October 14, 1964

Should Lay Political Skeletons To Rest BEFORE Election

That rattling you hear these days comes from a number of restless “skeletons” seeking escape from secret, Washington closets.

The question seems to be whether the Democrats can keep them under lock and key until after election.

Republicans, understandably, are eager to spring the embarrassing collection of bones without delay.

As a rule, we tend to discount most political charges of skullduggery ninety percent. Three recent news accounts, however, have roused us to a sense of uneasiness.

First: Bobby Baker, former Senate aide accused of political payoffs, told a Washington reporter, “I will be cleared when the facts are known, but I cannot reveal them until after the election. I have no choice.”

Second: Defense Secretary Robert McNamara is reported to have told several friends he would resign after the election because he was tired of being “in the middle” regarding conduct of the war in Viet Nam.

Third: A long-delayed hearing about Otto Otepka, U.S. State Department security officer, was postponed to November 17.

The implications of these suppressed developments are of utmost seriousness. With the election only two weeks away, concerned voters must act quickly to bring pressure to bear on those able to give the nation some answers.

* * *

Bobby Baker’s only defense against myriad charges of selling favors was invocation of the Fifth Amendment 125 times. His recent statement implies he is shielding President Johnson with whom he worked closely many years.

Though Johnson lauded Baker from the Senate floor on several occasions, we cannot believe that the President has done anything legally wrong. However, he may have become inadvertently involved in some political indiscretion he wishes would go away and get lost.

If the latter is the case, he should manfully own up -- and take his medicine with the American voters, who have in recent years demonstrated a remarkable tolerance of such things.

You will remember that Richard Nixon -- during his campaign for vice-president -- had to account for a large campaign contribution that got mixed up with his personal accounts

Ted Kennedy’s admission -- when he was running for Senator of Massachusetts -- that he was thrown out of Harvard for cheating proved no handicap.

Silence on the Bobby Baker case-in view of the recent startling statement by him-can only be interpreted in a sinister light.

* * *

The war in Viet Nam is a hopeless mess. The French tried to solve it with military force for ten years and failed.

Americans tried it with political negotiation -- and succeeded only in giving the north half of the country to the communists, and moving the war southward.

This writer finds it hard to accept the present policy of dribbling away American lives while waiting for some miracle. On the other hand, we cannot condone the risk of a general war with Red China, which has everything to gain and nothing to lose by conflict.

McNamara complains that Johnson has turned over control of the war to advisers seeking a “political solution!” Republicans have been on McNamara’s back for some time. What really hurts him is the attacks by Democrats -- principally Senators Morse of Oregon and Gruening of Alaska. They call the Viet Nam fighting: “McNamara’s War.”

The presidential candidates, in our opinion, should come to grips with this problem -- and lead the voters in a soul-searching discussion of possible solutions.

A general toughness advocated by Goldwater -- and a general appeasement practiced by Johnson -- seem wholly inadequate. McNamara’s disillusionment with Asian affairs is shared by all Americans and needs immediate airing.

* * *

The Otepka case is one of the smelliest ever to involve the State Department. As a senior security officer, Otepka was responsible for investigating the background of all department employees. A couple of years ago he was called to testify before the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee headed by James Eastland, Mississippi Democrat.

Otepka testified at length and turned over to the committee a list of 163 employees considered security risks-including 15 with the rank of ambassador or higher.

Since then, Otepka has been ostracized by his superiors and colleagues. Not even the elevator operators speak to him. He goes to work each day to an office where no mail is delivered, no phones ring, no instructions sent.

Such childish goings on would be ludicrous if it didn’t involve the likelihood of enemy agents toiling in the department to destroy us.

Republican members of the subcommittee are reported indignant over this “politically motivated stalling.” They are considering making public more than 10,000 pages of secret testimony of security risks in the State Department.

Senator Dodd, Connecticut Democrat, has asked that the case remain closed “until after the election.”

* * *

Either the present administration is blameless in these important matters and should dispel the black clouds of suspicion, OR it is guilty and should be turned out of office.

It is possible, of course, that the several Washington newsmen reporting these stories have fabricated irresponsible rumors. Their statements, however, live forever in the printed word and are subject to the libel laws.

None of the principals quoted have denied their reported words. Until they do, the implications stand.

Lyndon Johnson owes it to the nation, his party and himself to clear up these matters -- if he can -- BEFORE the election, not after.

By Lindsey Wilger Williams, retired newspaper publisher and syndicated columnist