ustxtxb_obs_1968_09_20_50_00012-00000_000.pdf

Observations Significant Events again, and, teaching is what he wants to do. Three weeks after hearing Sterzing’s appeal, Edgar ruled that the firing was unjustified. Edgar said Sterzing’s conduct was not proven to him to have been insubordinate, as claimed by the school board. Edgar also criticized the Fort Bend school district for firing the teacher without giving him a chance to answer the charges. Furthermore, said Edgar, the instructions the school board contends it gave Sterzing in September, 1967, were, Austin Two events of potential long-run significance in Texas politics took place in Austin last weekend. First, the New Democratic Coalition of Texas formed. This organization is a lineal descendant of the series of liberal organizations that have carried forward the effort to regain the Texas Democratic party from the alliance of oil, banking, insurance and other special interests that have controlled it since Allan Shivers led 12 The Texas Observer in Edgar’s opinion, “neither clear nor specific enough to be interpreted with reasonable certainty either by Mr. Sterzing in his attempts to follow them or by administrative officials in their attempts to enforce them.” Edgar’s decision does not reinstate Sterzing in his former position; Sterzing accepted full payment for his contract which ended last June. However, if Sterzing wishes to teach again in Texas, the ruling will have the effect of clearing his professional record. it into open endorsement of Eisenhower in 1952. But the NDC is also something new: it has ‘shifted the emphasis of the Texas liberals from state to national in international events and its purpose is avowedly long-run, a four-year program to win the Texas delegation to the next Democratic national convention on behalf of a candidate like McCarthy, Edward Kennedy or McGovern. The intermediate goal is to take over the Texas party through the precinct conventions in 1970 and to reform its institutions and the state election laws. The 250 or 300 liberals who formed the NDC named it to join it up with the New Democratic Coalition that is forming nationally out of the losing groups at the Chicago national convention. There is an optimism about the long-term result because there was such a strong base to work with in Chicago. However, NDC \(in than the quantity of work it stimulates and organizes at the precinct and county level of politics. Meeting as they were in September, 1968, ‘the New Democratic Coalitionists inevitably became caught up in arguments about what to do in 1968. The question was tb endorse, or not to endorse, Humhprey. The decision was not to endorse. After much argument on wording, a statement was adopted that “Those of us who believe that Hubert Humphrey represents the best alternative now available commend him for his progressive domestic record and will work for his election. Others of us, however, will continue to watch developments before taking any position.” I was suprised that some of the daily press took this to be a passive, or backhanded, or some other kind of endorsement. A description of a division of opinion within an organization ,cannot be named correctly as an endorsement. There were about four positions in the convention on what to do. \(I discount, by saying four, the one zealous said in effect, hold your nose and vote for Humphrey, or else we’ll get Nixon, who is even worse. Allied vigorously with this point of view were persons acting at the request of Sen. Ralph Yarborough, who wanted Humphrey endorsed. Some said, we are confusedwe do not want Humphrey, we grant wo don’t want Nixon either, but we don’t know what to do, we want to watch and consider developments. Some said, we cannot in good conscience vote for Humphrey because of the war; we will write in McCarthy. And finally, some said we want Nixon to win; that will let the US liberals take their party back. The resolution more or less composed, by describing, the disagreements, and the New Democratic Coalition can probably regard itself as intact for the later hard work of organizing on a statewide basis. The second event of potential importance was the formation of a New party in Texas to join up with the national New party framework. The national leaders of the New party, according to the New York Times, have about given up on finding a national candidate for president. Dr. Louis E. Buck Veterinarian House Call Practice . GR 2-5879Austin House Call Fee No More Than Office Call Fee The Lesser of Evils? Say like 1964? Write In: McCarthy and Lindsay Join the New Party of Texas and help build for the future. THE NEW PARTY OF TEXAS Box 876 Austin 78767 Please send information about the New Pthly of Texas I enclose a contribution Name Address Ci Zip