxically,
10016; Managing Editor: Linda Bridges,
150 East 35th Street, New York, N.Y.
the atomic bombing and its after-
through the head, through the at-
10016.
effects with almost superhuman con-
tempts of reason to come to terms
7. Owner (If owned by a corporation,
trol but unblinking honesty as it re-
with something that defies and de-
its name and address must be stated
and also immediately thereunder the
cords the sufferings of a postnuclear
feats it. If this film is not widely seen
names and addresses of stockholders
family consisting of uncle, aunt, and
here-and mere distribution might
owning or holding 1 per cent or more of
adopted orphaned niece, Yasuko, in a
not suffice to lure ostriches into
total amount of stock. If not owned by a
nearby small town five years later.
theaters-the loss to us, though not
corporation, the names and addresses of
the individual owners must be given. If
Yasuko, now 25, lives in close but
SO great as being atom-bombed, will
owned by a partnership or other unin-
precarious harmony with her kindly
nevertheless be incalculable.
corporated firm, its name and address,
as well as that of each individual, must
be given.): National Review, Inc., 150
BOOKS IN BRIEF
East 35th Street, New York, N.Y.
10016; William F. Buckley Jr., 150 East
35th Street, New York, N.Y. 10016.
Fatal Error: The Miscarriage of Jus-
but the main thrust of his narrative
8. Known bondholders, mortgagees,
and other security holders owning or
tice That Sealed the Rosenbergs' Fate,
absolves the Rosenbergs' attorney,
holding 1 per cent or more of total
by Joseph H. Sharlitt (Scribner's, 274
Manny Bloch, portrayed here as a
amount of bonds, mortgages, or other
pp., $24.95)
gallant but outclassed crusader whose
securities: None.
10. Extent and nature of circulation:
unaccountable blunder in strategy
Average
Actual
T
HE DEFENDERS of Julius and Ethel
must forever remain a "mystery." In
no. copies
no.
copies
Rosenberg once denied their he-
fact, Bloch bumbled his way through
of each
of single
issue
issue
roes were Communists, then con-
the trial because he got no coopera-
during
published
ceded that fact, but denied they were
preceding
tion from his clients, whose chief goal
nearest to
12
months
filing
date
spies. Now we hear their guilt is
was to protect their unindicted accom-
A. Total no. copies (net press
irrelevant; they were martyrs to Amer-
plices. Later, he withheld support for
run)
156,833
163,200
B. Paid and/or requested cir-
ican justice, tried under the wrong
the Farmer-Edelman effort until the
culation
law: The requirements of the 1946
last possible moment, numbly follow-
1. Sales through dealers
and carriers, street ven-
Atomic Energy Act, which allowed the
ing the dictates of the Communist
dors
death penalty only on the specific
line. The Party did not want a new
and counter sales
6,860
8,152
2. Mail subscription (paid
recommendation of a jury, were not
trial; it was pushing for clemency-a
and/or requested)
130,789
132,379
met. This is not a new theory. It was
demand President Eisenhower could
C. Total paid and/or requested
circulation (sum of B1
advanced by activist Irwin Edelman
never grant without seeming to con-
and B2)
137,649
140,531
and attorney Fyke Farmer in 1953
cede the Rosenbergs' innocence. This
D. Free distribution by mail,
and was the basis of Justice William
carrier, or other means;
is just another moot-court argument
samples, complimentary,
O. Douglas's short-lived stay of execu-
for the Rosenbergs. Vinson and Jack-
and other free copies
1,365
1,266
tion. And contrary to the claim that
E. Total distribution (sum of
son's actions are painted in the worst
C and D)
139,014
141,797
this aspect of the case has never been
possible light, while inconvenient facts
F. Copies not distributed
discussed in any previous book, the
about the Rosenbergs and their de-
1. Office use, left over,
unaccounted, spoiled
Douglas stay and how it was over-
fenders are sentimentalized or simply
after printing
3,028
2,381
turned after a secret ex parte meeting
ignored. The day the Rosenbergs died
2. Returns from news
agents
14,791
19,022
attended by Attorney General Herbert
was not a proud one for the federal
G. Total (sum of E, F1 and
Brownell, Chief Justice Fred Vinson,
judiciary, but Sharlitt tells only half
2-should equal net press
run shown in A)
156,833
163,200
and Justice Robert Jackson is treated
the story: Julius and Ethel's fatal
at some length in The Rosenberg File,
error was their dogged and pathetic
I certify that the statements made by me
above are correct and complete. (signed)
which I co-authored with Ronald
loyalty to a Party that considered
Edward A. Capano, Associate Publisher.
Radosh. Sharlitt adds new details,
them expendable. -JOYCE MILTON
58 NATIONAL REVIEW / OCTOBER 27, 1989
HALE
mothers who put their children in the
Jessica is in capable, maternal hands.
(Continued from page 32)
care of other family members are re-
When women risk economic dis-
creating an age-old pattern that may
aster and get nothing from society in
Japanese profits than for the United
enrich their children's lives: creating
return for nurturing the next gener-
States. The Reagan Administration's
strong attachments to grandparents
ation, we will inevitably begin to in-
managed trade policy for semiconduc-
and aunts, or occasionally the father
vest less in our children. That is, in
tors provides a useful case study of
(though what the next generation is
fact, the agenda of an ideological elite
how not to imitate Japanese mercan-
going to do, with hardly any siblings
which fails to appreciate the value of
tilism. The restrictions on imports of
and with mothers, aunts, and grand-
women's work.
Japanese semiconductors drove prices
mothers all working full-time, is any-
The cultural anthropologists and
sharply higher in the U.S., penalized
one's guess). But as the Democrats'
social historians have hit the nail on
domestic users of electronic compo-
devotion to the ABC bill indicates,
the head: a child-centered household
nents, inflated Japanese profit mar-
no effort is being made to encour-
is not a historical inevitability; it is
gins, and failed to produce a signifi-
age this joint family approach to
the invention of an affluent society in
cant increase in either American
child care. Federal subsidies to non-
which educating children to perform
semiconductor manufacturing capac-
religious day-care chains (a big busi-
in the high-stress adult world takes a
ity or the U.S. share of the Japanese
ness rapidly expanding) will not help
great deal more time and effort than
market.
women who hire a relative or a
it used to. It is simply a lot easier to
The piecemeal movement toward a
neighbor to care for their children.
raise your children to be successful
Japanese model of managed trade
Yet a federal subsidy for day-care
peasants or country squires, than
and industrial intervention occurring
chains is the darling of the intel-
successful doctors, lawyers, engineers,
in America today is dangerous pre-
ligentsia, especially among women
and computer technicians.
cisely because the country does not
wealthy enough to hire nannies and
want to acknowledge that a major
au pair girls for their own kids.
policy transformation is occurring.
I am certainly not arguing that day
M
OTHERS, as Miss Margolis
points out, have not always
The U.S. is selectively embracing cor-
care is always and everywhere de-
spent a great deal of time and
poratist and mercantilist ideas with-
structive. But there is a world of
energy supervising young children.
out creating a policy framework co-
difference between reassuring moth-
That is quite true. But when presti-
herent enough to prevent them from
ers that many children do fine in day
gious academics say that an intense
misallocating resources, distorting do-
care and trying to make day care the
mother-child bond is a recent inven-
mestic price relationships, enrich-
dominant form of child-rearing in
tion and easily dispensed with, they
ing foreign producers, and weakening
America.
do not usually tell you how children
America's long-term competitive posi-
Values are funny things. Society
fared in the good old days when
tion. The Bush Administration ap-
cannot insist that child-bearing is a
women were preoccupied with house-
pears likely to continue intervening
trap for women and child-raising a
hold production rather than child
on a spastic and ad-hoc basis in re-
degrading preoccupation, and then
care. In America, before the emer-
sponse to specific sectoral crises or
turn around and expect the day-care
gence of the oppressive Victorian
high-powered lobbying. Unfortunately,
industry to be flooded with eager,
"motherhood cult," children under
though, there is probably no alterna-
committed, emotionally giving mother-
five were routinely left alone and just
tive to such haphazard policy formu-
substitutes. When women are encour-
as routinely drowned at the bottom of
lation in a society as confused as is
aged to view caring for children as
wells or burned to death in the family
George Bush's America about how to
demeaning, where are all these mil-
fireplace. Working-class parents who
reconcile its free-market intellectual
lions of substitute caregivers going to
wanted peace and quiet drugged their
traditions with the Reagan legacy of
come from?
children with opium and trotted off to
fiscal populism and the rise of corpo-
The answer, temporarily, is Ja-
the neighborhood pub. The documen-
ratist and mercantilist industrial pow-
maica.
tation of child-rearing practices in
ers in Asia.
But that's a solution only for those
Western history is sketchy and incom-
wealthy enough to import a full-time
plete, but what we have suggests the
GALLAGHER
babysitter. And there is always a
average level of parenting even two
(Continued from page 39)
tragic dimension to this kind of
hundred years ago would today be
personal solution. Aristocratic British
considered child abuse.
The political elite's enthusiasm for
mothers obtained their devoted nan-
If women are being pulled by
day care is particularly odd in that
nies because lower-class women had
economics, by ideology, and by male
very few parents share it. One of the
few other job opportunities, and with-
abandonment away from nurturing
most obvious and least noted facts
out dowries or prospects were less
our children, there is no guarantee
about substitute child care is that
able to marry. The mothering of the
that a host of loving child-care work-
most of it is provided by relatives. As
rich was purchased by denying fami-
ers or fathers will spring up to fill the
of 1985, almost half the pre-school
lies to the poor. In today's version,
gap. The close bond between mothers
children of working mothers were
the poor immigrant mothers in
and children is a cultural artifact in
cared for by relatives. Only 23 per
Brooklyn leave their own children
this sense: If women opt out of family
cent were in formal day-care centers
alone and uncared for, SO well-to-do
nurturing, no natural law says any-
and about the same proportion were
Manhattan women can go to work
one in a culture must care very much
in family day care. The majority of
with the warm glow of knowing little
about what children need.
OCTOBER 27, 1989 / NATIONAL REVIEW 59
TRANS-O-GRAM/Kem Putney
1
J
2
E
3 A
4
Q
5
B
6 W
7
F
8
C
9
K
10 S
11 N
12 D
13 I
14 B
15 L
16 H
17 K
18 P
19 U
20 C
21 W
22 A
23 I
24 M
25 E
26 H
27 T
28 N
29 V
30 J
31 T
32 W
33 B
34 K
35 U
36 L
37 J
38 0
39 F
40 D
41 P
42 W
43 B
44 J
45 M
46 V
47 R
48 U
49 N
50 H
51 F
52 G
53 T
54 M
55 S
56 K
57 E
58 A
59 C
60 B
61 W
62 N
63 T
64 J
65 I
66 F
67 E
68 L
69 S
70 C
71 H
72 N
73 A
74 G
75 K
76 T
77 E
78 J
79 C
80 V
81 W
82 F
83 H
84 Q
85 P
86 T
87 K
88 0
89 I
90 B
91 M
92 U
93 D
94 A
95 C
96 R
97 B
98 E
99 F
100J
1011
102N
103A
104H
105V
106G
107M
108S
109F
110Q
111J
112P
113N
114D
115L
116I
117E
118K
119R
120V
121A
122D
1231
124W
125G
126E
127H
128S
129C
130T
131J
1320
133F
134K
1351
136E
137J
138S
139K
140V
141V
142Q
143M
144B
145H
146W
147P
1480
149N
150C
151A
152H
153U
y
154A
155G
156J
157D
158R
159L
160U
161B
162P
163T
164E
165C
166L
167A
168Q
169G
1701
171K
DEFINITIONS
A. Seagoing pilot's
L. Came to the
protection
154
103
58
3
94
167
121
151
22
73
plate
159
115
68
166
15
36
B. Naval VIPs
M. Answer
90
14
161
60
5
33
144
97
43
45
143
54
24
107
91
C. Senatorial
N. Like the scuba
Privilege author
8
79
95
59
20
129
150
165
70
diver's alibi?
28 113 72 11 62 102 149 49
(full name)
D. They are
0. Egg drop,
usually best
157 93 122 114 12 40
so to speak
132
38
88
148
when had last
P. Stratagem
E. Winston Churchill
147
41
18
112
85
162
was one
67
25
136
126
117
77
98
57
164
2
Q. Exaggerated
F. Stream's route
(slang)
142
168
4
110
84
(2 words)
66 82 109 99 39 7 51 133
R. Partner for
G. Saws
means
119 96 158 47
125
74
169
155
52
106
S. Calendar
H. Owl's "day"
components
10
55
108
138
69
128
83
71
152
50
104
26
127
16
145
T. Wiping out
I. Principles laid
76 130 27 53 163 31 86 63
down as true
23
65
89
116
123
101
135
13
170
U. Santa's fastest
J. Shop steward's
reindeer?
92 35 48 153 160 19
function
111
156
44
30
100
37
137
78
131
1
V. Adds
64
105 140 120 46 29 141 80
K. Defying
W. Insults
139 118 9 56 75 17 171 134 34 87
61 146 81 42 6 124 21 32
DIRECTIONS
The object of TRANS-O-GRAM is to fill in the puzzle diagram by guessing the words from their definitions, and transferring
each letter of the guessed word to the correspondingly numbered square in the diagram. When the diagram is filled in it will
spell out a quotation from some published work (reading normally from left to right, black boxes indicating the ends of words);
also, when the words have all been filled in above, their initial letters will spell out the author and title of the quoted work.
The acrostic feature, and the relative word-lengths in the diagram, will assist in the solution. Spelling and definitions on the
authority of Webster's New International Dictionary, Second Edition.
See page 61 for solution to last Trans-O-Gram.
60 NATIONAL REVIEW / OCTOBER 27, 1989
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OCTOBER 27, 1989 / NATIONAL REVIEW 61
He memorized the keyboard in 25 min-
ON THE RIGHT, Wm. F. Buckley Jr.
utes. Sure, he's smart, but he was also a
TV junkie, and even with nurses and
governesses and parents, he couldn't be
detached from the tube until, finally, he
outgrew it, at about age 16, after which he
quickly made up for lost time.
But it is really a rudimentary problem,
and the children need to feel at a very
early age the whiplash of the results of
ment will be 3.6. Miss Sue Berryman, the
indolence: long dull lives washing dishes
director of the Institute on Education and
When You Know
and seeing television movies of countries
the Economy at Columbia University Teach-
like Japan and West Germany with thriv-
Your ABCs
ers College, puts it this way: "Our least
ing populations.
advantaged students are now drowning in
ten feet of water instead of 15 feet of
NEWYORK, SEPTEMBER 25
water."
Mr. Bush, who advertised himself months
Now with all due respect to the agonies
Cruel & Unusual
before his election as the Education Presi-
of modern pedagogy, it seems to me that
dent, convenes representatives of all fifty
every day it becomes plainer and plainer
Punishment
states to confront a problem so grave as to
that more and more students are simply
threaten (we jest not) that the United
NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 15
not applying themselves. The chairman of
States will become, some time after the
BellSouth Corp. says that only 15 per cent
The passage by a large majority in the
turn of the century, a Third World coun-
of job applicants knew how to type well
Senate of a bill that would forbid smoking
try. Rudimentary illiteracy and innumer-
enough to handle telephone jobs, and 50
on commercial airplanes isn't yet the
acy (illiteracy in numbers) is growing.
per cent of applicants couldn't even handle
Anti-Airborne-Smoking Act. Before that
Assuming that tomorrow and the day
"light typing."
happens, there will need to be a conference
after, skills will not be required any
Now with data like this, we need to ask
between senators and members of the
greater than the skills needed today, at
ourselves a simple question: Have the
House to settle whatever differences in
the present level of educational regenera-
American people become dumb? No doubt
emphasis distinguish their respective posi-
tion we would still be short of skilled
some of them are-probably you can find
tions.
labor. Short of semi-skilled labor. Short,
dumb people even in Tel Aviv and Peking.
Both Houses are saying about the same
even, of unskilled labor, if one assumes
But there are no indications that a virus
thing, and the vote in the Senate was by
that unskilled labor should be expected to
is running around that is intellectually
heavy voice vote. Smoking is bad for you.
read and write.
incapacitating our young people to the
Smoke contaminates other people. Flight
But then we are not standing still. Here
point where they can't learn how to type,
attendants are crazy-mad enthusiastic for
is a graphic way to put it, done by the
or how to spell, or how to write a simple,
the bill.
authors of "Workforce 2000," a study as
grammatical sentence.
Now the heaviest smoking is done by
yet unpublished, conducted by William
The enemy? 1) Television (too much),
the relatively ignorant class: more and
Johnston and Arnold Packer of the Hudson
and 2) homework (too little). I have long
more, those who are sophisticated in
Institute.
been waiting for a scientist to come up
matters involving health don't smoke. It
To begin with, the researchers found
with a gizmo that freezes the home
happens that most of the people who
that the average adult aged 21 to 25 isn't
television set between whatever hours the
travel are members of that class: business-
reading at a level required by the typical
parents wish it frozen at. Instead of
men, white-collar workers, professionals.
job of 1984. Not very long ago, a telephone
watching TV 39 hours a week, children
With the result that although 30 per cent
operator handling an "Information" cock-
should be limited to one-half that, devot-
of American adults smoke (the figure is
pit needed only to know the alphabet. Now
ing the balance to-well, just to give an
probably 50 per cent of non-adults), only
she needs to know how to punch comput-
example, to learning how to type. I taught
20 per cent of regular fliers smoke.
ers and, at some levels, how to feed fresh
my son, at age 12, to type-I painted out
Now it is surprising to this ex-smoker
information into computers. The chairman
the keymarks on the typewriter, pasting a
that Senator Frank Lautenberg should be
of the BellSouth Corporation in Atlanta,
facsimile of them on the wall at eye level.
proceeding with his campaign to ban
quoted in a New York Times story by
smoking in the spirit of
Education Editor Edward Fiske, says that
Savonarola. You can smell
"In 1987, fewer than 30 per cent of
it from his rhetoric. The
employment candidates met our skill and
,
AIRLINES
senator is talking about
ability requirements for sales, service, and
Evil! He is the recovered
technical jobs."
SMOKING
SECTION
alcoholic who wants to
The Hudson Institute summary put the
keep other people from
problem graphically. The top of the scale
drinking. He is the Don
in language skills is 6-the kind of thing
Juan grown jaded, who
scientists, lawyers, and engineers have to
wheezes against fornica-
be able to handle. Manual-labor jobs
tion. What Senator Laut-
require category 1, "signifying rudimen-
enberg tends to forget is
tary reading and communication." The
that smoking is a most
Hudson people tell us that the average job
powerfully addictive habit
today requires an achievement of 3.0 in
(drug?), and compensa-
reading skills. But that in the 26 million
tions need to be made for
jobs expected to be created between now
CORREL
it. Whereby hangs a tale.
and the year 2000, the average require-
On New Year's morn-
62 NATIONAL REVIEW / OCTOBER 27, 1989
ing in 1954 my wife and I woke up feeling
someone smoking in the back of the
many, Lauder's managers cruelly overdid
a little bit the ravages of the night before.
airplane is going to give us a hacking
-for instance-in suggesting that Giu-
We resolved that a little mortification of
cough or a malignant tumor or a heart
liani tolerated references to Auschwitz to
the flesh was in order, and agreed we
attack. Maybe the smokers will need to
intimidate Jewish defendants.
would there and then give up smoking
appeal to the Fourteenth Amendment.
David Dinkins is a kindly man, utterly
cigarettes. Twenty-four hours later we
Why not? Everybody else does.
the prisoner of liberal shibboleths. He has
decided that only two courses of action
been campaigning in New York City for
were plausibly open to us. Either a) one of
six months and if one were to arrest a
us would resume smoking, or b) we would
be divorced. We tossed a coin, and I lost
So Long, Ed
passerby on the street and ask what did
Dinkins stand for he would only be able to
(won?). She still smokes and, like a few
mutter, "Racial reconciliation." If Mr.
NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER13
smokers I know, is miserable if made to go
Dinkins can offer the city anything oth-
five hours without smoking, which is
Twenty-four years ago I ran for mayor of
er than his own good nature and easy-
exactly what the Senate wishes to do to
New York City. That I should have won
going intelligence, we will need to find
anyone who flies from New York to Los
that race, under the sponsorship of the
this out.
Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, or Van-
Conservative Party, was not problematical,
The human focus of the campaign was,
couver.
it was out of the question. The highest
of course, Ed Koch. He came to promi-
Now traveling on airplanes is for many
score the fledgling Conservatives had got
nence as an anti-machine Democrat, de-
people a relatively anxious experience. Oh,
up to that point was about 3 per cent. The
feating Tammany Hall's Carmine DeSapio.
they do it all the time, but there is a
point in running was to ventilate publicly
He went to Congress, and then became
certain tension there when one contem-
alternative views of sensible municipal
mayor. Not since Fiorello LaGuardia did
plates that one is whizzing along six miles
government. The newspapers published
any mayor so crowd the scene as Ed Koch.
above the earth at six hundred miles per
my views, they were expressed on televi-
Although he did not go on the air to read
hour in a little cylinder with an aluminum
sion, I wrote a book about them, and I
the funny papers to us when there was a
carapace about an eighth of an inch thick.
taught a course at the New School called
newspaper strike, one sometimes had the
We noblemen who do not smoke easily
"Conservative Views and Municipal Poli-
impression that he was the traffic cop on
forget the kind of relief that is experienced
tics." And now, a quarter-century later, it
the corner, the third-grade schoolteacher,
by smokers when there is tension. Not
is roughly speaking fair to say that these
the garbage-disposal-truck driver, and the
only when there is tension in the air, but
views have not prevailed. Schooling in
admissions officer at the city hospital. If
also when there is tension on the ground.
New York, under the monolithic control of
there was a public function without Koch,
It is lamentable to admit it, but it is
the teachers' bureaucracy, is both more
it meant only that he was at the other
simply true that tobacco smoking does
expensive and worse than it was. Spend-
public function, going on simultaneously.
that to people, and the question before the
ing by the city is wild. (At the time I ran,
It sometimes seemed as though he looked
house ought to be: Is the compensating
Professor John Kenneth Galbraith opined
for opportunities to estrange other public
satisfaction given to the 80 per cent who
that there was "nothing wrong with New
figures, many of whom featured as objects
do not smoke in any way equal to the
York that doubling its budget wouldn't
of scorn & derision in his best-selling book.
sheer frustrating pain visited upon those
cure." Mayor John Lindsay saw Galbraith
He was surrounded, the city would learn,
who do smoke? Jeremy Bentham might
and raised him another 100 per cent and
by crooked politicians, though they had got
have explored his utilitarian coefficient,
most things became worse.) Crime is
to where they were before Koch became
which asks about the greatest good for the
rampant, rent control is a continuing
mayor. When they got into trouble, Ed
greatest number, but it is by no means
cause of building sclerosis, and city-wide
Koch would shrug his shoulders and
clear that you could equate the relative
pensions beginning as early as age forty
suggest that it is true that this is a wicked
satisfaction of the eighty passengers with
require taxes heavy enough to drive people
world with wicked people in it.
the excruciating pain of the deprived
away from the city who should be staying
But it appears that his most ingratiat-
twenty.
in it. My bicycle overpass hasn't been
ing quality, an unquenchable thirst for
Enlist me in any crusade gently to lower
built.
candor, was what finally did him in. This
and to lower the number of smokers, in
Enough. The late Theodore White, a
was his statement, in the spring of last
the hope that a few decades from now
shrewd, liberal political analyst and histo-
year, that no Jewish voter in his right
cigarette smoking will be as quaint as
rian, gave it as his opinion in an article 14
mind would vote for Jesse Jackson. Al-
snuff-taking. But between now and then
years ago that New York City was "un-
though there is no reason to conclude that
reasonable measures need to be taken. No
governable." The reason for it, he said, is
this was a racist statement, it was SO
one allergic to smoke, whether biologically
that over one million voters either work
interpreted, and resented by blacks and by
or aesthetically, should be required to
for the city or are closely related to those
many Jews, who joined a consolidated
share a small office with a smokestack.
who do, and they will not tolerate any
black-Hispanic community in voting No to
Large restaurants should be free to search
diminution in their perks. That, he said,
Ed Koch.
out their own arrangements: if the major-
was the basic scaffolding of city politics:
For the record, I like Ed Koch, and I
ity are emphatic in refusing to patronize a
everybody's right to everything, resulting
think he is a good man and the quintes-
restaurant that permits smoking, why, let
in everybody's victimization by everything.
sential New Yorker. He has been a
the restaurant owner impose his sanctions,
The candidates this time around needed to
personal friend for twenty years, and the
little by little. The railroads have smoking
be judged with that perspective in mind.
only favor I ever asked him, he granted:
cars, and the buses have smoking sections,
Ronald Lauder has defended the correct
which was to invite a harpsichordist to
and smokers can do without their ciga-
principles and was wiped out by Rudolph
Gracie Mansion to perform in commemora-
rettes in taxis and riding up on elevators.
Giuliani, who sought to ingratiate himself
tion of Bach's three-hundredth birthday.
But we should curb those instincts in us to
with the Liberal Party even as John
Our politics take us on separate roads, but
impose on others reforms we have pain-
Lindsay did. Lindsay and the Liberal
though the difference between us is for
fully undertaken. It is one thing to apply
Party won, the city lost. Giuliani wiped
that reason great, I am glad to say that we
pressure on a single person to give up
out Lauder in the Republican primary,
were arm-in-arm as personal friends, and
smoking and along with it his/her perpet-
notwithstanding a sustained negative cam-
will, I hope, continue to be.
ual hacking cough; another to pretend that
paign against him which, in the opinion of
(Universal Press Syndicate)
OCTOBER 27, 1989 / NATIONAL REVIEW 63
OFF THE RECORD
agency no longer supports this policy.
Yet is China's problem too few
condoms, or too much Communism?
The U.S. Agency for International
Development's Woods Report, named
for Alan Woods, the USAID adminis-
trator who released it earlier this
year before his untimely death, casts
doubt on overpopulation talk. "The
population 'problem' actually reflects
The Evans & Novak column in
ley's uncle, our Editor-in-Chief. "In
the progress made in keeping people
mid-September ran an intriguing item
1984 we won two national awards for
alive throughout the world." We bet
that had the fingerprints of the Na-
our covers.")
Pope Pius, Uncle Joe, and great-
tional Republican Congressional Com-
"Forcing us to defend the past,
grandmother would agree. As for
mittee all over it. It blamed the
when we are a new regime," John
FDR, his photo has always been face
narrow two-point loss in Jim Wright's
Buckley continues, "is an exercise in
down at NR.
former district fairly and squarely on
futility that only impedes our ability
somebody else: namely, President Bush
to move toward what I assume to be
Robert McNamara, having already
and Senator Phil Gramm for failing
the common goal in electing a conserv-
engineered the U.S. failure in Viet-
to campaign in the district.
ative Congress." Another source close
nam and done his utmost to get the
That, however, is not the view of
to the NRCC finds Mr. Buckley's
Third World into ever more debt, was
the local campaigners. Fred Meyer,
defense more convincing as to the
here in town to promote his latest
Texas Republican State Chairman,
recently arrived Mr. Rollins than the
manual of practical statesmanship
exonerated both men to Cato: "Gramm
long-serving Mr. Vander Jagt.
[see "Books, Arts & Manners"]. Speak-
raised a bunch of money for the
Finally, Evans & Novak, having
ing at the National Press Club to a
candidate, wrote letters; and George
dug deeper, revealed that after criti-
decidedly aged contingent from Came-
Bush met with him in Washington,
cism from the White House, the
lot, he noted that when he first came
endorsed him, and appeared on a
NRCC is feeling the heat. Stay tuned.
into office, the top marginal tax rate
telephonic hook-up. I have no problem
on income was 92 per cent-compared
with the way the President and the
to 28 per cent today. "We could take
senator handled it." Indeed, as Meyer
MASTER
care of all" of America's economic
points out, the Republican perform-
AT THE ART OF
problems, he said, if only we raised
ance was not that bad-49 per cent of
CONFRONTATION!
that latter figure some. Just call it
the vote in a district that went 65 per
"Edsel Economics."
cent for Wright last year. Why was
the NRCC so touchy?
A very different crowd showed up
For touchy it certainly was, going
the other Sunday for the "Family
off like a rocket one week later when
the article by NR's publisher, Wick
1989 Mal Ent. Inc.
Salute to Oliver North," held safely
outside the Beltway in Chantilly,
Allison, "How to Win an Election,"
Virginia. Colonel North was in fine
appeared. Local GOP leaders, said
form. In an hour-long speech he
Mr. Allison, had complained to him
On the other side of the aisle,
plugged the capital-gains-tax reduc-
that the "arrogant" NRCC was disin-
Senator Barbara Mikulski of Mary-
tion, called for the restoration of the
clined to listen to views that did not
land recently invoked her immigrant
Reagan Doctrine, and insisted on the
originate in Washington. In Wash-
great-grandmother, a faithful Pole
primacy of family values, noting that
ington, of course, it was disinclined to
"who had on her mantelpiece three
in his day "kids were thrown out of
listen to views that did not originate
pictures, one of Pope Pius XII, her
parochial schools for swearing" while
at the NRCC.
spiritual leader; the second of Uncle
today they are "kicked out of public
The article's publication caused a
Joe, who made the police force, and
schools for praying." Such was the
small earthquake in Washington (cas-
we were proud of that; and the third
enthusiasm of the crowd that even
ualty count: still unknown). The NRCC
was Roosevelt" (whose picture, we are
the press joined in the Pledge of
itself distributed "The Annotated Guide
glad to learn, was turned face down
Allegiance and the "Star-Spangled
to Wick Allison's Piece," a point-by-
after Yalta).
Banner." Fortunately, no one from the
point reply. And NRCC spokesman
What great-grandmother would have
ACLU was taking names.
John Buckley came out fighting. "It
made of Senator Mikulski's sponsor-
makes as little sense to put us, with
ship of a successful amendment to
Hidden in the Labor Health and
a new leadership that has been in
restore $15 million in funding to the
Human Services authorization bill is
place less than six months, in the
United Nations Fund for Population
a little item naming a building at the
position of defending the past as it
Activities is anyone's guess. U.S.
National Institutes of Health after
would to attack Wick Allison and
assistance was cut off in 1985 by the
former Senator Lowell Weicker, whose
John O'Sullivan for, say, the quality
Reagan Administration because of
early retirement was helped along by
of NATIONAL REVIEW cover art circa
UNFPA's support for forced abortion
Buckpac. Have they no sense of
1984." ("Oh?" comments Mr. Buck-
in China. Senator Mikulski says the
decency? Or even survival? -CATO
64 NATIONAL REVIEW / OCTOBER 27, 1989
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