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WHERE OUR NATION STANDS AT HOME AND ABROAD
WHERE OUR NATION STANDS AT HOME AND ABROAD
13
Mr. Otten noted: "This does not sit well with Congress. Many Senators and
Representatives feel the President cannot reasonably expect to have it both
ways
*
* Many have turned Mr. Johnson's two-edged argument to suit
their own purposes, rather than his. If filling unmet needs is as important as
When our Commander in Chief asked congressional authorization
the Chief Executive says, most lawmakers can't see why they shouldn't take care
of a few of their own constituents' needs along with the President's * *
of $4.8 billion more for our fighting men in Vietnam, the Senate
Alternatively, if inflation is as ominous as the President portrays it when attacking
record will show Republican Senators gave 100 percent support.
increases in his budget, many Congressmen would be glad to help combat this
When he urgently asked for an additional $13.1 billion in defense
dire threat by spiking a few of the innovations he's proposed."
money for fiscal year 1966, Republicans in the Senate gave him 100
In addition to the war, the rising tide of crime and violence in our
percent support. And when it came to authorizing $415 million
streets, the highest cost of living in history, more and more home
more for Vietnam economic aid, Republicans in the Senate again
mortgage foreclosures, Government news management, a decrease in
went down the line 100 percent for it.
"real spendable earnings," loss of prestige abroad, and larger and
We are in a war which is growing in proportions. Much will be
larger Federal spending, there also are other matters of concern.
said in the coming days, volumes will be written, and arguments will
The administration raised interest rates on VA and FHA home
continue. Suffice it to leave it at this point with up-to-date accounts
loans to the highest in history this month.
of our position in Vietnam in the following articles, one by Clayton
Is this indicative of a Great Society?
Fritchey, which appeared in The Evening Star, Washington, D.C.,
October 10, 1966, and the other, an interview of Gen. Dwight D.
The Government has paid interest rates 1,500 percent larger than
Eisenhower by Associated Press Correspondent Marvin Arrowsmith,
ever before on some short-term loans. And interest rates on every-
which appeared in the same newspaper October 10, 1966:
thing else from home loans, personal loans, installment loans, to loans
made to corporations, have soared to the highest levels in 45 years.
[From The Washington Star, October 10, 1966]
Does this mark the progress of a Great Society?
WE'RE IN OUR THIRD LARGEST WAR
There were more strikes and work stoppages in the first 6 months of
(By Clayton Fritchey)
1966 than in any similar period in the last decade.
For the United States this is a historic moment. With the landing at Saigon
Will the administration point to this as a Great Society mark?
of a brigade from the 4th Infantry Division, the conflict in Vietnam has just
become the third largest war America has ever fought.
A multitude of scandals has burst upon the Federal scene, from
American battle strength in Vietnam now totals 320,000, which exceeds the
windfall profits in housing and the random issuance of bank charters
Korean war total of 302,483. Only in the First and Second World Wars has the
United States ever surpassed the present effort.
to literally scores of poverty program scandals.
At the same time, American casualties have reached a new high; and defense
Does this represent the ethics of a Great Society?
expenditures (also surpassing Korea) have shot above $60 billion a year for the
first time since World War II.
American taxpayers, whether they realize it or not, are saddled
That, in brief, is the factual situation in Vietnam, despite the optimistic,
with $1 billion per month for interest alone on the national debt.
inspirational pep talks coming out of both Saigon and Washington.
The latest U.S. casualty figures report 967 killed and wounded in 1 week, the
Does an ever-increasing public debt represent a Great Society?
highest in any 7-day period so far. If, as the war escalates, casualties continue
at or near this level, they will exceed 50,000 a year, which would top the Korean
From 1961 through 1965 American farmers had the lowest share
war rate of 46,000.
of the Gross National Product; the lowest return on gross sales; the
The new figures bring the total of combat deaths for the war to 5,302. This is
lowest return on total capital investment; the lowest share of the
more than the number of Americans killed in the Revolutionary War (4,435),
the War of 1812 (2,260), the Mexican War (1,733), and the Spanish-American
food dollar; the lowest level of parity of income; and received the
War (385).
lowest performance on campaign promises ever made by an
Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson have repeatedly assured the
administration.
public that the United States was in Vietnam only in a supporting role, and that
the brunt of the fighting must be carried on by the Vietnamese themselves.
Does this represent the flowering of a Great Society?
The casualties, however, tell a different story. In the same week that the
United States lost 967 men, the South Vietnamese forces had only 98 killed and
Since December 1, 1965, when the administration made headlines
280 wounded, less than half of the American total.
about cutting the public payroll by 25,000, more than 237,000 addi-
The fact is that this is the largest undeclared war in the history of the world-
tional employees have been placed on the public payroll by the Johnson
and it is rapidly getting bigger, which is why the Pope and U Thant (whose
administration.
concerns are universal rather than national) continue to raise their anguished
voices in the hope of heading off another superwar.
Is this what is meant by a Great Society?
The magnitude of the present fighting is of such proportions that nobody in
Washington (including President Johnson) knows what the war is costing. The
only thing sure is that it is costing far more than the Government will admit.
When the President was pressed for an answer at a recent press conference, he
shut off questions by saying, "I would commend to you some homework. Read
the (Congressional) hearings."
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"ocrText": "12\nWHERE OUR NATION STANDS AT HOME AND ABROAD\nWHERE OUR NATION STANDS AT HOME AND ABROAD\n13\nMr. Otten noted: \"This does not sit well with Congress. Many Senators and\nRepresentatives feel the President cannot reasonably expect to have it both\nways\n*\n* Many have turned Mr. Johnson's two-edged argument to suit\ntheir own purposes, rather than his. If filling unmet needs is as important as\nWhen our Commander in Chief asked congressional authorization\nthe Chief Executive says, most lawmakers can't see why they shouldn't take care\nof a few of their own constituents' needs along with the President's * *\nof $4.8 billion more for our fighting men in Vietnam, the Senate\nAlternatively, if inflation is as ominous as the President portrays it when attacking\nrecord will show Republican Senators gave 100 percent support.\nincreases in his budget, many Congressmen would be glad to help combat this\nWhen he urgently asked for an additional $13.1 billion in defense\ndire threat by spiking a few of the innovations he's proposed.\"\nmoney for fiscal year 1966, Republicans in the Senate gave him 100\nIn addition to the war, the rising tide of crime and violence in our\npercent support. And when it came to authorizing $415 million\nstreets, the highest cost of living in history, more and more home\nmore for Vietnam economic aid, Republicans in the Senate again\nmortgage foreclosures, Government news management, a decrease in\nwent down the line 100 percent for it.\n\"real spendable earnings,\" loss of prestige abroad, and larger and\nWe are in a war which is growing in proportions. Much will be\nlarger Federal spending, there also are other matters of concern.\nsaid in the coming days, volumes will be written, and arguments will\nThe administration raised interest rates on VA and FHA home\ncontinue. Suffice it to leave it at this point with up-to-date accounts\nloans to the highest in history this month.\nof our position in Vietnam in the following articles, one by Clayton\nIs this indicative of a Great Society?\nFritchey, which appeared in The Evening Star, Washington, D.C.,\nOctober 10, 1966, and the other, an interview of Gen. Dwight D.\nThe Government has paid interest rates 1,500 percent larger than\nEisenhower by Associated Press Correspondent Marvin Arrowsmith,\never before on some short-term loans. And interest rates on every-\nwhich appeared in the same newspaper October 10, 1966:\nthing else from home loans, personal loans, installment loans, to loans\nmade to corporations, have soared to the highest levels in 45 years.\n[From The Washington Star, October 10, 1966]\nDoes this mark the progress of a Great Society?\nWE'RE IN OUR THIRD LARGEST WAR\nThere were more strikes and work stoppages in the first 6 months of\n(By Clayton Fritchey)\n1966 than in any similar period in the last decade.\nFor the United States this is a historic moment. With the landing at Saigon\nWill the administration point to this as a Great Society mark?\nof a brigade from the 4th Infantry Division, the conflict in Vietnam has just\nbecome the third largest war America has ever fought.\nA multitude of scandals has burst upon the Federal scene, from\nAmerican battle strength in Vietnam now totals 320,000, which exceeds the\nwindfall profits in housing and the random issuance of bank charters\nKorean war total of 302,483. Only in the First and Second World Wars has the\nUnited States ever surpassed the present effort.\nto literally scores of poverty program scandals.\nAt the same time, American casualties have reached a new high; and defense\nDoes this represent the ethics of a Great Society?\nexpenditures (also surpassing Korea) have shot above $60 billion a year for the\nfirst time since World War II.\nAmerican taxpayers, whether they realize it or not, are saddled\nThat, in brief, is the factual situation in Vietnam, despite the optimistic,\nwith $1 billion per month for interest alone on the national debt.\ninspirational pep talks coming out of both Saigon and Washington.\nThe latest U.S. casualty figures report 967 killed and wounded in 1 week, the\nDoes an ever-increasing public debt represent a Great Society?\nhighest in any 7-day period so far. If, as the war escalates, casualties continue\nat or near this level, they will exceed 50,000 a year, which would top the Korean\nFrom 1961 through 1965 American farmers had the lowest share\nwar rate of 46,000.\nof the Gross National Product; the lowest return on gross sales; the\nThe new figures bring the total of combat deaths for the war to 5,302. This is\nlowest return on total capital investment; the lowest share of the\nmore than the number of Americans killed in the Revolutionary War (4,435),\nthe War of 1812 (2,260), the Mexican War (1,733), and the Spanish-American\nfood dollar; the lowest level of parity of income; and received the\nWar (385).\nlowest performance on campaign promises ever made by an\nPresidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson have repeatedly assured the\nadministration.\npublic that the United States was in Vietnam only in a supporting role, and that\nthe brunt of the fighting must be carried on by the Vietnamese themselves.\nDoes this represent the flowering of a Great Society?\nThe casualties, however, tell a different story. In the same week that the\nUnited States lost 967 men, the South Vietnamese forces had only 98 killed and\nSince December 1, 1965, when the administration made headlines\n280 wounded, less than half of the American total.\nabout cutting the public payroll by 25,000, more than 237,000 addi-\nThe fact is that this is the largest undeclared war in the history of the world-\ntional employees have been placed on the public payroll by the Johnson\nand it is rapidly getting bigger, which is why the Pope and U Thant (whose\nadministration.\nconcerns are universal rather than national) continue to raise their anguished\nvoices in the hope of heading off another superwar.\nIs this what is meant by a Great Society?\nThe magnitude of the present fighting is of such proportions that nobody in\nWashington (including President Johnson) knows what the war is costing. The\nonly thing sure is that it is costing far more than the Government will admit.\nWhen the President was pressed for an answer at a recent press conference, he\nshut off questions by saying, \"I would commend to you some homework. Read\nthe (Congressional) hearings.\""
}