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University Daily Kansan Tuesday, April 30, 1963
Rocky Road for Nelson
When people talk about the 1964 Presidential race, the question always is the same: Who will be the Republican candidate?
Given the popularity of Kennedy and the lack of a clear-cut leader of Republican forces, whoever is nominated likely will be chosen by party leaders on their prediction of how good a sacrificial lamb he will make.
WILL IT BE SEN. Barry Goldwater? Not if we can believe the Senator himself. Even if he were willing, there is strong doubt that he could swing the party's nomination.
How about Gov. Nelson Rockefeller of New York? He certainly has left the general impression he is willing to do battle with Kennedy. But there seems to be worry in Republican circles as regards the Governor.
This concern is less over whether Rockefeller can be elected president as much as whether he can be made a Republican. Conservative Republicans view him as a latter-day New Frontiersman cloaked in Hart, Schaeffner and Marx clothing.
WITH THE LARGE advantage of registered voters belonging to the Democrats, all hopes of Republican victory in 1964 must ride with attracting the votes of those who belong to neither party—the people who vote for the man, not the party.
This would seem to favor Rockefeller; or maybe George Romney, another popular figure who has not established a controversial record in public affairs.
But, then again, Romney joins Goldwater among the ranks of Republican likelies who say, "Not me." If their positions can be changed remains to be seen.
BUT TO RETURN to the widely-held idea that Kennedy will defeat anyone nominated by
the Republicans, who wants to be a sacrificial lamb for the Republicans in 1964?
A wild guess here sees none other than Richard Nixon as the ticket leader in 1964. Not that you are urged to bet your grocery money on Nixon winning the nomination.
But somehow, there is the feeling that the Republicans with the best chance of drawing the needed independent votes — Rockefeller and Romney — are far from likely convention favorites.
ROCKEFELLER, SO FAR, has been doing all the offensive punching in the early scuffling for the inside track to the Republican nomination. But, should Nixon decide he may as well run for the roses again (he has nothing more to lose), the New York man is vulnerable.
His divorce has not been a political football yet; but it will be, either among party faithful or in the final race against Kennedy. It can be argued that this is not a legitimate campaign issue, but you can bet it will be one. Family and religion in the United States are always important considerations.
In short, a divorced governor is one thing; a divorced presidential candidate is another.
ALL THIS POLEMIC genius between insight and political barometers could amount to nothing if Sen. Goldwater caught the presidential fever. But it seems doubtful. He does not appear eager to climb into the ring with all the odds favoring Kennedy.
Who will be willing to face the proven matador of 1960? Nixon: he has nothing to lose, everything to gain, would (or could) cement his party leadership by martyrdom, and the party may find no one acceptable who could do better.
Stranger things have happened.
“啊，Yes——The Murder Of That Hiker Was A Dastardly Act”
%7 KIERBLOCK THE WASHINGTON POST
BOOK REVIEWS
A SHORT CUT TO WINNING BRIDGE, by Alfred Sheinwold (Bantam, 50 cents)—a sharp, entertaining, delightful book for addicts and otherwise. Sheinwold can laugh at himself and at the game, and he gives good advice. Many will find him more readable and understanding than Goren, by the way.
"Silent Spring" Stimulates Pesticides Controversy
By Terry Ostmeyer
One of the most controversial and intriguing developments in the field of conservation in America today is the increasing concern over the use of pesticides.
For years chemicals have been the accepted solution to destroying insects, rodents, and other forms of life harmful to man's successful co-existence with nature.
FOR THE most part, this use of pesticides had been carried on with seemingly little adverse concern, but recently the matter has soared into the public eye through criticism from many fronts. And the pros and cons of the chemical warfare against pests have been widely voiced.
National and state governments, civic organizations, medical groups, chemical manufacturers, and many more have delved deeply into the problem of an effective yet safe pest control.
Some say there is no problem because of the need for such control. Others feel the use of pesticides has endangered mankind sufficiently to overshadow such a need, at least when it is done artificially through chemicals.
MUCH OF the controversy can be attributed to the charges set forth in the book, "Silent Spring." by Rachel Carson.
Miss Carson, the noted author of "The Sea Around Us," says in her new book that the careless users of pesticides not only were poisoning pests, but valuable wildlife and man himself.
She attacks agricultural chemical companies and the U.S. Department of Agriculture for
their laxity in controlling pesticides and failure in developing a safer means for control.
Miss Carson feels that pesticides in the U.S. have been used too freely by people with little knowledge of their effects, which she says can be harmful, and not just to pests.
"THERE IS still very limited awareness of the nature of the threat," she writes. "It is the public that is being asked to assume the risks that the insect controllers calculate. The public must decide whether it wishes to continue on the present road, and it can do so only when in full possession of the facts."
The facts Miss Carson presents include dangers to both man and wildlife. She says several pesticides can be rated as being related to causing cancer. She cites the recent cranberry scare of four years ago.
Miss Carson's charges in this respect are echoed by others, such as Douglas Campbell, a San Francisco psychiatrist and professor at the University of California.
CAMPBELL HOLDS that many virus infections and nervous disorders suffered by people could be the result of toxic conditions from repeated small doses of insecticides.
--though. In an effort to steer away some of the critical gossip, the Manufacturing Chemists Association and the National Agricultural Chemicals Association have been giving the news media various monthly feature stories emphasizing the positive side of pesticides.
Dr. James DeWitt of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has said findings show pesticides have led to the near-extinction of some species of birds.
Concerning wildlife, Miss Carson says the extensive use of pesticides "has led to the direct killing of birds, mammals, fishes, and practically every form of wildlife."
THE NATIONAL Academy of
Sciences-National Research Council, however, states that the "damage to wildlife has been relatively insignificant and in the vast majority of cases undetectable" despite the heavy use of pesticides on croplands.
Many of the chemical manufacturers say those who are closest to the land, the farmers, have welcomed the developments in pesticides and have been convinced of their value. The chemical industry believes most of the criticism of its products comes from non-agricultural people.
The clash between Miss Carson and the Department of Agriculture seems mainly to rest on the question of surplus. The latter say that without such chemicals the U.S. could not produce food at its present rate of quality and quantity.
Miss Carson's most widely accepted plea is that biological controls be used instead of pesticides.
MISS CARSON argues that America already over-produces and spends large sums to keep land out of production. The Department of Agriculture feels such a surplus could disappear very fast, though.
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The greatest concern now by both sides in the issue of the use of pesticides is to overcome the remarkable resistance that many insects have developed against some of the most effective chemicals.
The biological control method appears to be very important in solving this problem. This method employs the selection and use of certain insects that are natural parasites and devour other harmful insects. Application of this method borders on the experimental level, but development is rapidly progressing.
ONE THING is certain concerning the pesticide question, and that is the tremendous attention and influence Miss Carson's "Silent Spring" has created.
Most noticeable is the recent legislative action in various states around the country.
In the past four months, 40 bills have been introduced in state legislatures calling for stricter controls on the use of pesticides.
A study of pesticides being conducted by President Kennedy's Advisory Committee on Science and Technology has earned the greatest attention, however. The committee's report will be released soon, and those who know say it will acknowledge the need for pesticides, but also may recommend federal steps to insure better control.
THE AGRICULTURAL chemical industry's position already has been shaken by two bills introduced in Congress to tighten government controls of pesticide use.
The chemical manufacturers have not been standing still,
The latter organization also is developing a safety program in a few states to convince the users of the chemicals to follow the manufacturers' directions to avoid accidents stemming from improper use of pesticides.
THE MOST interesting development arising out of the pesticide controversy is the fact that despite the criticism voiced in "Silent Spring" and by others, the sales of pesticide chemicals are climbing toward new heights.
Last year sales of pesticides increased 16 per cent over 1961, keeping with a trend that has seen a sales growth of 72 per cent since 1955.
As the planting season got underway this spring, the nation's chemical manufacturers reported that farmers and gardeners are buying more of their products than a year ago at this time.
The chemical producers say a rash of new chemicals is largely responsible for this growth in sales. Almost 5,300 new pesticide compounds were registered with the Department of Agriculture last year alone, the most since registration first was required in 1948.
THIS YEAR registrations are ahead of the 1962 pace, and no letup seems evident as research for pesticides is expected to reach close to $40 million, over 10 per cent of the industry's sales.