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This file contains material relating to Richard Nixon, John Byrnes, Charles Potter, John Lodge, Thruston Morton, Harold Velde.
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Big Ten Young Republican Conference, Ann Arbor, MI, March 24, 1950
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Big Ten Young Republican Conference, Ann Arbor, MI, March 24, 1950
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This file contains material relating to Richard Nixon, John Byrnes, Charles Potter, John Lodge, Thruston Morton, Harold Velde.
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Gerald R. Ford Congressional Papers
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1950
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1950
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The original documents are located in Box D13, folder "Big Ten Young Republican
Conference, Ann Arbor, MI, March 24, 1950" of the Ford Congressional Papers: Press
Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. The Council donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
speech by Representative Herald R. Ford Jr. at Big- Ten March young 24, Republecan 1950
Conference, ann arbor, mechigan
Mr. Chairman, distinguished guests, delegates and friends.
I am pleased and honored to have the opportunity to appear on this program
and participate in the discussions and work of this worthwhile conference.
At the outset, may I publicly commend the University of
Michigan Young Republican Club, the sponsors of this conference. Despite almost
insurmountable hurdles that would have discouraged less hardy souls this
conference is a reality. A tribute from all of us is due those who have given
their time and effort so unselfishly in order that this splendid gathering
could be successful. The results are indicative of what can be accomplished
by careful planning, hard work and a never-say-die determination.
At this time I would like to toss another bouquet to the
members of the University of Michigan Young Republican Club for their
constructive work in preparing and submitting a Party Platform entitled
"Opportunity State". I am enthusiastic about the slogan "Opportunity State".
This slogan sums up succinctly the basic philosophy of the Republican Party.
Our party was founded at a time when certain fundamental opportunities were
denied to a segment of our population. The Republican Party has seldom
strayed from that philosophy and it now stands foresquare for those principleçuro
GERALD LIBRARY
Digitized from Box D13 of The Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
-2-
The Young Republican group at the University of Michigan have
created
carried a refreshing slogan which could well be a cornerstone for Republican
success in this crucial election year. Furthermore, and this is important,
the drafters of this platform have implemented the title with effective and
impressive concrete suggestions. It is brief, comprehensive, foreseeing
and mature. Above all, it is straightforward and sincere.
There is one criticism that might legitimately be leveled at many
politicians and party workers in all political parties, namely, "too little
horsepower and too much exhaust". Those assembled here are definitely not
guilty on that score. My observations indicate the existence of tremendous
horsepower and very little exhaust.
I can well visualize the trials and tribulations experienced by
those who drafted the platform entitled "Opportunity State". Likewise I
appreciate the difficulties being experienced today by the assembled dele-
gates. You have and will have problems in putting all of your thoughts
and ideas in mutually acceptable form. The national leaders in the Republican
Party faced the identical problem several months ago.
Republican leaders, party workers and others who are truly sympathetic
to the free enterprise system are faced with the practical difficulty
GERALD LIBRARY
-3-
fashioning a blanket that will encompass a sufficient number of citizens
to win a national election. If the blanket is too expansive, covers too
many, fundamental principles inevitably disappear. Without a recognized
national leader, one who can definitely and unequivocally set policy,
the Republican Party has no way of corraling the recalcitrants. Our
Democratic friends have an entirely different situation. Mr. Truman, the
duly elected leader of their party, determines party policy. Any individuals
who are Democrats and who may feel critical of a particular phase of the
President's program do their utmost to squeeze under the Truman blankel. The
would-be recalcitrant Democrats instead of going off on a personal tangent
restrain themselves and their convictions in order to deflect the wrath
of the White House. I only urge that we in the Republican Party and our
allies who believe in the American System will be patient and understand
some practical political considerations. Our point of view will prevail.
In the meantime Let's not be hypercritical of potentially strong allies
who cannot by reason of strong personal conviction, go down the line on each
and every battle. I plead for tolerance in this conference and for under-
standing in the crucial battles that lie ahead.
STATE FORD
-4-
My assigned topic this afternoon is "Young Republicanism in Congress".
This is an easy subject for we now have in the House of Representatives a
determined, intelligent, constructive and effective group of young Republicans.
You should be proud of their past achievements, and will undoubtedly subscribe
to their future accomplishments. The younger generation of Republicans is
ably represented and for your benefit I will mention a few names and recount
their records. As Al Smith said on numerous occasions, "Let's look at the
record."
One of the top congressmen, a good Republican, is Representative
Richard Nixon, a young man of 37 years, who was chosen as one of the ten
outstanding young men of the nation in 1948. The citizens of the United States
owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Dick Nixon for his outstanding work in
seeing to it that the infamous Alger Hiss, the Red tainted darling of the
Trumanites, was brought to account before the courts of the nation. Few
people know or appreciate the fact that Dick Nixon carried on the necessary
and highly unpopular investigatory work almost singlehandedly in the fall
months of 1948 when President Truman was labelling the committee's work as
nothing but a "red herring". Were these investigations a Red Herring? I think
-5-
the Americans believe otherwise, for it has been proven in a court of law
that Alger Hiss, a man who helped to guide the Administration's foreign
policy decisions in the critical post-war period was a liar and by implication
a traitor to his CO country. With the Hiss expose as a lesson you would imagine
that the Democratic Administration would seek to remove the last vestige of
Soviet flavored influence in the Executive branch of the federal government.
The opposite seems to be the case at the present time where we find the
Investipling
President refusing to release loyalty files to a responsible Senate Committee
for use in executive session behind the Committee's closed doors. I fail to
see the reason for the withholding of these documents by the President
after the Committee has promised that strict safeguards will be maintained
for the protection of innocent, and I repeat innocent, people.
Aside from his superb work in the Hiss matter, Dick Nixon has been an
invaluable member of the Committee on Education and Labor. He has an unlimited
knowledge of the problems, legal and otherwise, involved in labor-management
legislation. When he speaks on the floor of the House his words and argu-
Furthermone
ments are effective. His influence is not limited to domestic affairs, for
Dick Nixon served on the important Herter Committee which examined thoroughly
FORD & LIBRARY GERAME
-6-
the question of U. S. economic aid to our European allies. I am told
by his colleagues on the Herter Committee, the Committee on Education
and Labor and the Committee on Un-American Activities that Dick Nixon
is a pillar of strength at all times. We in the House will miss him
but know that he will continue his great public service in the Senate
c ome January 3, 1951.
Let's turn for a moment to a rugged midwesterner, Representative
John Byrnes of Wisconsin, who is one of the most able members of the
House. As a member of the important Committee on Ways and Means, John
has wielded a sound influence at a time when the President is demanding
to
new and higher taxes and certain pressure groups are/demanding special
while others such
tax exemptions, reductions and privileges. No one except the President
and the Democratic members of the House Committee on Ways and Means denies
the need for the immediate repeal or reduction in wartime imposed excise
taxes. If prompt action isn't taken along that line, unemployment in
certain industries will increase and the affected businesses will collapse.
Mr. Truman says NO, we must dilly dally and find other revenues before
providing tax relief for the workers and employers who are presently
FORD & LIBRARY GERALD
-7-
discriminated against by the continued existence of the wartime excises.
Johnny Byrnes drafted the following resolution which was rejected
15 to 10 in a straight party vote.
I quote - "Whereas the public hearings
have revealed many areas in which certain excise taxes are causing numerous
hardships by reason of consumer resistance, production cut-backs and
unemployment; and whereas the public hearings have further revealed that
it is essential to relieve this condition at once, I move that the committee
immediately prepare excise relief legislation providing for reduction and/or
elimination of excise taxes to relieve this condition and report such legis-
lation to the House forthwith prior to consideration of other revisions of
the internal Revenue Code." end quote.
In my estimation, and I hope in
yours, this is an expression of real statesmanship. It met the serious
issues head on and offered a sound solution. The Administration should be
condemned for playing partisan politics when there is a crying need for
immediate tax relief in the excise field.
Representative Byrnes who is only 37 recently made a speech on
the floor of the House which deserves our attention and consideration. I
quote -
"If there is one thing that the children of this country need,
FORD LIBRARY GERAM
-8-
is an administration that will put a stop to loading them with debts
that we are unwilling to pay today but are willing to incur for future
generations.
II
End quote.
Such logic is unanswerable. The point
should be impressed on the minds of all our citizens and particularly
those who seek to impose on the already overburdened federal treasury
new spending programs which have no relation to national defense or
internal security. The citizens of the Badger State are rightfully proud of
Congressman Byrnes.
We in Michigan know of the fine record of Representative Charles
Potter of Cheboygan, a member of the Committee on Merchant Marine and
Fisheries. Charlie Potter, 34 years old, is a Purple Heart veteran of
World War II but despite the greatest imaginable physical handicap he
ably represents his district and the citizens of the nation.
Let me give you a concrete example. The commercial fishing
industry has been the livelihood for thousands of citizens in the states
surrounding the Great Lakes. In recent years the waters of Lake Michigan
have been mysteriously plagued by the sea lamprey with disastrous results
to the valuable commercial fishing industry. Charlie Potter is responsible
GERAED FORD LIBRARY
-9-
for the legislation which Congress has approved in an attempt to eradicate
this threat to the economy of the lake states.
Representative Potter is also the principal sponsor of legislation
which seeks to revive package shipping on the Great Lakes. Our salt water
shippers since the end of World War II have been rather favorably treated
in the disposition of wartime used cargo vessels and in contrast fresh
water shipping interests have been left out in the cold. Charlie Potter
has taken the bull by the horns and is leading the fight to eliminate this
inequitable discrimination in the disposition of government owned cargo
vessels. I can assure you that this is an example of sound and constructive
action by one of our young G.O.P.ers in the present Congress.
Few who heard his speech will forget Representative Potter's
persuasive arguments in opposition to the multibillion dollar veterans
pension benus bill of last year. You, I am sure, would have been proud of his
courageous stand in thwarting this bankrupting proposal.
In the field of foreign affairs the Republicans have the guiding
hand of our great Michigan Senator, Arthur Vandenberg, but we in the House
can look with pride to the achievements of Representative John Lodge
FORD & LIBRARY GERALD
-10-
of Connecticut. He is the author of the provision in the Korean Aid
legislation which provides that U.S.funds shall be cut off if any Com-
munists are brought into the government of the Korean Republic. Such a
provision is necessary particularly with the weak and Vascilating influences
in the State Department now directing our Far Eastern foreign policy. In
the past whenver the State Department sponsored or permitted coalition
governments, and this has been our policy too often, the results have been
disastrous. John Lodge's amendment may well save our Korean allies from
a fate similar to that experienced in China and elsewhere.
Representative Lodge has been and will continue to be one of
the foremost experts on E.C.A. and M.A.P. His ideas on both are original;
his advocacy effective and his influence pronounced. Mr. Paul Hoffman,
the E.C.A. Administrator, can be thankful that John Lodge is on the House
Committee on Foreign Affairs.
In passing, I would like to mention one other achievement of
Representative Lodge. In the 80th Congress and again in the 1st session
of the 81st John Lodge argued vigorously for an amendment to the Displaced
Persons Act which would recognize the plight of the 18,000 Polish D.P
FORD & LIBRARY GERALD
-11-
who fought valiantly in General Anders Polish Army and who struggled
heroically on our behalf in the Battle of Britain. This provision is
now in the House version of the Cellar bill. The Polish people in the
U.S. should understand that a young Republican is principally responsible
for relief which will probably be accorded these rugged wartime allies.
Your speaker tonight, Representative Thruston Morton of
Louisville, Kentusky is an able member of the House Committee on Education
and Labor. He is one of several Republicans who have attempted to solve
the federal aid to education problem in an intelligent manner. The only
logical argument for federal aid to education is that certain geographical
areas in the U.S. are unable for economic reasons to provide adequate
school systems. Such states like Mississippi and Kentucky are in this
category. The so-called Morton bill aims at rectifying this problem
by the distribution of federal funds to the needy areas.
In contrast the Administration seeks to subsidize schools in
all states regardless of need by the payment of federal funds directly to
the various states. This is rank subsidization of the school systems of
the nation and would inevitably lead to federal control on the basis of
LTBRART
-12-
the old adage that he who pays the piper calls the tune. I am certain
that any individual who believes in the integrity and independence of our
educational system would greatly prefer Representative Morton's proposal
over the 300 million hand-out bill sponsored by the Administration.
Those of you who come from Illinois have a 39year old
freshman member of the House who has made a remarkable record in the past
15 months. I refer to Congressman Harold Velde, a member of the Committee
on Education and Labor and the Committee on Un-American Activities.
Congressman Velde was well qualified for his appointment
on the Un-American Activities Committee through his experience as an FBI
Agent investigating communism and espionage throughout the country. In
this capacity he was instrumental in exposing top-flight communists and
espionage agents throughout the country and was chiefly interested in the
treacherous activities of the communist spy ring operating at the University
of California Radiation Laboratory. This spy ring was first uncovered in
San Francisco in March 1943, and I regret to say that none of the members
of the ring have yet been prosecuted.
FORD of LIBRARY GERA
Velde brought before the Un-American Activities Committee
two of the possible 150-member espionage ring. They were Steve Nelson, the
-13-
communist party organizer for California and the famous Scientist X who has
now been identified as Dr. Joseph W. Weinberg, a research physicist during
1942 and 1943 at the University of California. During the appearance of Weinberg
allegedly
before the Committee he committed perjury in several instances in denying his
membership in the communist party and denying that he was a co-conspirator of
Steve Nelson.
After lengthy hearings the Committee turned their files over to
the Department of Justice with the recommendation that Weinberg be prosecuted
he
for perjury. The Committee recommended that 1 be brought before the Grand Jury
for indictment for perjury. This recommendation was made last year but has not
yet been acted upon by the Department of Justice.
Velde considers it one of his duties as a representative of his
district as well as representing the American people generally to continue his
efforts in exposing the treacherous activities of the communist party members
and of the communist front groups in the United States, and has vowed to do
this to the best of his ability.
Frankly, if time permitted I could go on almost indefinitely,
for you have in the House top notch young Republicans from all parts of the
FORD is LIBRARY UNRALD
-14-
country. In addition to those already mentioned there are Glen Davis of
Wisconsin, Don Jackson of California, Charles Nelson of Maine, Caleb Boggs
of Delaware, Jack Javits of New York, Walter Norblad of Oregon, and the
newly elected Bill Bates of Massachusetts. All are conscientious legislators.
All believe in the sound fundamentals of free enterprise.
These men, the Young Republicans in the House are real
Americans, and as such are against this country being handled and mishandled
by Big Anything, be it Big Business, Big Government or Big Labor, or Big Agri-
culture. This country belongs to the people, and it is time we restressed
the fact. It is time we stood up and shouted it. It is time our people went
to the polls and did something about it.
Today we are catapulting down the chute to the worst type
of bureaucracy and regimentation. This disaster must be stopped here and
now, not tomorrow. But how are we going to stop it when the public appears
to enjoy being spoon fed by a paternalistic government?. .We can't stop it
by ignoring social problems. We can't stop it by me-tooism.
We must show the people why bigger and bigger bureaucracies
endanger free government, we must show the public why financial insolvene
FORD & LIBRARY GERALI
-15-
ultimately leads to forced economy and slave labor and we must show the public
that men cannot both be free and at the same time dependent on government
handouts for food, health and lodging.
Spirit--that's what our party needs SPIRIT. To go forward, to sound a
clear and courageous call-WE AS REPUBLICANS must not falter.
On this occasion I'm reminded of a story, an inspirational story. Let
me take a moment and tell it to you.
Once on the battlefield, Napoleon Bonaparte lost his confidence. The
battle was going poorly. Troops were in retreat and it looked like the invincible
general was about to suffer a terrible defeat.
In his mind the great general was ready to call it quits. In desperation
he called his drummer boy.
"Drummer boy, he said, "the battle is lost beat a retreat!"
The little drummer boy stood there for a moment looking aghast at Bonaparte.
Finally he spoke.
"Sire, I was with you at the Battle Marengo. I was with you in the great
campaign in Italy. I was with you in Egypt. And sire, you never taught me to beat
a retreat. But I can beat a charge...I can beat a charge that will make the dead
fall in line!"
-16-
Napoleon looked at the boy and said,
"Boy--beat that charge!"
And when the day was over they had won the battle!
The spirit of the drummer boy should be the spirit of the Republican
Party on this occasion. We must not let ourselves be downcast. We must
not even admit that we know how to beat a retreat.
FORD & LIBRARY GERALD