Goldwater On John Birch Committee

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30569, 12 October 1964, Page 14

Goldwater On John Birch Committee

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter— Copyright)

NEW YORK, Oct. 11. An official of the Rightwing extremist John Birch Society said the Republican Presidential candidate, Senator Barry Goldwater, was a member of a committee set up within the society, United Press International reported. John Rousselot, the public relations director of the society, said the society’s founder, Robert Welch, recruited Senator Goldwater for the committee. Mr Rousselot was interviewed on a television show tonight. The committee, an “ad hoc” group, was identified as the “committee against summit entanglements.”

Senator Goldwater joined it five years ago, according to Mr Rousselot. It was described in “the blue book of the John Birch Society” as “our one large national front to date—and by far our most successful effort in this category.” According to the blue book, the committee was formed in 1959 to protest against an expected summit conference involving the former President, Mr Eisenhower, and the Soviet Premier, Mr Khrushchev. Mr Rousselot, a former Republican Congressman from California, was asked whether Senator Goldwater had been active “in other fronts” of the Birch society. “Gee, not that I recall,” Mr Rousselot said. “I do remember very clearly that Robert Welch called Senator Goldwater on that particular issue because Senator Goldwater felt very strongly that we should not be engaged in any discussions with Mr Khrushchev because you couldn’t carry on an honourable discussion with a murderer. And consequently he did support that and granted the use of his name in support of that movement.” Mr Rousselot added: “I don’t recall any other . . .

fronts or ad hoc committees which . . . Senator Goldwater has participated in conjunction with the John Birch Society. I know that he supports many of the same issues that we do. Not all. He’s made it clear where he differs and he does differ.”