ustxtxb_obs_1967_11_10_50_00012-00000_000.pdf

30 31r3 American Participation in Vietnam War! Over one thousand business executives have signed Open Letters to President Johnson urging him to stop the bombing in Vietnam, de-escalate the war and negotiate with all parties. Hundreds are joining a new organization of business executives who seek by open and lawful means to encourage an end to American participation in the Vietnam War. They oppose the war because the risks we are running and the price we are paying seem to be out of proportion for any possible benefit for the South Vietnamese, for the United States or for the world. For further information write to: Business Executives Move for Vietnam Peace 901 N. HOWARD STREET BALTIMORE, MARYLAND 21201 Business Executives Move for Vietnam Peace EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE William F. Fischer, Jr. President Fischer Machine Co. Philadelphia, Pa Henry E. Niles Chairman of the Board Baltimore Life Ins. Co. Baltimore, Md. Erwin A. Salk President Salk, Ward & Salk, Inc. Chicago, Illinois Charles G. Simpson General Manager Phila. Gas Works Philadelphia, Pa. Lee B. Thomas, Jr. President Vermont American Corp. Louisville, Ky. Harold Willens President Factory Equipment Supply Co. Los Angeles, Calif. COMMITTEE OF SPONSORS Thomas B. Adams President Adams Security Co. Boston, Mass. Lisle Baker, Jr. Executive Vice President Courier Journal & Louisville Times Louisville, Kentucky Harold Berry Vice President Fisher-New Center Co. Detroit, Mich. Chester F. Carlson Consultant Xerox Corp. Pittsford, N.Y. Ralph Carson President Carson-Roberts, Inc. Los Angeles, Calif. Robert A. Childers President Childers Mfg. Co. Houston, Texas Randolph T. Compton Investment Banker Scarsdale, New York Marriner S. Eccles Former Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board Salt Lake City, Utah Saul R. Gilford President Gilford Instrument Labs, Inc. Oberlin, Ohio T. Walter Hardy, Jr. President Hardy Salt Co. St. Louis, Missouri Clarence E. Heller Partner Schwabacher & Co. San Francisco, Calif. Proctor W. Houghton President Philip A. Houghton, Inc. Allston, Mass. Harley Howell Founder Peterson, Howell & Heather Baltimore, Maryland Edward Lamb Chairman & President Lamb Enterprises, Inc. Toledo, Ohio Graeme Lorimer Director Girard Trust Bank Philadelphia, Penn. David G. Lyon President David G. Lyon, Inc. Westport, Conn. Joseph E. McDowell New York, New York John B. Paine, Jr. Trustee Boston, Mass. Max Palevsky President Scientific Data Systems Santa Monica, Calif. Augustin H. Parker Chairman of the Board Old Colony Trust Co. Boston, Mass. John B. Pendergrast, Jr. Atlanta, Ga. Miles Pennybacker President M-P., Inc. Fairfield, Conn. Richard A. Russell President Northeast Leasing, Inc. Boston, Mass. Ezra L. Schacht President Lightguard Electronics Mfg. Co. Houston, Texas Dale I. Steele President National Instrument Lab., Inc. Rockville, Maryland Robert D. Stern Exec. Vice-Pres. U.S. Shoe Corp. Cincinnati, Ohio Ira D. Wallach President Gottesman & Co. New York, N.Y. the accounts said. One radio station here estimated 200,000 as the march was in progress. That seemed accurate to me. And I think the behavior of a few violent ones was represented as being that of too large a segment of the demonstrators. Despite these problems I think ordinary, uncommunistic American people like me are becoming more and more willing to express their opposition to this warto put their hands up, if necessary, to show they mean no violence, when participating in future demonstrations. I believe that civil order is much endangered by this war; and the spectre of so many unarmed people demonstrating while at the same time indicating that they mean no viocould bayonets or tear gas or bullets be used against people who offer no harm, who are armed only with their convictions? How could tanks or machine guns be used against unarmed Americans who are possessed of a sense of righteousness? This demonstrating business is not palatable for me, but by my lights I had and have to do this. It seems to me that there has been a shift in a basic principle in this country. Dissent used to be the right and duty of the concerned citizen; but now, as one television newsman put it to me, “How can you make an attack upon your own government?” Whose should I protest to? Many of us wore name tags with our hometowns on them. Numerous people were surprised that someone was there from Dallas and, after first expressing their surprise, would say how glad they were I had come so far. “How many came from Dallas?” I was asked. “I’m the only one,” I would answer, for that was true, so far as I know. “Good for you,” people xvould say. I don’t know if all this does any good, if just everyday people can move this aovernment of ours, but I am reminded of Ehrenburg, a Russian poet, who once said something to the effect that “no matter how much asphalt they pile on, the grass will find a way to grow and break through.” MARTINA LANGLEY Mrs. Langley is housewife in Richard recent Washington demonstration against US involvement in Vietnam. 12 The Texas Observer I MARTIN ELFANT Sun Life of Canada 1001 Century Building Houston, Texas CA 4-0686 ~4*******\\