September 29, 1980 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 27957 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS SENATOR BARRY GOLDWATER Needless to say in those early days, I en­ moving vehicle with which to work. Al­ thusiastically lent my name to YAF. I felt though I did not attend, I was well aware of REMEMBERS THE EARLY the start made at Sharon augured well for the Draft Goldwater Rally which was YEARS OF YOUNG AMERICANS the future. In my travels throughout the staged in Washington in July 1963 and I was FOR FREEDOM country and especially in my appearances amazed at the job the Y AFers did in this before high school and college groups, I had operation. Hundreds of them from all over HON. ROBERT E. BAUMAN become fully aware that some kind of a uni­ the country poured into Washington and put on such a demonstration that even a re­ OF MARYLAND fying organization was needed to give ex­ pression to the rapidly growing enthusiasm luctant media could not ignore it. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES for conservative principles among the young And, this was the beginning of intensive Monday, September 29, 1980 people of the nation. Indeed, a number of Y AF activity throughout my entire cam­ groups did exist. but it was obvious to me paign for the Presidency in 1964. Y AF mem­ e Mr. BAUMAN. Mr. Speaker, as one that some kind of catch-all organization was bers were active everywhere. I saw them at of the founders and the second nation­ sorely needed and I hoped that Y AF would airports. shopping centers. college campus­ al chairman of Young Americans for fill that bill. es, and meeting halls in every primary state, Freedom, I was pleased to join with a To say that Y AF got off to a fast start is and I found them swelling the crowds and large group of friends of Y AF last Sat­ to put it mildly. I had hardly gotten used to the enthusiasm at every stop I made during urday at their 20th anniversary dinner the idea when I was invited to be the princi­ my general election campaign. It is hard for pal speaker at a public Y AF gathering in me to estimate the kind of debt I owe to here in Washington. New York City's Manhattan Center, sched­ those early leaders of Y AF who organized As the national Y AF chairman uled for March of 1961. This was barely five so actively and so well throughout the during the 1964 Presidential election, I months after the founding of the organiza­ entire country. can tell you the important role played tion and, realizing that the Manhattan And, if there is one thing I take satisfac­ by our colleague from Arizona, BARRY Center had the capacity of 3000, I frankly tion in, it is the amount of youth activity in GOLDWATER, both as a fighter for the felt my young friends had bitten off more the 1964 campaign. The cause was a losing conservative cause and an inspiration than they could chew. I recalled that less one and most of my supporters knew it long to us all. than 100 people had attended the Sharon before the votes were counted. But the Conference and naturally I wondered how young people in my campaign seemed to Without Senator GOLDWATER, there they were going to turn out any kind of sig­ sense that they were laying the groundwork would have been no conservative nificant crowd. Well, the answer to that is for future battles and victories in the con­ movement, and I would like to share now history. YAF's First Annual Awards servative cause. And, I believe this has been his thoughts on the early years of Rally drew 6000 wildly screaming conserva­ the case. The seeds for conservative political YAF which appear in the current issue tives, only half of whom could actually get activity which were laid in 1964-and in of YAF's publication, the New Guard. into the meeting hall. I remember that occa­ large part by the young people-are bearing The article follows: sion very well because I shared the spotlight fruit today. Those efforts established the with some famous names, among them Wil­ conservative cause-and it is here to stay. Y AF AND THE EARLY YEARS liam F. Buckley, Jr., Taylor Caldwell, Rus­ Everyone who reads this magazine knows (By Barry Goldwater> sell Kirk, George Sokolsky, and Eugene C. that what began in Sharon, Connecticut 20 It doesn't seem possible that two decades Pulliam. If I remember correctly, I ad­ years ago today has become a major force to have passed since Young Americans for dressed my audience as "the nation's young be reckoned with in the political life of this Freedom came into being. I well remember leaders of tomorrow," and I must say that I nation. I feel a great measure of pride every that Autumn day twenty years ago when I didn't at that time realize how prophetic my time I encounter a leader in politics, in busi­ first heard about the conference at the words would turn out to be. ness, or in the newsgathering profession Buckley Estate in Sharon, Connecticut. If Actually, it was on that night in 1961 that who cut his teeth in YAF. And their num­ memory serves me, the first full report I re­ Young Americans for Freedom became a bers are growing. I am amazed at Y AF's ceived was from my friend Bill Buckley, and recognized national institution. The rally at­ input into the leadership ranks of this it was an enthusiastic account of some tracted an enormous amount of media at­ nation, and I believe this is only the begin­ young activists who wanted to have a say in tention. An account of it was carried on ning. their generation's future. page 1 of the New York Times and the tele­ In conclusion, let me say that I am proud There were a number of things about the vision networks carried film clips of the pro­ to have played a role in the early days of Sharon conference I found highly encourag­ ceedings. Perhaps my own attendance at a Young Americans for Freedom. On this, the ing. First there was the Sharon Statement time of increasing public attention to con­ 20th Anniversary of its founding, I salute itself, outlining the purposes of the new or­ servative causes helped bring this about. If that organization and predict a great future ganization in what was developing into a na­ so, I count it as one of the major achieve­ for it.e tionwide crusade for freedom based on ments of my public life. sound Constitutional principles and limited A year later, when I learned that my government. It spelled out unmistakably young friends were planning their Second RONALD REAGAN'S COMMENTS the need for individual liberty and national Annual Awards Rally in Madison Square ON YOUNG AMERICANS FOR strength. It provided a platform which Garden, I again experienced a degree of FREEDOM could be used to appeal to a broad spectrum skepticism. I wondered if the Y AF leaders of the nation's youth. In the second place I actually realized what they were up against. HON. STEVEN D. SYMMS found the organization's insistence on politi­ It is one thing to fill an auditorium with OF IDAHO cal nonpartisanship to be healthy and ap­ 3000 people and quite another to put on a pealing. Although the conservative tenets show in a hall with a capacity of 19,000. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES were largely being espoused by Republicans, Again, I should have known better. The Monday, September 29, 1980 I knew from experience in my own state of young conservatives filled the Garden and Arizona that a large number of young produced more enthusiasm for the conserva­ e Mr. SYMMS. Mr. Speaker, this Democrats were being more and more tive cause than anyone had ever seen month is the 20th anniversary of the drawn to the sound Constitutional .argu­ before. I believe that was the night that I founding of Young Americans for ments that we were beginning to set forth. predicted that "a new wave of conserva­ Freedom, on whose national advisory In the third place. I was glad that the name tism" would eventually triumph in America. board I have the honor to serve. This Young Americans for Freedom was agreed As we all know, it did not triumph in 1964- month's issue of YAF's magazine, New upon at Sharon. At that time, too many or­ but it is likely to triumph in 1980. Guard, contains an article by my good ganizations were springing up containing With that rally at Madison Square friend, Ronald Reagan, looking back the word "conservative." It was my feeling Garden, YAF really moved into high gear. on YAF's history. that to be effective, a young activist orga­ From then on, every significant conserva­ There is no doubt that Governor nization would need a broader appeal and tive action throughout the country bore something with a patriotic ·ring. And, cer­ some trace of Y AF involvement. It was Reagan's leadership in the conserva­ tainly, the word "freedom" was basic and about this time that the "Draft Goldwater" tive movement has encouraged many fundamental to everything we were trying movement began to take on some strength thousands of young people to rally to to accomplish. and this gave Y AF people a constantly the cause by joining Y AF.