SPEECH REACTION—Margaret Cathcart, Kansas City, Mo., junior, left, and David Kirtland, Solomon sophomore, give their views on President Kennedy's U.N. speech.
Student Reaction Varied On JFK's U.N. Speech
Daily Kansan interviews with 19 KU students on President Kennedy's UN speech yesterday brought varied opinions.
Kennedy's main points included:
- Rejection of Khrushchev's Troika proposal.
- A six point plan for disarmament.
- That the West will defend West Berlin by whatever means forced upon it.
- That all U.N. member nations earmark special peace-keeping units in their armed forces to be on call to the U.N.
- A proposal that the United Nations Charter should be amended to preserve outer space for peaceful use.
OF THE 19 PEOPLE who heard or read about the speech, 13 favored Kennedy's action. One student was uncertain whether or not he agreed with the President. The other five students did not have sufficient information to answer.
Students were asked the following questions:
Did you hear Kennedy's speech yesterday or read about it? Do you remember what proposals and promises he made? What is your reaction to them?
Typical of student reactions are the following statements:
STEPHEN GOLD, Allegan, Mich., freshman, said, "Kennedy said we would use nuclear weapons in Berlin, if necessary. I think Barry Goldwater was right. We should have taken action a long time ago."
Donald Unger, Excelsior Springs, Mo., graduate, said, "His main point was the nuclear defense of Berlin though his promise for negotiation was also important. I agree with his proposals, but I
don't think he is advocating the same thing as Goldwater and other 'war-hawks.'"
CHARLES MENGHINI, Pittsburgh senior, said, "Kennedy said he was going to end colonialism. He also said he wanted to take the first step toward disarmament by restoration of the test ban. His talk on Berlin didn't say much that I haven't already heard. Actually I don't think he impressed too many people, especially by saying we would use nuclear weapons."
Frank Wiebe, Lawrence senior, commented, "I head the speech. 'I'm a Republican, and well, if Kennedy follows up on what he said (he has a tendency to talk a lot), O.K. His disarmament proposals will look good in the eyes of the other nations, and it was a good cold war blow for the U.S., but all this talking helps nothing."
Pat Allen, Lawrence first year law student, said. "If Kennedy's actions on Laos and Cuba are any indication of the actions he intends to take on the Berlin situation, we are in serious trouble."
Carol Jenista, Caldwell freshman, said:
"It was a very good speech, and from what I could see of it, he made the U.S. position very clear and that if peace is left to the United States, it will come soon."
Ed Collister, Lawrence first year law student, said:
"I didn't hear the speech, see it on television, read it in the newspapers or hear about it. But I have an opinion. This guy who tried to shoot Kennedy . . . they should have gotten the cops out of the wav and let him have a clear shot."
Asked to explain this, Collister continued:
"I am no Kennedy fan."
Daily hansan
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
59th Year, No.8
Tuesday, Sept. 26, 1961
U.S. Charges Russians with Aerial Incursions over West Germany
WASHINGTON — (UPI) — The United States charged today that Soviet military planes have made "numerous aerial incursions" over West Germany in recent weeks.
But it said it did not want to consider these flights as "provocations." And it appealed to Russia to calm down the tense situation over the Berlin air corridors.
THE UNITED STATES, Britain France and West Germany delivered parallel notes in Moscow this morning replying to a September 17 Soviet protest over an incident in which two West German military fighters landed in West Berlin.
Russia called the incident "a prearranged provocation" and a "reckless adventure." It warned that West German military planes found in the Berlin area in the future would be shot down.
The Allied notes said an investigation proved "without any possibility of error" that the West German fighters lost their way, ran short of fuel and were forced to land in Berlin after the control tower there provided the only response to distress signals.
THE BRITISH NOTE backed the U. S. version. It called the incident "regrettable."
Bulletin
WILSON, La. — (UPI)—Charles E. Wilson. Secretary of Defense in the Eisenhower Administration and former President of General Motors, died in his sleep of a heart attack today. He was 71.
The white-haired, outspoken Wilson died at his plantation home here. The body, found by a butler, was taken to the Charlet Funeral Home at Clinton, La.
The note added that "Her Majesty's Government consider it necessary to point out to the Soviet Government that in recent weeks nu-
Congress Agrees to Grant JFK $4 Billion Foreign Aid
WASHINGTON — (UPI) — House-Senate negotiators agreed today to give President Kennedy slightly less than $4 billion for his foreign aid program, removing the biggest remaining roadblock to an early adjournment of Congress.
The compromise ended a weeklong struggle to reconcile differences between a House-passed bill carrying $3.6 billion and a $4.2 billion Senate bill. Key lawmakers said the compromise bill would be called up for House approval later today.
SEN. JOHN O. PASTORE, D-R.I.
a member of the House-Senate conference group working on the aid bill, had said earlier that an agreement was imminent.
The foreign aid battle had become a test of wills between Senate conferees and the House negotiators. The latter, headed by Passman, had insisted that left over funds and certain non-aid items be included in a $4 billion package.
He made the forecast after a huddle with two House negotiators — Rep. Otto Passman, D-La., and J. Vaughan Gary, D-Va.
PASTORE WOULD not comment on the shape of a possible aid agreement. But it was understood to involve a figure in the neighborhood of $4 billion
President Kennedy has insisted on $4 billion in new funds and has
termed the outcome of the Congressional tug-of-war critical to the U.S. position in the tense world situation
PASSMAN, A LONG-TIME critic of foreign aid, had declared earlier that "I'll quit before I capitulate." But Pastore believed there was a basis for compromise.
The House today approved a compromise measure carrying $3,-908,880,980 to finance public works projects throughout the nation. The measure $91,907,020 below Kennedy's request, was sent to the Senate for final action.
The Senate, meantime, opened debate on a billion dollar supplemental appropriations bill to finance a variety of government programs.
IN THE AID BATTLE, it was learned that former President Dwight D. Eisenhower had joined Kennedy in urging Republican members of the conference group to stand firm for at least $4 billion in aid funds.
Weather
Showers were expected to begin over the northcentral and northwest Kansas tonight or tomorrow.
High temperatures today will be in the 70s, with overnight lows mostly in the 50s.
Peace Bid Greeted By Soviet Silence
United Press International
President Kennedy's "race for peace" speech to the United Nations carried the West a step closer to negotiations on Berlin and disarmament today but there was no immediate answering move by the East.
The Soviet Communist party newspaper Pravda surprisingly reprinted an American newspaper story praising Kennedy as a man of peace and depicting Soviet Premier Khrushchev as a "madman" if he believes communist propaganda picturing Kennedy as a rich imperialist.
UPI correspondent Henry Shapiro reported from Moscow that unofficial Soviet sources found the speech relatively moderate and conciliatory but official Kremlin reaction had not jelled enough for editorial comment.
The reprint of the American newspaper story — by James Wechsler of the New York Post — was preceded by a note saying Pravda's editors did not agree with everything in it. But the fact that it was printed at all caused amazement in Moscow.
THE FIRST REAL INDICATION of how the Kennedy peace move will be received in the communist world was looked for in Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko's speech to the U.N. General Assembly this afternoon.
Reactions from other parts of the world:
NORWAY—The Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten said Kennedy "voiced the wishes of all humanity."
LONDON—West European newspapers acclaimed Kennedy's speech with such terms as "impressive," "majestic" and "bold."
JAPAN—In Tokyo, Foreign Office Counselor Satoru Takahashi called the speech "very good" but declined further comment until he had studied the text. Socialist leader Kanjiro Sato said the President offered "nothing new."
The Japanese news agency Kyodo said "sources close to the foreign office" were disappointed because the President presented no specific plans to go along with his general proposals.
Tokyo newspapers gave big play to the speech but did not comment.
KOREA—The South Korean newspaper Chosun praised Kennedy's firm rejection of Russian efforts to replace the secretary general of the United Nations by a veto-bound committee.
"When we frankly recall that lack of initiative on the part of the United States is responsible for the present international crises, the display of a U.S. attitude on the secretary general problem is a wise move," the newspaper said.
BERLIN—West Berlin Mayor Willy Brandt told the West Berlin Senate Kennedy's speech showed the United States is standing firm on the Berlin question.