ustxtxb_obs_1967_12_22_50_00002-00000_000.pdf

throwing himself on the steps of the Pentagon in despair.” Lowenstein suggested that Johnson is attempting to narrow the limits of the traditional democratic process by imputing treasonous motives to all dissenters from the war. “It seems to me that a president who can send boys to be killed in a senseless war, killed as a result of his policies, is ill-advised to wrap himself in the shroud of the boys he has sent there and insist that those who are op posed to the war are causing them to be killed.” REPORTEDLY, some Amarillo Democrats were apprehensive about the Lowenstein visit, lest they be held partly responsible for his appearance. Other elements here frowned on the Lowenstein talk for other reasons proceeding from their political views. Realizing this, Marsh, the bookstore owner who brought Lowenstein to town, issued a statement to mollify such people: “The Amarillo Lyceum has traditionally brought speakers of a high intellectual calibre to Amarillo speakers such as Al Lowenstein, who has been on the staffs of prominent universities, whose brilliance is well-known, and who is considered an expert in various fields. In the interest of fairness and freedom of debate, however, we will invite a rebuttal to Mr. Lowenstein’s talk by President Johnson, even though he has only a teacher’s certificate, or something like that, from a small college.” 0 The Day Reagan Came to Dallas Dallas “Now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by this sun of California.” So they all said; so they all felt Republican state chairman Peter O’Donnell, county chairman Fred Agnich, football coach Tom Landry, Mayor Erik Jonsson, the mayor’s daughter, Mrs. George Charlton, who co-chaired the occasion, and all the other beautiful people who gathered for lunch the day last month that Reagan came to Dallas. The Republican Party that day equalled the best social efforts of the Kennedy era. They had Bloody Marys. They had a combo playing “Georgy Girl” and “Therrie from A Man and A Woman” with cocktail finesse. They had red wine with lunch. They had skillful and costly brochures in handsome olive, black, and white, saying “GO’68.” They had fresh autumn chrysanthemums in the center of each table. They had 900 or more guests, half of whom were women, whose colorful woolens and well-coiffed hair instilled the occasion with irresistible elegance. There was no dreary duty here. There was sheer excitement. And there was patriotism. After the customary invocation, given, by a Catholic monsignor, the assemblage joined in the National Anthem, led by a full-voiced baritone wearing rimless, green-tinted glasses and an incongruous look of Las Vegas. After that, county finance chairman Bruce Calder intoned the Pledge of Allegiance. The program indicated that this job was to fall to County Commisioner Frank Crowley, but evidently he changed his mind. In any event, Crowley met the governor at the airport, arrived late at the luncheon with Reagan’s entourage and took a seat, not at the head table, but near the press, as far to the side as one could be. Crowley may have been missed at the head table, but not much. Shunning dull Mrs. Clark is a Dallas housewife who is active in the public affairs of that region. Her husband is a Democrat in the Texas House of Representatives. 2 The Texas Observer officialdom, the Republicans had arrayed for themselves there an impressive lineup of clean, competent, attractive American citizens, all successful in their own arenas and eager to do what they could for their government. There was Coach Landry of the Dallas Cowboys, a great stroke of wit and imagination. There was Gen. Paul Harkins, former commander of US forces in Vietnam. There was Jim Keay, president of the Republic National Bank, who had hosted a luncheon for Texas House Lee Clark Speaker Ben Barnes in his executive dining room earlier in the week. There was Dr. Robert Morris, right-wing president of the University of Plano and once candidate for the US Senate in 1964. There was Gene Freeland, secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO Council. The new president of the Dallas Negro Chamber of Commerce Joe Kirvin was there. Outgoing president C. B. Callaway was in the audience. The successful Republican candidate for the late George Parkhouse’s State Senate seat Ike Harris was highly visible but not heard from. Felix McKnight, co-publisher and editor of The Dallas Times Herald, represented the Oligarchy at the head table. Other city fathers, except Mayor Jonsson, an open Republican, and C. A. Tatum, an independent, were notably absent. GOVERNOR REAGAN himself put on a show well worth the $100-a-head cover charge. Everyone knew he was an accomplished entertainer. Some had not realized what a formidable political figure he has become. This man is no Goldwater. With a consummate light touch he told the story of Marvin Watson’s misplaced telegram aboard the S.S. Independence. There was nary an ugly word about Gov. John Connally, who had lots of fans in that audience. Reagan limited his barbs, if such bantering, genial witticisms could be called barbs and not simply good theatre, to President Johnson and the Ken nedy brothers, three safe targets with Dallas Republicans. Reagan’s single remark about Vietnam was equivocal. His several Slams at welfare were clumsy and peripheral, though, it must be admitted, his Dallas audience loved them. His primary appeal was for citizens in government. He described how his administration has persuaded various able men to leave their jobs for two years, endure a pay cut and serve a hitch in government. These men, Reagan said, take over certain departments and axe out the fat accumulated over the years by hungry political hacks. They have no taste for empire building since they are not making their careers in government \(or “gov’ment,” as Reagan surprisingly calls don Johnson’s professional regime, which has not endeared itself to a large portion of the American public. The governor’s speech was shown on TV later in the week, a testimony to the Republicans’ current financial strength. THE DAY Reagan came to Dallas was sunny and, for some people, slightly sensational. The day after was back to nice and normal, as the Democrats threw a luncheon for Cong. Graham Purcell, who faces a challenge from Commissioner Crowley next year. Purcell has also been mentioned for a possible federal judgeship. The host was actually banker Cam Dowell, who allowed the proceeds from $10 a plate to go to the Congressman’s campaign fund. Against a background of organ music \(stately, if not dour, dutiful, and preoccupied, sipped cranberry juice, a colorful and suitably sober libation. Wax flowers adorned each table, and wax faces the head table, which was staffed entirely with men, all honorable enough, but taken together, looking, as one observer put it, like a Geritol ad. The usual conservative Democratic group was represented: Establishmentan ian John Stemmons as emcee, business plutocrats Troy Post and Theo Beasley, George Allen and the Rev. S. M. Wright from the Negro community, Garry Weber who came to glory heading Young Men for Cabell, then Young Texans for Carr,