Fulbright Reported To Fear Influence Of Industry

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31362, 6 May 1967, Page 13

Fulbright Reported To Fear Influence Of Industry

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) WASHINGTON, May 5. Senator Fulbright was quoted in a news report yesterday as having charged that some leading Congressional supporters of the Vietnam war were influenced by their interest in booming defence industries in their home states. He quickly issued an apology for “any embarrassment” to members of Congress, the “New York Times” news service reported

The report was in “Newsday,” the Long Island daily. In the report, Senator Fulbright, a persistent critic of the war, was reported to have expressed his fears about the influence of the “military-in-dustrial complex” on Vietnam policy. THREE NAMED “Newsday” said that he had specifically noted that the Georgia Democrat, Senator

Richard B. Russell, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Mr L. Mendel Rivers, the South Carolina Democrat and chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and Senator Henry Jackson, a Washington Democrat, came from areas with large defence industries. The report also quoted Senator Fulbright as saying that businessmen and even some Government officials regarded the Vietnam conflict as “a nice little war—not too much killing but a big help to the economy.” Senator Fulbright had said he “no longer believes statements on Vietnam by President Johnson, Secretary Rusk and Secretary McNamara,” according to the “Newsday” report.

“Johnson is now determined to win a military victory in Vietnam, and, as a result, there is little chance for peace negotiations,” Senator Fulbright said. Senator Fulbright could not

be reached yesterday for comment, but last night his office released a statement, in his name, saying that his remarks had been published “out of context” and that he had “not intended in any way to impugn the motives” of any Congressmen “whatever positions they may have taken regarding the Vietnam war.” In his statement, Senator Fulbright acknowledged that he had had a “background” and “off-the-record” luncheon conversation with a "Newsday” reporter, and he suggested that in the present tense atmosphere on Vietnam, the remarks of political leaders “are often misquoted or misinterpreted.” He did not specifically deny having made the remarks nor did he specifically say that he had been misinterpreted.