America’s Own Affair

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30511, 5 August 1964, Page 16

America’s Own Affair

The “ Economist ” recently reminded newspapers and journals in Britain that were denouncing, in some cases intemperately, the nomination of Senator Goldwater of a fundamental fact—that the choice of the next President of the United States was “ America’s “ own affair ... it is not for us in Europe to lecture “or hector the Americans ”. The “ Economist’s ’’ contention that to do so could only serve the interests of those who would weaken the Western alliance was promptly given point at Warsaw by attacks on Senator Goldwater by Mr Khrushchev and Mr Gomulka. A warning to similar effect has now been given by Senator Mansfield, leader of the Democratic Party in the Senate. As leader of the majority party, Senator Mansfield is the leader of the Senate, occupying the office from which President Johnson exercised great political power for many years. He is, of course, a political opponent of Senator Goldwater, who is a Republican. In the circumstances, Senator Mansfield is probably the American best qualified to warn that “ panicky statements in the European press ” about Senator Goldwater’s nomination “might prejudice “ relations with the United States ”, Britain and the rest of Europe have a vital stake in both the domestic and foreign policies of the United States, and consequently a keen interest. But good relations are illserved by criticisms of Senator Goldwater’s views as extreme as his own are alleged to be. One enduring principle of American politics should not be forgotten: outside interference is resented and may defeat its own ends.

The leading columnist of the “ New York Times ”, James Reston, rather cynically commented that no Presidential candidate since Franklin D. Roosevelt “ has managed to survive the endorsement “of the European press”. Speaking of “the pride “and nationalism” of de Gaulle, the “no conscrip- “ tion, we-want-the-bomb ” policy of Britain, and “ the “cynical let’s-leave-it-to-Uncle Sam” policy of most of the rest of Western Europe, Mr Reston says these attitudes have contributed to Senator Goldwater’s appeal “ and encouraged the views that a little more “ pugnacious American nationalism might be a good “ idea ”. Mr Reston contends that Europeans are now trying to interpret Senator Goldwater in European terms. “As many of them see it ”, says Mr Reston, “ he is an incipient Fascist, who has won the Presi- “ dential nomination against the majority of his own “ party by cunning organisation and is trying to win “ the Presidency by playing on prejudice against the Negroes, as Hitler took over Germany by playing “ on prejudice against the Jews ”. “ It is a fantastic ‘‘and dangerous analogy”, Mr Reston says, “for “ Goldwater is not trying to increase the power of “ the central government, but to reduce it, not work- “ ing for a totalitarian State socialist government, but “ for precisely the opposite ”.

Europeans and others may continue to dislike the image of Senator Goldwater that has been given to them, chiefly by the American press; but they should ask whom they harm by becoming, as Senator Mansfield says, “panicky” about a decision that is for the American people alone to make. Those who fear grave consequences for the world if Senator Goldwater were elected might do well to remember Mr Reston’s comment that Senator Goldwater “will “never win with the support of his friends alone, “ but his enemies could just put him over, if they “ are not careful ”.