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THE Holsteotl's Letter MILITANT To Amerimn Soldiers Published in the Interest of the Working People -See Page 4- Volume 32 -No. 5 Monday, January 29, 1968 Price lOc llllllllllllllllllllllllfllllllllllll1iH11tlllllllllllltlllllllllllltlln.tiiiiiii11111111111111111111111U111111111111111111111111111111111111liiiUIIUIIUIIIIII!IUHUIIHII!IIIIIIIHHIIIII!Itlii!HIIIIUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIUIIIIIIIIUIIIIII!l!iUIIHHII11!11111111111111111111111111111111111111UI Escalate War; Send in More Cops LBJ's State of Union Message By Dick Roberts The longest and loudest ap­ plause Lyndon Johnson got from the gang of reactionaries on Cap­ itol Hill during his State of the Union message Jan. 17 was when he declared: "There is no more urgent business before this Con­ gress than to pass the safe streets acts." Every cheering racist pres­ ent knew he was really talking about cracking down on black people. The President spent more time on the subject of "law enforce­ ment" than on any other domestic or foreign policy issue, including the war in Vietnam. He promised: "To develop state and local mas­ ter plans to combat crime. "To provide better training and better pay for police. "To bring the most advanced technology to the war on crime in every city and every county in America." Only Answer For the second straight year, Johnson did not even pay lip service to the black struggle for human rights. His only answer to the demands expressed in last summer's ghetto uprisings was more guns, more cops, and even more FBI agents. One paragraph devoted to re· inforcing the FBI by 100 men took up more space in the State of the Union message than the plight of the nation's farmers, who have recently been hit by the sharpest drop in farm prices MORE WAR. State of Union message outlined prospect of con­ in postwar history. MORE COPS. LBJ's major point was to call for more repressive tinued death and destruction for both Americans and Vietnamese. Johnson reiterated his demand measures, aimed at black community. for higher taxes on the grounds that it would prevent "an accele­ rating spiral of price increases; a restlessness, a questioning," he hinted that some new steps might slump in home building; and a asserted. be taken to advance the "war on continued erosion of the American And this is so despite the fact poverty." But when he got down Eartha Kitt Disturbs that "more and more families own to the details of the proposed dollar." He explained that "those of us their own homes equipped with budget, he declared, "We're hold­ in the Executive branch, and in more than 70 million television ing the fiscal 1969 budget to last Congress, and in the leaders of sets ..." year's level, outside of those man­ Lady Bird's Protocol "Why, why, then," the president datory and those required in­ labor and business, must do every­ thing we can to prevent that kind intoned, "this restlessness? creases." By Joseph Hansen of misfortune." "Because when a great ship cuts He meant that no budget in­ through the sea, the waters are creases would be proposed beyond What Eartha Kitt, the singer tha Kitt, the unknown waif, would But the one thing that would prevent "that kind of misfortune," always stirred and troubled." those already legislated in 1967. and dancer, said to the Johnsons show them - that some day she Throughout the talk, Johnson (Continued on Page 8) at a White House luncheon Jan. would be a dazzling entertainer namely withdrawing from Viet­ 18, expressed the feelings of tens and the toast of continents." nam, could not have been further from the President's mind. of millions of ordinary Americans. It really happened. Eartha Kitt Quite deservedly, the popular art­ did become a dazzling entertainer Hypocrisy ist is getting the biggest round of and the toast of continents. One Responding to Hanoi's recent of· Hands Off Korea' applause she has ever received. of the reasons for her success was fers for negotiations, Johnson em­ First about Eartha Kitt. In the that she was not a mere "enter­ phasized that North Vietnam would The announcement that the People's Republic of Korea had notes written in 1956 for the tainer." She was intellectually have to make concessions first: seized a U.S. spy ship off its coast, and Washington's reaction to jacket of her best-selling record, alert, genuinely interested in the "The other side must not take that announcement, both point to the danger created by U.S. im­ "That Bad Eartha," Duncan Mac­ peoples of other lands. The lan­ advantage of our restraint as they perialism in this section of the world. Dougald Jr. said: "She started out guages at her command testify to have in the past," he declared. this. "That Bad Eartha" includes A special correspondent of the New York Times in Washing­ life on a desperately poor share­ That there are people in the ton said on Jan. 23 that there is "no doubt" that the U.S. ship cropper's farm in South Carolina selections in English, French, world who can visibly tolerate and grew up in a miserable Har­ Spanish, Turkish and Swahili. such revolting hypocrisy - and was "trying to pinpoint the sites of key radio and radar stations lem tenement house, helping to It is quite understandable why they were well represented in in North Korea," to help American engineers "design jamming support herself and her aunt by the White House would like to win Johnson's audience - is only be­ devices and other electronic countermeasures to cripple enemy working long hours as a seamstress over such a distinguished and pop­ lievable when you realize that the radar in the event of combat." in a uniform factory. ular artist, and why it was decided same people actually clapped when Washington's arrogance was never more apparent in its reac­ "In her early teens she dis­ to include her name among the 50 Johnson asserted: tion to this defensive move by the Koreans. Members of Con­ invited from all over the country, covered that she was endowed "Our patience and our per­ gress said it was an "act of war" for the Koreans to do what "Women Doers," to be honored at severance will match our power. with an unusual talent for sing­ they did - as if the U.S. has the right to send spy ships into ing and dancing; and although, a luncheon hosted by Lady Bird Aggression will never prevail." the waters of any country any time it wishes. superficially, she seemed no dif­ herself. The President turned his atten­ ferent from the countless other Now as to the setting. "There tion to what the New York Times Those opposed to the war in Vietnam should raise their voice poverty-stricken children in Har­ were 50 of us invited," reported has come to call the "malaise" against the threatening talk of '"war'' going on in Washington, lem, she dreamed in the good old Theo Wilson in the New York that is afflicting our nation. and demand that the U.S. stop all provocative spy raids on North American tradition that she, Ear- (Continued on Page 2) "There is in the land a certain Korea and get its troops out of South Korea. Page Two THE MILITANT January 29, 1968 •• . lortll11 Kitt Disturbs (Continued from Page 1) Daily News, ·"and, after being greeted by Lady Bird in the Green Room, a marine band beating out happy music behind us, and after Pressure from the union rank Subsequently, Mr. Abel's aggres­ cocktails and small talk with each and file is lighting a fire under sive attempt to find a 'better way' other, we went into the yellow­ the seats of the established bu­ than a stril~e, rather than merely and-white family room for lunch­ riding the strike threat weapon reaucracy and causing more than eon. for all it's worth and whatever "There were five tables, 10 somewhat concern among indus­ the consequences, has caused him women at each, set with bowls trial and political leaders. The some trouble." of spring flowers, gold, green and Wall Street Journal, than which • • • ivory dinnerware, golden spoons, there is no more official spokes­ Another article in the Wall forks and knives, golden ashtrays, man for big business, reported Street Journal quotes Communica­ golden mint plates.... " last week on three situations that tions Workers president Joseph A further detail is important to Beirne as follows: "Mr. Beirne proper appreciation of the setting. are causing the boss class much said he expected some manage­ The night before, Johnson had concern: ment recalcitrance and Adminis­ delivered his "State of the Union "Statesmanship by labor lead­ tration opposition to big wage Message.'' "Heavily made up" for ers has never been simple," says boosts but . restiveness in our the cameramen, according to col­ umnist Mary McGrory, wearing the Jan. 16 issue, in discussing the own membership will be a coun­ tervailing pressure. I see trouble a "thick coat of Man-Tan," he had problems of I. W. Abel. "The more ahead. We know our people are received the strongest applause explosive suggestion by I. W. Abel, in a rebellious mood." from the cheering congressmen the United Steelworkers stocky, The CWA is reopening wage when he bore down on "crime in gruff president, was that the union and wage-related items in the the streets" (meaning restlessness three-year contract it signed in and rebellion in the "inner cities" consider a plan whereby it and 1966 with A.T.&T. and all the Bell of the Great Society). the industry would voluntarily System. The theme of Lady Bird's lunch· submit any unresolved issues in • * • eon the next day could not have the 1968 contract bargaining to Pressure from the ranks of coincided more happily with the binding arbitration.