l i "t--1'\1 fn.(j. ==-... ADVICE TO CONSERVATIVES.Address by SENATOR HUBERT H. HUMHIREY Women's National Press Club Washington, D. c.

Transcription

1 ADVICE TO CONSERVATIVES.Address by SENATOR HUBERT H. HUMHIREY Women's National Press Club Washington, D. c. January 3, 1961 ==-... fn.(j.. l i "t--1'\1 UJ&-rnl-no )1~ ~-r_e.a.d f!~ The title of ~ address tonight is "Advice to Incoming Conservatives in the New Congress -- How to Be Happy, Though -= Conservative. " is going to be Qii> in the CongressJBut he ought to be thankful J for small f avors -- at least it won't be as bad in 1961 as it will be in 1963!... ;"""' =~-$=~~~~;

2 -2- / N:>w I have a little l'ew Year's message f or new comers to Washington. It is a brief verse which I call ( "Oie To Incoming Republicans":- If' I J,tt,eofn ~ t; f t1l 0, r Mother, may I go out to swim? Yes, my darling daughter. Hang your clothes on a hickory limb But don't go near Goldwater. ~ P1ease don't misunderstand. I am f ond of the Senator, and have the deepest respect for him. He is, truly, a man of commanding presence. SJ vifff&~tfu&4.1 so handsome that visitors frequently mistake t1 --- him for a movie star. As a matter of fact, -;:

3 /l~(m~ -3- ~~ tf:e has been offered a movie contract ~ by 16th Century Fox ~ - :gsz There are some problems to T41JI-, r: assignment~ Really, how can anyone be "happy, though conservative?" II? -,,.~, ~~ 7>-L f 7 I just don't know if there~ ~ h~ conservative. Take New Years~r example. ~Liberals celebrate the New Year. Conservatives don't celebrate -- they just hold a wake for the Old Year.

4 -4- ~Then there is another problem. If I were to address ~ advice to outgoing conservatives, I would have a )/~~) rathe;jt:lar 6?\ audience. But incoming conservatives? L What incoming conservatives? Seems to, t2h~ 11:., me that there islf sizeable exodus of conservatives from Washington led by a ~ five-star General and a southern California attorney. But) I suppose there are ~ incoming ~ ~rvatives in the new COngress~ ~~~ they aren't as numerous as th.;' J!een"llY llsrvard ( - ::> roommates in the new administration~

5 -5- L..._ ~Now J there is one other ~ problem...._,.,... ~nservatives are not ~~~ inclined to listen to advice from Humphrey...:;;;. I has it fighting the socialism of Oliver Cromwell~~ ~.. ~~~.. ~~ a ; ~.. Ralph Waldo Emerson's definition of... conservativism can help us:~the castle which conservatism is set to defend, - " he said, "is the actual state of things, good or bad. ",t( Here is the issue. If the world changes do we have to change too?

6 -6- I think so. We are now on the threshold of the ~ automation 'll!: " p and atomic power. We can expect the li - l,. G tempo of change in the coming years ~ 2 to be constant and swift. pz Can we can America -- stay the same? If Africa explodes, if latin America is on fire, if the Middle East - and Asia are on the brink of vast transformation, can we be content with doing business as usual? The answer seems obvious. So the liberal says "yes 11 to change and He seizes i itf "i: x 1" 1 1 ' 1 1JJtK4-o ll.t the means by which w~ preserve the essence of our traditions and our values.

7 -7- Hamilton knew this, and Jefferson knew E ~nit, and Lincoln !\-, \>. 1 "-"~.~~,-~~,...-"' ~ I ~ut let me return to the present.._.,. are trying Some of today's conservatives ~ to confuse ~----~... ~ with~semantic t( warfare t ~ey.._ p, aha? a, I cs ~ 4Jtt/J_namic Conservatives 11 or 11 Progressive ~~-.==-- es. ~or awhile, ~even called themselves "Humphrey Conservatives" - that isp... terminology for ffdynamic apathy./( ~The~ real conservative is an oldfashioned conservative. But here's the rub for liberals. Today's old fashioned conservatives

8 -8- no longer defend theawagon train ~as the most < :;;;o:;;:::- efficient means o: transportati~ $IV r - are under the command of the only licensed jet pilot in the UnitedStates Senate, my friend Barry.a~ f3 8; I!,'s unf~;; You have spoiled our stereotype., You have blurred the image 91.. q -r A ~ ~..,..-~ ~, b f But we liberals do not despair. the first law of aerodynamics: A jet cannot fly -- or at best can fly only in circles -- has two 1 right

9 -9- ~ l Here is the Humphrey guide to happinesas-.,,..u...,.,. ~~Become Get with it! _ liberals! Join the future! '7JC't... I want my conservative friends~ to know the heavenly joy of progressive, ~ratic, N>w Frontie{~ism.., So again I beseech them with that Bibical admonition: Repent, and ye will be saved~?fa li!fo

10 ;II am always willing to ~ -.. repent, to admit my mistakes. For ' :ssp -.,.. example, I admit now that Richard Nixon was right in one of his campaign :tate~s.~~e birth of John F. Kennedy, Jr. confirms Nixon's waril±ng about a rash, immature, young man in the White House. E_. - _..;: With a new administration and... a new qongr_:_ss and a ~w Year, there is a liberal mood in the air -- a mood ~ /"' of change, of action, of vitality. ~ /We ~ave new -hope, my friends /'/ ~ -.. hope for a government with purpose, ideas and imagination; full time government with hard work and heart -- enough heart to care about the needs of

11 Americans and all free men today, and L tomorrow. ~ This will be :)2;~eadfCongress and administration which will strengthen America to meet the massive needs of our times. ~The real challenge of our generation is not only the threat of Communism, but - must work hard -- to build a society of _... a gs 'sty of compassion which,_ - and work difficult goals of peace, security, dignity and justice for all men. L&Ii I... I -

12 -12- Some say this is an impossible ~ assignment. I say this age requires the leadership of men who dare to undertake what many people " p consider impossible. This is what we mean by the New Frontier. - {;.AIL ~--/JJ. ~,... ~ sn- -/) -- Z- fl"j!'t-l cpne more bit of advice to m;y ---- ~._. -- conservative friends. I offer competitive -= - peaceful - co-existence for liberalism and conservatbrism. ~ Conservatives and liberals can and will --- work together. Neither of us is perfect. Again, I quote Emerson, who said: "Each is a great half, but an impossible whole. Each exposes the abuses of the other, - but in a true society, in a true man, both I I must combine. "

13 -13- law, a belief in civil freedom, a commitment... to the wide distribution of political d - f and economic power. In a world of conflict and want, we both see the need for strength We... must make sure wzl ~eel and understand the need for compassion. Working together we will meet our nation's needs. We will protect the cause of liberty, humanity, e January 3, 1961

14 \ n t & :at.t10dal Ji\otua Club ~,D.C. J1 3.t 1 Q) rv.; i'v'e tr lt, l:'l" tll1ng. 1'b1a ' to ia :t.s.fll na\ ~ to 1t n't.1961 it. 1U 1n 1963:

15 tt 1s a b:d.ef ver8e 'tlbtcb I ea11 tond of the Seaator,..., have tbe him for a JDOVie atar. As a lllfltter Of' fact,

16 u,., real... 'too otfe &4riee to I.Qca11 <:OIIIIInaU a ld t -s.er- ~~ bow eu ~ J)or&p eoue tt,.. lru.smo.. ll ti')' to j4'f'18e... I bouflb u.ld

17 five-watswe trod - atto ~ 1 l.dcciitd$ co rvat1vea SA 'tbe :t tt., o t u.. ;tea to the niatatj.oa.

18 - S,. Now there is one other problem. Conservatives are not generally inclined to listen to advice from Humphrey. I have been advising them in Washington for twelve years now. Long before Joe Clark, I even advised Senator Byrd but what good has it done? They are still busy f.ighting the creeping socialism of Oliver Cromwell. Ralph Waldo Emerson's definition of conservativism can help us: "The castle which conservatism is set to defenj," he i> said, "is the actual state of things, good or bad. " Here is the issue. If the world changes do we have to change too?

19 lld atc.sc powej>. expect t cbadp "' the... ~ tea... atat the _, rt ~, U' X.UQ ~,Ut l~. De tltlfj tt. Bl!maiM at aead~w

20 1\rt let... ~ to at. o to4a ' ~u..,.. ue tl71 JV\-..rf'lll,.o.. the o l'tsod t.b eewt'lt.tc tb1... z»los.v tor tth:bi!'c If bold real tve 1e ua o.ul couena.u art tbe f ~ ol4 eoue,1...

21 I z:y. I. c f. eire... 1t 1t it

22 I lt t: I ai,!bic

23 You ri t h oi" his ~. ote.'tie11eut t'he b:tl"tb «301m F. ay, Jr eont the 1 I t in t au-... at V1tb n~h~t~:m ~~~"10UJ fu11

24 tl t s. e u more eo, tbe cbajledae llr*>ol'&c1 cauaot rel3 accept au ab~ princt 181 to be ~ ~. We IIWlt wrk - ad4 work Nlz!d..,. to 'tnl1l4. eocleeyo ot ~J.octet Of ~ ton vh1cb...

25 I. t.h!a

26 law, vi.l diatr1buticm o U cal Jtu~atT 1: 1

27 Minnesota Historical Society Copyright in this digital version belongs to the Minnesota Historical Society and its content may not be copied without the copyright holder's express written permission. Users may print, download, link to, or content, however, for individual use. To req uest permission for commercial or ed ucational use, please contact the Minnesota Historical Society. 1 ~ W'W'W.mnhs.org