U.S. POSITION IN LATIN AMERICA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP67B00446R000500110031-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 29, 2003
• Sequence Number: 31
• Publication Date: September 16, 1965
• Content Type: OPEN

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September 16, 1965 CONGRESSI AL
plaque designating the Star as a historic
site in journalism.
The Star which now ' serves a broad
section of the Midwest had its start in
two rented rooms and in the mind of a
brash young man from Indiana named
William Rockhill Nelson. In a profession
with a high casualty rate, the paper grew
and prospered as it served the brawling
city on the bluffs over the Missouri River.
It never backed away from a civic is-
sue and in coming of age, it brought a
new measure of excellence to American
journalism. If it is a giant in its field
then it is also true that it produced some
giants of its own. I point to Roy A. Rob-
erts who came to Washington 50 years
ago as a young correspondent for the
Star and who recently retired as chair-
man of the board. Is there a brighter
name, Mr. Speaker, in all the annals of
journalism?
The tradition of public service is being
carried forward by Richard B. Fowler,
president and editor, and by a devoted
staff. As a public servant and a private
its birthday.
- D r -
U.S. POSITION IN LATIN AMERICA
(Mr. SELDEN asked and was given per-
mission to address the House for 1 min-
ute; to revise and extend his remarks and
to include extraneous matter.)
Mr. SELDEN. Mr. Speaker, as chair-
man of the House Subcommittee on
Inter-American Affairs, I am acutely
aware of the serious damage likely to be
done to our country's position in Latin
America as the result of yesterday's orac-
ular foreign policy utterance.
Had the identical indictment of U.S.
actions in Santo Domingo emanated from
Radio Havana, I would have called John
Chancellor this morning at the Voice of
America to ask that an early response be
broadcast throughout the hemisphere in
order to set the record straight on this
issue. Unfortunately, however, the Voice
of America is neither equipped nor au-
thorized to, cope with criticisms of U.S.
foreign policy issued by high ranking of-
ficials of our own country.
The passion for anonymity seems to be
a disappearing virtue among too many of
our highly placed public figures. Instead,
we have seen develop a passion for noto-
riety-a willingness, if not a compulsion,
to forgo the channels of responsible
policy dissent in favor of headlines or
books sales. Thus, close advisers to
former Presidents and incumbent au-
thorities on foreign affairs have taken to
washing policy linens in public to the
detriment of the country and to the de-
light of enemy propagandists.
Yet, the world-friends and foes
with another Castro-styled Communist
base in the Caribbean.
In order that the impression presented
to the world by the most recent of these
criticisms be refuted, I am requesting a
special order for Thursday next so that I
may discuss more thoroughly the position
of the United States in the recent Do-
minican crisis.
RESERVE-GUARD MERGER
(Mr. SIKES asked and was given per-
mission to extend his remarks at this
point.)
Mr. SIKES. Mr. Speaker, reports con-
tinue to reach the committees of Con-
gress that the Defense Department's in-
sistence-upon the Reserve-Guard merger
is being carried on despite repeated re-
jections of the proposal by the Congress.
I must respectfully submit that this in-
sistence is resulting in detriment to the
national preparedness program.
It would seem incredible to me that the
Department would permit rigid adher-
ence to a one-plan preparedness program
insofar as the Reserve components are
concerned. Nevertheless, this is what
the evidence indicates.
Had the Defense Department on last
December 12 put into operation a major
program to increase manning levels for,
intensified training of, and issuance of
equipment to, selected units of the Army
Reserve and Army National Guard, all
of these selected units would now be fully
combat ready and available for prompt
call to Federal service, excepting, of
course, those units which might now be
answering the call of their respective
Governors to maintain order.
If such an improved readiness program
had been initiated on May 15 when the
Secretary of Defense agreed publicly that
a Reserve-Guard merger could not be
accomplished without specific authority
from the Congress, selected units would
now be ready 120 days after the aforesaid
date.
If this selected unit readiness program
had been underway promptly when the
House Armed Services Committee, on
August 12, announced its rejection of the
Reserve-Guard merger plan-after this
improved selected unit readiness pro-
gram had been advanced before the
committee in public hearings-we would
be a long way toward the goal for the
Reserves which we have been told is im-
portant to national security.
Yet, the Defense Department has al-
lowed every such opportunity to go by
without taking positive steps to authorize
the Reserve Forces units which may be
called up to bolster military services for
the crisis in southeast Asia, and I am
told that restrictions on recruiting, train-
alike-are not aware that these oracles ing and equipment continue.
and derogators of their own country's This apparently inflexible determina-
policies speak for themselves alone and tion to carry forward a Guard-Reserve
not for the majority of their countrymen. merger program without consideration
The American people overwhelmingly or utilization of alternative proposals
support President Johnson's actions in must be accepted, I believe, as resulting
Santo Domingo and fully understand in deterrence to the Nation's national
that had he not so acted, firmly and ex- - security program.
peditiously, not only would American The Congress is now ready for final
lives have been lost, but that, more than action 'on the fiscal year 1966 defense
likely, we would have been confronted appropriation bill. That bill further
No, 171-5 -
23191
spells out the desire of Congress for both
the Guard and the Reserve to be main-
tained at adequate strength levels.
Without a merger obviously now the al-
ternative plan to a Guard-Reserve merg-
er must be put into effect. Congress
has made it clear through the language
of the defense appropriation bill that it
does not want the Reserve to be starved
out. If a realistic and cooperative re-
sponse is to be had from the Department
of Defense, vigorous training must now
be undertaken for both. Very possibly
this will result in a need for additional
money. I think every action taken by
Congress during the current session
would indicate an exception that a real-
istic training program be carried on and
that a request for supplemental funds
be initiated if needed. The- support
given by Congress to all phases of the
defense program will, I am certain, con-
vince the Department we are prepared
to provide funds for the Reserve and the
Guard. In other words, if more money
is needed, we want the Department to
ask for it.
I am calling these matters to the at-
tention of the Secretary of Defense be-
cause I simply cannot believe that he is
aware of the great lengths to which
merger proponents have gone in their
unprecedented pressure campaigns.
This pressure has been exerted in Con-
gress, and from top to bottom in the
Department of Defense and in the Re-
serve components. In the latter these
tactics have resulted in- loss of morale,
loss of personnel, and loss of effective-
ness. Certainly it is now time to call a
halt to these campaigns and to exert full
effort to the training and equipping of
needed units in both the Guard and the
Reserve. I respectfully urge that the
DOD staff take advantage of the al-
ternative proposals which are known to
be available and- which can be equally
effective, and ch have so long been
(Mr. BURLESON asked and was given
permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. BURLESON. Mr. Speaker, usu-
ally hindsight Is about 20-20. It seems
this practice is more often related to
politics and football, although the
Monday morning quarterback has his say
a little sooner than the politician. And
too, it more often, if not always, follows
defeat.
it was an amazing thing which oc-
curred in the Senate on yesterday when
the chairman of the Foreign Relations
Committee, the Senator from Arkansas
[Mr. FULBRIGHT], commented on the
recent U.S. action in the Dominican
Republic.
The Senator referred to the action of
sending troops to the Dominican Re-
public as a grievous mistake character-
ized "initially by overtimidity and subse-
quently by overreaction."
Mr. Speaker, one of the most grievous
mistakes which has characterized our
Government's policies since the end of
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World War II has been overtimidity, but
not of the kind and character referred
to by the Senator from Arkansas. A
courageous President Kennedy was not
timid when he forced. offensive missiles
out of Cuba, and we can thank God that
we have President Johnson, who was not
timid about the action. in the Dominican
Republic and who is not timid in South
Vietnam.
It seems to me the concern of everyone
should be to see that success in the
Dominican Republic is assured and not
by timidity allow the accomplishment
therb to erode and permit forces inimical
to the United States and the Western
Hemisphere to take over. This should be
the primary concern and not that which
these Members of the other body ex-
pressed yesterday about whether, first,
there was danger to American personnel
in,the Dominican Republic and, second,
whether It was about to be taken over by
Communist forces.
As to the danger to American person-
nel, I have an idea that it was consider-
ably more dangerous to the able Ambas-
sador, Tapley Bennett, who made his.
telephonic report from. under his desk in
the American Embassy while bullets were
flying over the top, than sitting in the
marble halls of this Congress.
Would these Members of Congress wait
until a Communist takeover had been
accomplished to have done anything at
all, and then what would they have done?
Mr. Speaker, I repeat that we can be
thankful we have a President who did not
wait for the "mafiana," which might
never have arrived.
I compliment the Organization of
American States on their subsequent ef-
forts in the Dominican Republic to re-
solve this highly explosive situation, but
to have waited for an initial decision
from them would in all likelihood, have
been too late.
The chairman of the Foreign Rela-
tions Committee, long an advocate of
lavish foreign aid, seems worried by the
methods used to protect our position in
the Dominican Republic and fears we
have wounded feelings in Latin America.
Well, my colleagues, if. our actions there
are questioned and criticized, we have
gained little friendship at an exceedingly
heavy cost. Contrarily, his comments
invite this very attitude.
Mr. Speaker, it is not my intent to
question the motives of anyone but there
is no need to pretend that the discussion
on the Senate floor yesterday is, indeed,
strange and difficult to understand. Ap-
parently, at the core of the Senator's
concern with our policy and course of ac-
tion in the Dominican Republic and in
general policy as well, is that we may be
interferring with a truly revolutionary
movement of democratic people.
Mr. Speaker, it was called that in Cuba
in its takeover. Conditions have been
thusly described in every instance of
Communist attempts to overthrow gov-
ernments.
Talk about timidity. It was not a tim-
id action our President exercised in the
Dominican Republic, and I say again, the
timidity which seems to have influenced
our policies following the end of World
War II is terribly dangerous simply be-
cause our adversaries in this world may
be led 16 doubt our courage, our resolve,
and determination to defend freedom.
Mr. speaker, with friends like these
who sp yak so critically on this matter,
the administration needs no enemies and,
as to that matter, neither does our coun-
try.
PETER J. CROTTY, OF BUFFALO, N.Y.
(Mr. KEOGH asked and was given
permission to .address the House for 1
minute, and to revise and extend his re-
)
marks.)
Mr. KEOGH. Mr. Speaker, I would
like to take this opportunity to pay my
deepest respect to a most gracious man,
a man who has literally changed the po-
litical neap of the State of New York.
Peter.'J. Crotty, who 'recently retired
as Democratic chairman of Erie County,
N.Y., his made his mark for generations
to come-on our Empire State. For, in a
brief span of 10 years, he has changed
Erie County from a bastion of Republi-
can str ngth to a now healthy, Demo-
cratic sr~songhold.
In 19 54, Erie County had 50,000 more
register: d Republicans than Democrats.
Today, :Democrats exceed Republicans by
47,000. In the city of Buffalo, the Demo-
crats now have a registration figure of
55,000 over the Republicans. In 1954,
when Mr. Crotty became Democratic
county chairman the Democrats only had
a micro!;copic lead of 1,300. In 1954 there
were no Democratic Congressmen in Erie
County--today there are two. In that
year there was no Democratic State sen-
ators, taday there are three. Also, in
1954 tr ere were only two Democratic
assembl Ymen, today seven out of eight
assemblymen are Democrats. Further-
more, there are now numerous other
Democr tic officeholders in the city of
Buffalo.
This : emarkable upsurge just did not
happen, it took leadership and hard
work. :?eter J. Crotty provided both in
the higi.est degree.
No one can challenge his greatness and
what he has achieved for the Democratic
Party. For the past 11 years, he has
played ,i major roll in the selection of
Presidents of the United States, as well
as county supervisors.
He leaves behind him a legacy of out-
standing achievements, and his superior
leadership qualities will long be remem-
bered. He has an intimate knowledge
of government problems in the Erie
County area which will be sorely missed.
His vast legislative experience and guid-
ance plus his impeccable personal inte-
grity will not be forgotten nor will his
long dedication to the principles of hon-
est and Ifficient government.
This :harming man, my close friend,
will be missed by all of us in the State
of New !cork.
(Mr. :)ENT asked and was given per-
mission to address the House for 1 min-
ute.)
Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, in today's
Washington Post, there appeared an ar-
ticle by Jerry Kluttz in which some state-
ments were attributed to me on the ques-
tion of civil servants, the statement hav-
ing been made the other day on the floor
of the House.
I should like to state that everything
Mr. Kluttz states constitutes a good re-
porting job, I am responsible for every-
thing he has quoted me as saying.
But when be gets into the realm of
poetic license, and makes a statement
such as the following:
DENT also painted an accusing finger at
civil servants for not getting married and
having families.
I should like to point out that I never
revise my remarks in the RECORD and the
remarks are there for all to see.
I do not remember saying anything
about whether they get married or do not
get married, and whether they have fam-
ilies or not.
What I did. allude to was where they
have families, they try to get them all on
civil service.
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED
STATES IS COLLECTING TRADING
STAMPS
(Mr. RESNICK asked and was given
permission to. address the House for 1
minute.)
Mr. RESNICK. Mr. Speaker, last
Friday, on September 1.0, at the invita-
tion of my distinguished colleague, the
gentleman frdm New York [Mr. WOLFF],
I attended a meeting in New York City
at which the :subject of trading stamps
was discussed, with the purpose of de-
termining whether or not they contrib-
ute to consumer costs. During the course
of these discussions, the representative of
one of the large nationwide car rental
organizations asked to be heard. This
gentleman stated that it was the policy
of his company to give trading stamps to
people who rent its cars. Mr. WOLFF
asked him whether his company did
business with the. U.S. Government.
The car rental executive said he did.
Then he said something which, I confess,
absolutely astounded me, and which I am
sure will surprise many other gentlemen
in this distinguished room today. He
revealed the fact that the U.S. Govern-
ment saves trading stamps. When Gov-
ernment employees rent automobiles
from this particular company, the com-
pany sends the stamps to a Government
agency-the particular agency was not
specified-and these stamps are then ex-
changed for gifts which are then distrib-
uted, we are told, to veterans' hospitals.
I must confess that I was appalled by
the revelation that the U.S. Government
has joined the shoppers of America in
collecting trailing stamps. I was even
so crass as to wonder why the Bureau of
the Budget or the General Accounting
Office did not insist upon price reduc-
tions in car rental instead of taking the
stamps.
I was even beset by visions of busy
bureaucrats, actively at work in an un-
derground office in downtown Washing-
tion, tearing off and mailing in all the
box tops of the cereal packages consumed
by Government personnel, filling out and
mailing in all the 2-cents-off coupons on
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Government-consumed detergent and
coffee, trying to balance the books in
the chocolate pudding account after
having bought three boxes and gotten
one free, and, finally, fighting over the
question of whose name would be filled
out on the sweepstake ticket that would
be sent back to the cigarette company
for a 2-week, all-expense-paid trip to
Paris.
Later on, however, when cool reason
returned, I realized that this system had
merit. That the Government should de-
mand trading stamps with all its pur-
chases from all suppliers, since a quick
check revealed that the trading stamps
obtained with Government purchases
every year would almost be enough to
balance the budget. And by insisting
upon trading stamps with our imports
we would go a long way toward assisting
the Treasury Department in overcoming
the balance-of-payments problem.
Mr. Speaker, we have heard a lot of
foolish talk about Government rubber-
stamps. I think it is about time we gave
some serious thought to Government
trading stamps. It is not only ludicrous
but inexcusable for the Government to
take trading stamps with its purchases
from private companies. am sure it is
also costly, because dealers do not get
stamps for nothing; they pay for them.
And this cost is passed along to the con-
sumer in the form of higher prices.
I am not even raising the question of
who really gets the gifts the Government
is saving for, and whether or not any
sophisticated form of payola is involved.
That is not the main point. The real
Issue is whether Government money is
being spent efficiently-are we getting
100 cents worth for every dollar spent, as
President Johnson has demanded-or is
some of it being needlessly and waste-
fully frittered away to support promotion
gimmicks.
CHALLENGE TO MISSISSIPPI
REPRESENTATIVES
(Mr. RYAN asked and was given per-
mission to address the House for 1 min-
ute.)
Mr. RYAN. Mr. Speaker, today, out-
side of the Capitol, sitting in silent vigil,
are a large number of courageous citi-
zens from the State of Mississippi who
have come to Washington because to-
morrow the House will consider the chal-
lenge to the seating of the Mississippi
Members of Congress.
The Committee on House Adminis-
tration will, I understand, tomorrow
bring to the floor a resolution to dismiss
the election contests against the five
Members. The resolution also states
that the five Members "are entitled to
their seats as Representatives of said
districts and State."
At this time I should like to say to
Members of the House that I believe this
is one of the most crucial issues which
has ever come before us.
The question is whether or not the
illegal and discriminatory practices of
the State of Mississippi are to be con-
doned and validated. I certainly hope
that all Members of the House will look
at the facts of brutality, terror, intimi-
dation, and murder which have existed
and persisted throughout the years in
Mississippi. The challenge is based upon
the deliberate and unconstitutional dis-
enfranchisement of 43 percent of the
population in the 1964 congressional
elections. This renders those elections
invalid.
Mr. Speaker, the 19-to-5 majority re-
port of the committee must be opposed
and the resolution defeated.
The Subcommittee on Elections held
3 hours of closed hearings to which only
subcommittee members, contestants,
contestees, and counsel were admitted.
It limited testimony to the single issue
of whether or not the contestants had
standing to bring the statutory chal-
lenge.
Nevertheless, the committee report
finds that the congressional elections of
1964 were constitutional and valid.
The committee also bases its recom-
mendation on the proposition that the
election result would have been the same
even if disenfranchised citizens had
voted.
By stating "the action recommended
by this committee should not be inter-
preted as condoning any disenfranchise-
ment of any voters in the 1964 elections
or in previous elections," the committee
admits the disenfranchisement of Negro
citizens.
This is the most incredible barrier
ever raised to the constitutional right to
vote. It means that no election can be
challenged as unconstitutional unless
the challenging party can prove that
enough voters were disenfranchised to
alter the election result. If this report
is adopted, it will serve to bar any and
all future challenges alleging disenfran-
chisement. It will establish the rule
that the disenfranchised minority or
majority have no right to challenge an
election without proof that they would
have changed its outcome.
The committee has said nothing
which gives any real assurance for future
elections. It only expresses its confi-
dence that future violations of the Vot-
ing Rights Act of 1965 will be investi-
gated by the House.
This report gives nothing less than a
green light to present efforts by the
State of Mississippi to undermine the
Voting Rights Act.
Mr. Speaker, we cannot condone the
elections of U.S. Representatives who
gained their seats through an unconsti-
tutional election. The proposed resolu-
tion must be rejected.
CHALLENGE TO MISSISSIPPI
REPRESENTATIVES
(Mr. BURTON of California asked and
was given permission to address the
House for 1 minute and to revise and
extend his remarks.)
Mr. BURTON of California. Mr.
Speaker, I should like to join the distin-
guished gentleman from New York [Mr.
RYAN] and to state again that the issue
which will be before the House tomor-
row will be one of great importance. I
share the concern of so many that the
elections held in the State of Mississippi
last year were not in conformity with
the Federal constitutional rights of the
citizens of that State.
I truly hope that the Members of this
body will reject the recommendation of
the Committee on House Administration
tomorrow when that matter is before us..
HOME RULE-HATCH ACT
(Mr. NELSEN asked and was given
permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his re-
marks.)
Mr. NELSEN. Mr. Speaker, a funda-
mental issue complicating consideration
of home rule for the District of Columbia
Is that of protection of the Federal em-
ployee system under the Hatch Act.
Throughout the debate on home rule
in recent years I have insisted that the
principle of a nonpartisan, politically in-
sulated Federal employee system must
be retained.
Home rule for the Nation's Capital, if
it is to be obtained at the expense of this
principle, would be a high price indeed
for the people of this country. Yet, the
administration-supported home rule pro-
posal endangers, if It does not in fact
sacrifice, this principle.
Both the administration-backed Sen-
ate home rule bill and that sponsored by
Congressman Multer provide an exemp-
tion from Hatch Act provisions for Fed-
eral employees living in the District of
Columbia.
The immediate result of enactment of
a home rule bill containing this provi-
sion would be to establish an unfair
double standard for application of the
Hatch Act among Federal employees.
While Federal employees living in the
District would be exempted from the
law's prohibition against political par-
- tisanship, millions of other Federal
workers throughout the country would
still be restrained and under sanction
regarding political activities.
It is obvious what the long-range re-
sult of this double standard would be,
in terms of maintenance of the Hatch
Act. A widespread breakdown of the
public's and the Federal employee's pro-
tection under the Hatch Act would occur.
And from this opening wedge we would
witness a return to the days of the spoils
system in Federal employment which
preceded passage of the Hatch Act.
Home rule proponents argue that the
residents of the District who are Federal
employees should be given equal rights
in the governing of their own municipal
affairs. It is one thing to argue in
behalf of such equal rights, but it is
quite something else to extend special
privileges of District Federal employees
in order to accomplish these rights.
- This is an issue which home rule sup-
porters obviously seek to avoid. Yet it is
an Issue which affects not the residents
of the District of Columbia alone, but
the American people as a whole. It is
their Federal employee system which is
being sacrificed, unless provision is made
to protect and maintain the. integrity of
the Hatch Act under a District home rule
government.
As I have stated, home rule for the
District would be dearly purchased if, in
order to obtain it, the country must re-
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD- HOUSE eptQm er 16, 1965
vert to the days of spoils system politics.
Already we have seen the steady deteri-
oration of Hatch Act protection under
the'assaults of overzealous political party
organizers. This trend must be reversed
if the country is to continue to enjoy a
high standard of service among its mil-
lions of Federal employees.
But enactment of home rule for the
District, under the terms of the pending
administration-supported bills, would in
fact accelerate and aggravate the dete-
rioration of Hatch Act protection. I
therefore ask and implore all Members
of this House to support my efforts to
help reverse the trend of recent years re-
garding breakdown of Hatch Act cover-
age of Federal employees-and to study
carefully the ramifications of de-Hatch-
ing Federal workers in the District while
yet applying the law to those in our own
congressional districts and throughout
the country.
THE LATE DR. f2ALPH C. SMEDLEY
(Mr. UTT asked and was given per-
mission to address the House for 1 min-
ute and to revise and extend his re-
marks.)
Mr. UTT. Mr. Speaker, I take this
time to report to the House the recent
death of Dr. Ralph C. Smedley, who was
the founder of Toastmasters Interna-
tinal. Dr. Smedley was 87 years of age
when he passed away. He has been a
constituent of mine for many years.
Dr. Smedley organized the original
Toastmasters Club in Santa Ana, Calif.,
in 1924. The - movement rapidly spread
to other cities and Dr. Smedley resigned
as director of the YMCA to devote full
time to Toastmasters International. He
received an honorary degree of L.H.D.,
doctor of humane letters, from Illinois
Wesleyan - University. During his life-
time a- million men received training in
the Toastmasters' organization and there
are currently some 80,000 members of
Toastmasters International in more
than 3,600 clubs in 50 countries and terri-
tories throughout the free world. Many
parks and playgrounds have been named
and dedicated to his honor.
Dr. Smedley was author of numerous
books in the fields of public speaking and
parliamentary procedure. Among his
best known are "The Amateur Chair-
man," "Speech Evaluation," "Basic
Training," "The Voice of the Speaker,"
"The Great Toastmaster," and "The
Story of Toastmasters,"
I wish to express my personal grati-
tude for the long record of dedicated serv-
ice in his chosen field and hope that his
great work will be carried on through-
out the years to come.
TEXTBOOKS SHOULD BE WRITTEN
BY EDUCATORS NOT BUREAU-
CRATS
(Mr. PELLY, asked and was given per-
mission to address the House for 1 min-
ute and to revise and extend his re-
marks.) -
Mr. PELLY. Mr. Speaker, reports are
being circulated around Washington that
the Federal Government is preparing a
campaign to .rewrite the history books
used in sur educational system. This is
without a doubt one of the most appall-
ing disclosures that I have heard during
my tenure in the House of Representa-
tives.
It is my understanding that the drive
to rewrite the textbooks is under the
auspices of the Community Relations
Service, an agency created by the 1964
Civil Rights Act to help mediate racial
disputes, It is the feeling within this
agency that the history books do not give
fair trei,tment to the Negro. This may
or may not be true; but the issue in-
volved Y. ere is not one of civil rights, it is
one of censorship rights.
Mr. S eaker, let me at the very outset
make it -clear that I do not vacate my
position of equal justice for all Ameri-
cans under our civil rights program. I
have always supported civil rights legis-
lation, and certainly the goal of giving
the Negro his rightful place in history`
books is commendable.
Again, I say the real issue is not one of
civil rigits but one of censorship rights.
In other words, should the responsibility
of writing, or rewriting textbooks used
by our - children remain with qualified
educators, free of Federal influence; or
should it be handled by the Federal Gov-
ernment;? We are headed toward the
latter if we let the Community Relations
Service get away with this proposed pro-
ject-fcr then we will have given the
Office of Education a precedent to ac-
celerate its plans for federally written
textbooks and a federally controlled cur-
riculum.
Mr. Speaker, I have considerable doubt
as to whether or not the Community
Relations Service has the legal right to
perform. the function of rewriting text-
books 0 be used by our schoolchildren.
I support the idea for which the Service
was created-that being to provide as-
sistancE to communities and persons in
settling racial disputes-nothing move.
I strongly oppose any attempt by the
Federal Government to dictate what will
and w1at will not be in our textbooks
because, in my opinion, this is not just
a step down the road to a dictatorship,
it is a ?1ant's leap down that very road.
In a confidential memorandum, the
Community Relations Service suggests:
Once the educational and informational
campaign is solidly underway, the should
conduct a systematic effort to contact all
publishers and school boards to encourage
their publication and adoption of textbooks
conforming to established standards.
The berm, Mr. Speaker, "established
standards" is a euphemistic way of say-
ing it is going to set standards and cen-
sor the reading materials of our school
system. It is just as simple as that.
This - Federal control over our schools
was orbs of the main reasons that I had
qualms about Federal aid to education
and aho was the reasoning behind my
decision to introduce the Pelly bill which
would jive the schools the aid that was
needed without the Federal controls.
This would be accomplished by return-
ing to each State a portion of the amount
its citii ens pay in income taxes. Each
State under my bill would determine
how these funds would be spent for edu-
cation. There would be no strings at all.
If the American people fully realized
what Federal controls are planned for
their schools, I am more than sure that
we would- hear one. of the greatest out-
cries of protest and disapproval from the
grassroots ever to echo in the Halls of
Congress.
I need not remind my colleagues that
when a dictator comes to power, the very
first step he- must take to consolidate
that power is to capture the minds of
the young-history presents this case in
great depth. How easy It can be when
the Federal or Central Government con-
trols the writing and censorship of text-
books.
The ,Congress must investigate the
facts before them-including the pro-
posal. to influence the contents of school
textbooks. I am sure this is what the
Amerin people would demand.
.5: FOREIGN POLICY IN SANTO
DOMINGO
(Mr. CURTIS asked and. was given
permission to address the House for 1
minute.)
Mr. CURTIS. Mr. Speaker, I was quite
interested when the gentleman from
Texas [Mr. BURLESON], took the floor a
few moments ago to discuss our foreign
policy in Santo Domingo. Much of what
the gentleman from Texas said I agree
with.
The thing which disturbs me is that I
read in the newspapers that the remarks
made by the- chairman of the Senate
Committee on Foreign Relations had
been submitted to the White House, prior
to delivery and the result is there is con-
siderable confusion in the Nation as to
what is our foreign policy.
I believe it is quite important that this
matter be clarified. Does the adminis-
tration agree' with Senator FULBRIGHT?
What is the present version. of our for-
eign policy in Santo Domingo? I hope
that the administration will clarify this
very serious and important matter.
CHALLENGE TO MISSISSIPPI
REPRESENTATIVES
(Mr. EDWARDS of California asked
and was given permission to address the
House for l minute.)
Mr. EDWARDS of California. Mr.
Speaker, I am advised that the Commit-
tee on House Administration will bring
out the Mississippi matter tomorrow with
a recommendation of dismissal. I de-
plore the haste with which this dismissal
is being proposed. -
This motion ignores many, many ques-
tions which have been raised about the
legality of the elections which brought
the Mississippi Members here. The pat-
tern of the denial of the right to vote in
Mississippi has been evidenced by the
report and the hearings of the U.S. Com-
mission on Civil Rights, by testimony
taken in connection with the challenge,
and by hearings on the Voting Rights
Act of 1965 and other information avail-
able to the Congress.
I do not feel that the Committee on
House Administration has given adequate
consideration to the challenge. I would
certainly urge all Members to be present
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