Talks Wanted

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30499, 22 July 1964, Page 17

Talks Wanted

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) WASHINGTON, July 21. The Republican Presidential candidate, Senator Barry Goldwater, called today for a conference with President Johnson to discuss ways of keeping inflammatory racial statements out of their campaigns.

The White House said President Johnson would give the proposal “serious consideration,” but his press secretary, Mr George E. Reedy, emphasised that no such formal proposal had yet been made to the President.

Senator Goldwater made the proposal in an informal news conference at the airport in Chicago while flying back to Washington from his home at Phoenix, Arizona.

Senator Goldwater’s statement was prompted by a reporter who asked if he had

considered a joint appeal with President Johnson to ease racial tensions and keep the racial issue out oi the campaign as far as possible. Senator Goldwater said he thought it was a good idea and added: “1 would welcome

an opportunity to sit down with the President.”

Asked about the proposal. Mr Reedy said: “Certainly as a man who has asked for observance of the Civil Rights law and who has signed the law and who is implementing the law, the President would not do anything to incite or inflame tensions.

“I am certain he would give serious consideration to any proposals by Senator Goldwater to follow suit."

Nazi Sympathiser

Rain and the shouts of a small group of Nazi sympathisers broke up an airport rally that was to have been a triumphant return when Senator Goldwater returned to Washington today. Five hundred supporters waited in spite of the weather. When he started to speak, a small group of young men began shouting: “We want Rockwell.” They apparently meant George Lincoln Rockwell, head of the American Nazi Party.

The cheers were drowned out by boos from Goldwater supporters. After a moment Senator Goldwater said: “It’s really sort of pitiful what young people can do in this country if they have nothing else to do. “But it’s their constitutional right,” he said, as the “We want Rockwell” chant began again.