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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 15, 1972)
I An Independent Student Newspaper Vol. 73, No. 163 University of Oregon, Eugene Monday, May 15, 1972 J At Morse fund-raising dinner Schlesinger admits ‘error of Vietnam’ Speaking to about 350 supporters at a Saturday night fund-raising dinner for Wayne Morse, Arthur Schlesinger, a presidential advisor during the Kennedy Administration and noted historian said, “We Americans, not just you Oregonians, need a man like Wayne Morse back in Congress. Wayne Morse was right in pointing out the error of our Vietnam involvement and I was wrong.” “This is the most dreadful, shameful and tragic time of our nation’s history,” Schlesinger said. “If more people had listened to Senator Morse a decade ago, this nation and the world would be better off, and more Americans and Vietnamese would be alive today, rather than dead." By GREG HOWARD Of the Emerald The historian, author of “A Thousand Days,” a best-selling chronicle of the Kennedy Administration, sharply criticized President Nixon’s continuation of the Vietnam war at the dinner held in the Central Presbyterian Church. “Four years after Nixon promised to end the war, all he’s been able to produce is new escalation,” Schlesinger said. Nixon has abolished previous conduct limitations of entering Cambodia, Laos and, now, mining North Vietnamese harbors—the very things that President Johnson refused to do, Schlesinger said. “And all these acts have been carried out without even a pretense of consulting Congress," he added. Movies seem to have more effect on the President than Congress does, he charged. Before invading Cambodia, Nixon saw “Patton” twice, and now, Schlesinger said, the “Godfather” seems to have the greatest influence on his actions. “America must stop playing the role of a global godfather and concentrate its resources on solving the problems of our own national community.” Schlesinger countered charges that withdrawal from Vietnam would serve to lessen U S. credibility throughout the world. “If anything, our involvement has already destroyed whatever credibility we ever had. After Vietnam, what country would want our aid and intervention?” Schlesinger quoted President Marcos of the Philippines as recently saying: “Heaven forbid that the United States should duplicate what they have done in Vietnam if war should come to this country.” Schlesinger said the world does not view Vietnam as a test of American power, but as a test of the intelligence and decency of every citizen The former Kennedy aide argued that if South Vietnam is so vital to the security of the United States and the rest of the world, then Nixon would not be withdrawing troops, he would be sending more. The preservation of the Thieu regime is of such vital importance to Nixon that he promises a “bloodbath" in North Vietnam before he will allow Saigon to fall, Schlesinger said. “If anything is perfectly clear, it is that the North Vietnamese have not been going through a generation of warfare so Russia or China can move in," Schlesinger said. They are communists, but primarily they are nationalists and they will continue to fight foreign intervention until they are destroyed, he said. The historian also condemned the Nixon administration of “government by executive supremacy and secrecy,’’ a topic frequently denounced by former Senator Morse. "Senators of the Foreign Relations Committee are the most frustrated representatives of this country," Schlesinger said. “They have no more control over the formulation of policy than if they had stayed home.” Schlesinger called for an end to representation without represen tation. saying. “American foreign policy is not the private property of the President.” Schlesinger introduced Democratic senatorial candidate Wayne Morse, commenting: “The best way to return to democratic control of foreign and domestic affairs is to return Wayne Morse to the Senate.” After receiving a standing ovation. Morse expressed appreciation to his campaign staff and supporters for their hard work and dedication Morse reminded his audience that the issue of the forthcoming election is Richard Nixon. “If he is not stopped. I don’t know how much further he will take us down the road toward an arbitrary government by secrecy and executive supremacy.” The senatorial candidate also criticized the Supreme Court for avoiding their Constitutional duly of checking presidential power. Only three Justices (Douglas. Stewart and Harlan) since the Truman Administration have voted to take jurisdiction over the issues challenging executive power, he said. "Let the Chief Justice tell the American people why they haven’t questioned the right of a President to send thousands of boys to Vietnam to be killed “We can't rally around a wrong President, and waving a flag to tatters was never a way to show proper respect to our flag anyway," Morse said a a■_ a’ ■ ■ , Pholo by Annelle Gurdiian Arthur Schlesingrr Faculty group to form anti-war canvassing effort An organizing group for the Faculty Committee Against the War has decided to form faculty-student canvassing groups as a response against Nixon’s latest war escalation The committee met Thursday night Attending faculty members were Jim Davies, Political Science; Joe Esherick, History; Peter Frank, Biology, Art Pearl, Education; Marilv Fairwell, English, Nat Trich, English ana lou Uiiv.er, Bob Jackson and David Curland of Komance Languages. Curland also said that many faculty members and students support peace candidates, but so far few are doing any door to door work Pearl said the canvassing must be done in the 12 remaining days before the primary “Faculty and students must be visible ’’ Canvassing plans made by the committee in clude : Enlisting the support of faculty members who would be willing to canvass for peace candidates with students. The names of willing faculty members will be published in Tuesday’s Emerald — Asking faculty members to place their names in an anti-war ad in the Emerald Going out and canvassing this week-end and next week end for peace candidates. Curland said, “We are going to make an intense effort to get everyone out and campaign for his candidate " Interested faculty members and students should call Curland, Jackson, or Olivier Faculty member Esherick said he is going to devote his class on Indochina to the contemporary situation Representative John Dellenback has given Esherick a copy of the Pentagon Papers which he says points up the United States known violations since 1954 If faculty members want to include a discussion of Indochina in their classes, Esherick said he or members of his class will be willing to give in formation on the subject.