ustxtxb_obs_1960_01_29_50_00002-00000_000.pdf

ARVEY OK’S LBJ; ADA, ZIFFREN: NO CORPUS OFFERED $5,000 WASHINGTON, AUSTIN Sens. Johnson. and Yarborough both voted “aye” on. final passage of the clean elections bill as it passed the Senate 59-22. Prospects for the bill were not good in the House, with Speaker Rayburn and Omar Buleson of Texas, whose committee will consider the bill, oposing the inclusion of state primaries. Johnson voted against this inclusion but lost 50-39, Yarborough voting on the prevailing side. Subsequently Johnson favored, and Yarborough opposed, requiring reports from intrastate campaign finance committees, with the requirement passing the Senate. Presidential politics dominated the news. Americans for Democratic Action, in a statement approved by their national board, said Johnson, by his record in civil rights, labor, and “faithful representation of monopoly interests in oil and gas and in other fields, has become a symbol of compromise and political opportunism, and therefore has no fair claim to be the standard-bearer of a liberal Democratic Party.” Jack Bell of AP said this attack “secretly delighted” friends of Johnson by isolating him as a middleroader. Johnson toured the Midwest and East. Jake Arvey, the Illinois Democratic national committeeman, said he could vote for Johnson, and he thinks a majority in. Cook County would, too, if he were nominated. In New York City Johnson promised a “good” civil rights bill that “would pro AUSTIN Monday night the line-ups for the state elections will be complete. Donald Yarborough, the young Houston attorney, debater, and Junior Chamber of Commerce leader, was considering whether to announce against Lt. Gov. Ben Ramsey. If he did, he would be hoping to get votes on the basis of his last name \(he is no kin to the own posture as “a middle-of-theroader.” Marshall Formby, the former state highway official, decided not to oppose Ramsey. Sen. Lyndon Johnson sent his filing fee to state Democratic headquarters by mail from Washington. No one had announced against him late: this week. Sen. Bill Moore, Bryan, announced against Congressman Olin Teague, College Station, and ,Baptist minister Bill Crook of Nacogdoches resigned his pulpit to run against Congressman John Dowdy of Athens. In Houston attempts spearheaded by labor groups to get Rep. Bob Eckhardt into a race against Congressman Bob Casey did not succeed. \(If Donald Yarborough does not run against Ramsey, he is said to be considering a race against Casey. Dudley Daugherty, the Beeville millionaire, was reported ready to run against the Corpus Christi congressman, John Young. Dr. John Westburg campaigned against McAllen’s Congressman Joe Kilgore in Laredo, asking for more schools, $1.25 minimum wage, and curbing the bracero program. Bill Patman of Ganado, son of the Texarkana congressman, was considering announcing against State Sen. Bill Fly of Victoria. THE TEXAS OBSERVER Page 2 January 29, 1960 tect every citizen,” promised the bill will be introduced in the Senate if it does not emerge from the House, and said he does not want anyone to vote for or against him “because I am a Southerner.” California national committeeman Paul Ziffren said Johnson’s nomination would be “shocking.” At the second candidates’ carnival the Democrats have held recently, Johnson. emphasized “responsibility” and said that this attribute does not include waiting eight months to settle a steel strike, 80 months to balance the budget, or 80 years to pass a civil rights bill. He also said he is glad the Democrats don’t practice “political birth control.” Sen. Hubert Humphrey said during a hearing on the federal voting registrars proposal that Johnson as a majority leader “ought to be so far out in front the rest of us would have trouble catching up with him” but that he, Humphrey, did not know Johnson’s position. In a press conference, Sen. John Kennedy said that his chief competitorshe has just named Johnson as his strongest one”remain safely on the sidelines, hoping to gain the nomination through manipulation of the convention.” Johnson attacked Secretary of Defense-nominee Thos. S. Gates for including Soviet intentions as well as Soviet capabilities in his estimate of national strength but then did not oppose Gates’s Senate confirmation. Final spending reports in the Galveston Senate race showed these totals: Maco Stewart $18,665; A. R. Schwartz, $7,600; Sam Bass, $5,584; Jerome Jones, $2,179; and others. Jack Cox, Gov. Price Daniel’s opponent, said before the Houston Junior Chamber. of Commerce that his platform will include economy in government, better pay for teachers, and improved school facilities. He said he will announce a long-range program of state financing shortly after Feb. 1. “I’ve been called a conservative, and I expect I am,” he said, “But I believe strongly in progressalthough I think we should pay our own way and not pass off our debts to our children.” Cox filed for governor in. an unusual way._ His $1,250 fee was paid from a fishing tackle box that contained some pennies and nothing larger than a $5 bill: It contained 32 cents more than was needed, and this surplus was returned to the three Stephens County mena sports writer, an office supply dealer, and a rancherwho filed Cox for governer. More than 1,000 of the county’s 2,000 qualified voters in the county signed a scroll for Cox. The scroll said, in part: “Believing the desperate need for dedicated men with integrity, ability, and strength of conviction to carry out the idea of Americanism in our government, I would like to take this method of supporting you for the governorship of Texas.” The signers contributed to Cox h s filing fee. In Bay City, Atty. Gen. Will Wilson said Texas needs “a vigorous, intensive, and intelligent ‘Sell Texas’ program” and that other states get back $22 for every dollar they invest in campaigns to attract tourists and industry. system’s accepting funds from a private organization to subsidize a course variously labeled ‘Americanism’ and ‘American Heritage’ has been questioned in Abilene and is being questioned here. “The debate concerns not so much the matter being taught as the principle involved when a school system accepts money from organizations or foundations with no standing in the educational world. “The Bureau of Economic Understanding, which is offering $5,000 to the Corpus Christi schools for the Americanism program, enjoys no status in the educational community. There is more than a suspicion that it represents only the ultra conservative political point of view. “Financial assistance from private capital might be perfectly acceptable in the teaching of science or mathematics. It is not so in a field like ‘Americanism,’ which involves the teaching of history and civics, among other things. In these sensitive areas, where a child’s attitudes toward politics and economics are formed, or at least influenced, we believe the school system should enjoy complete freedom from pressure which it can have only if it pays its own way.” Alan Lohse, a Corpus Christi geologist in private practice, held forth against accepting the grant before the school board Monday night. Before opening the matter for discussion, board president Browne reviewed the background of the program, mentioning Moseley’s alleged connections and saying the board had also learned “other unsavory things” about T.B.E.U. associates. He said the board intends to continue investigating the matter. “However,” Browne said, “we offer no apology for promoting our country through our schools.” Lohse said he attended public schools, his mother taught in public schools 20 years, and he has two children in Corpus schools. He presented material charging that some of the men connected with T.B.E.U. have been connected with groups condemned by the U.S. House Un-American Committee and with “anti-Jewish, antiCatholic, an other anti-racial groups.” He read from an article in the Observer quoting Bob Law Ralph Says Wires Back Gore Vote WASHINGTON Sen. Yarborough said in a Sunday radio broadcast that he has received more telegrams approving his vote for the Gore resolution to elect members of the Democratic policy committee in the Senate than all the telegrams he has received in Washington approving all other votes on all other measures combined since he has been in the Senate. “A small minority of the letters and also some newspapers” criticized his vote, he said, concluding on the issue: “I consider that when you sent me to the United States Senate you gave me a solemn mandate to be your voice in Washington. I accepted this responsibility that you gave me with pride and in good conscience. “So long as I stay here as your senator, I want you to know that your voice here will not be silenced or dictated to by any group or individual, regardless of power or persuasion. I will represent you, the people of Texas, to the fullest extent of my ability. And I will try to do right, as God gives me to see the right.” rence, executive director . of T.B.E.U., saying, “Our program at the start was extra-curricular in schools, but now we are getting in the curriculum.” He presented the board with an Observer reprint and with reprints from “Newsweek” in 1949 and “Business Week” in 1953 alleging that George Armstrong, Sr., founder of T.E.A., offered a college funds if it would teach “Christianity and the superiority of the Anglo-Saxon and LatinAmerican races.” Williams had said that the $5,000 check was signed by George W. Armstrong, Jr., identified as vice president and general manager of T.E.A., and by Y. Q. McCammon, secretary-treasurer. Armstrong, Jr., is the son of the elder Armstrong. The geologist asked the board a series of questions, including, “What opinion on taking money from special interest groups does the board have?” whereupon board member B. F. Harrison protested, “We are not here for interrogation or a court trial.” Browne replied by saying that Williams and State Cmsr. Edgar had met in December, 1958, that Edgar seemed in favor of the idea of Americanism in the schools, and this seemed sufficient to the board. Lohse pointed out that six news stories in the local dailies about the Americanism project in the schools did not mention the Texas Bureau for Economic Understanding or the Texas Educational Assn. “Did the teachers and the school board know of the economic help and advice from the T.B.E.U.?” he asked. Browne said that the Americanism committee, made up of local teachers, had not been told about this. Lohse entered as an exhibit the Observer for Dec. 25, 1959, reading from a story this quotation from Dr. Kenneth D. Wells, speaker at one of the Lampasas dinners of the T.E.A.-T.B.E.U. program in Lampasas: “Wells said, “. . . leftwing teaching is permeating our schools. I have a daughter in Temple University, and she comes home in tears almost every night from the socialistic things she hears there. I believe, and this is not a special case I’m taking, either, that the reason for it lies in the fact that of the 35 students in one of her classes, 17 are Jews and 12 are Negroes. That is where these ideologies that are not in keeping with our American heritage are coming from.” \(Wells had Made these remarks after his formal speech to a group of well-wishers who had surIn a formal statement, Lohse said: “I wish formally to protest the Corpus Christi Public Schools’ acceptance of any monies not specifically contributed to the general fund, or the use in the public school curriculum of any supplementary teaching material that is provided or financed by any private organization without acceptable recognized national standing in the educational field. “I so protest on the principle that, regardless of subject matter, its usage is contrary to, the very principles of democracy upon which our public schools are founded. “I am opposed to any ‘special interest group exercising any degree of control over the public free school system through the power of money or influence on the curriculum. “I believe the schools should be subject only to public control by elected representatives of the whole community \(and by that I would be answerable to the public at the polls. Any other course inevitably offends or excludes segments of the citizenry who pay their ,11are of the school expenses through taxes.” Browne assured Lohse that “the board is attempting to do what you are asking and will continue checking this matter.” T.B.E.U. ‘Obligation’ Williams said T.B.E.U. had nothing to do with compiling the teaching guides prepared last summer. He had confirmed earlier that T.B.E.U. had paid the expenses of out-of-town committee members during the guides’ preparation. He said some of the money came from Central Power & Light. Lohse challenged Williams before the board on whether T.B.E.U. had influenced the preparation of the guides. Lohse noted that T.B.E.U. is listed in the “production committee” in the guide for use in elementary grades. He pointed to an expression of appreciation to the T.B.E.U. for “their splendid efforts in preparing these guides”; to a mention of “Mr. R. H. Lawrence, executive director of the T.B.E.U.,” among acknowledgements; and the statement in the guide, “We are under special obligation to the Texas Bureau for Economic Understanding for providing materials and for financing certain aspects of this study.” Bill Darby, executive secretary of the Coastal Bend Labor Council, said the guides should be carefully re-examined and any reference to’ T.B.E.U. or associated organizations “removed.” “That is implicit,” Browne said. Jim Wolfe, Corpus attorney, then emphasized Lawrence’s mention in the guide and referred to the Observer. Browne asked, “Is the Texas Observer an objective newspaper printing just facts?” Wolfe replied, “It may not be, but it’s not in the school curriculum, either.” Browne told a reporter after the hearing that the board “probably will await” a recommendation from Williams before deciding what to do with the $5,000. More Words, No Decision AUSTIN More wordsnothing new. Gov . Price Daniel discussed the chance of a special session for teachers’ pay raises again with reporters in his reception room in the Capitol. There is, he said, about a 50-50 chance he will call one; he needs to talk to more legislators; his decision is unlikely before March 1; a session prior to the May 7 primary would be preferable, if one is to be called, as legislators might lose interest in the issue after the elections. The Governor soon will name a committee of businessmen, state officials, and others to study the state’s spending and tax needs for the next ten years. He hopes they