Humphrey Pledges End To Violence And War

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31772, 31 August 1968, Page 13

Humphrey Pledges End To Violence And War

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright)

CHICAGO, August 30.

A stormy Democratic Party convention marred by internal squabbles and street riots wound up early today after hearing its Presidential candidate denounce mob violence and police brutality. “Rioting, burning, sniping and any such disregard for the law are the advance guard of anarchy, and they must be stopped,” Vice-President Hubert Humphrey declared in a speech accepting nomination.

Mr Humphrey gave a pledge that he would do everything in his power to bring peace in Vietnam through the talks now going on in Paris between the United States and North Vietnam.

But even as he spoke, the reek of tear gas used by National Guard troops to break up another march on the convention hall by young demonstrators against the war hung over Chicago.

It was Mi - Humphrey’s first and only appearance before the convention, which began on Monday and later chose him to stand against Mr Richard Nixon, the Republican candidate for the Presidency.

As his running-mate, Mr Humphrey named Senator Edmund Muskie, of Maine —a choice which won overwhelming approval from the convention.

But while Mr Humphrey was given an ovation for his acceptance speech, dismay and anger was discernible among delegates over the violent street battles that have dominated the Chicago scene.

During the balloting on the nomination of Senator Muskie, Alabama, cast 1} votes for Mr Richard Daley, the Mayor of Chicago, as VicePresident This brought a burst of cheering and banner waving from the Mayor’s supporters in the galleries, but they were immediately countered by chants of “Down with Daley” from the many critics of the police tactics used in the Chicago streets against the pacifist demonstrators. President Absent President Johnson was the first Chief Executive in 24 years to miss his own party’s national convention, and he was probably swayed by one or all of three factors:— Security. Two top secret service officials were in Chicago, including the head of the White House plainclothes bodyguard, ant presumably they recommended that Mr Johnson stay away from the tension-torn city. Pride. -Judging from the mood of many delegates, Mr Johnson could not be assured in advance of an entirely friendly reception from fellow-demo-crats.

Good politics. The President may have decided that his presence would have done nothing to further the election hopes of Mr Humphrey and Senator Muskie. A ietnam Lesson In an emotional speech interrupted 75 times by applause and only thrice by boos, Mr Humphrey pledged himself to unify his divided party and nation and call them to “a new sense of purpose as a free people.” There was a noisy demonstration when he also gave a pledge to do everything with-

in his power to aid the negotiations in Paris and bring peace to Vietnam. He did not outline any new policy—and he is running on a platform that reflects the views o' President Johnson—but he said he would “apply the lesson that the policies of tomorrow need not be limited by the policies of yesterday.”

“If I am President, I shall apply that lesson to the search for peace in Vietnam, as to all other areas of national policy,” he declared.

“Last week we witnessed once again, in Czechoslovakia, the desperate attempt of tyranny to crush out the forces of liberalism by force and brutal power: to hold back change. But in Eastern Europe, as elsewhere, the old era will surely end and a new day will dawn. “And to speed this day we must go beyond containment to communication, beyond difference to dialogue, beyond fear to hope. “. . . I recognise the differences within our party on the issue of Vietnam. These differences are found within the ranks of all the Detno- | cratic Presidential candidates. But I also recognise the much larger areas of agreement.

“I expect this debate to continue in the months ahead, but it need not divide us. “Let those who believe that our cause in Vietnam has been right—and those who believe it has been wrong—-

agree here and now: neither vindication nor repudiation will bring peace or be worthy of our country. “We must somehow cross the remaining barriers of suspicion and despair. We must halt the arms race before it halts humanity

The world cannot indefinitely hope to avoid the nuclear war that one rash act, one error of judgment, one failure in communications could unleash upon humanity. There is no more urgent task than ending this threat to the very survival of our planet. I commit myself to this task.” Of the discords within the nation, Mr Humphrey said: “Some 70 per cent of our people live on 2 per cent of our land. At least 100 millio.i more Americans will join our family in the next 25 years. Where shall they live? How shall they live? What will be their future?

“ Urban congestion has not only created a complex of new problems, it has multiplied and intensified the problems of race, of poverty, crime, hunger, despair. And all of these have grown to explosive proportion. “The simple solution of the frustrated and the frightened is to lash out against society, but we know, and they must know, that this is no answer. Violence breeds counter-violence, disorder destroys, riot makes for ruin. Only order can build. “No man in the White House, or at any level of

Government, can shrug off the immediate responsibility of guaranteeing to every American the right to personal security. "I put it bluntly: rioting, burning, sniping, mugging, traffic in narcotics, and disregard for the law are the advance guard of anarchy—and they must be stopped. “But the answer does not lie in attacks on our courts or on our laws. The answer lies in reasoned, effective action by State, local and Federal authority. “We do not want a police state, but we do need a state of law and order, for neither mob violence nor police brutality have any place in America.

“And I pledge to use every resource available to the President to end the fear in our cities.”