The Cavalier daily :: Tuesday, October 3, 1967 :: University of Virginia Library

Pointing to his success in recent
primary elections, George
Wallace offered himself as a possible
third candidate in the 1968
presidential elections in a speech
in Charlottesville Friday.

Speaking at the University
Polo Grounds, former Alabama
Governor George C. Wallace
made and re-made the points
that are the basis for his " 'new'
party effort," the "Stand Up for
America Campaign."

Former Alabama Governor George Wallace Berates "Intellectual Incompetents"

Photo by Duncan

An Estimated 2-3,000 Spectators Heard His Whistle-Stop Speech At Polo Grounds

Hands gesturing to emphasize
his points, Mr. Wallace, a former
bantamweight boxer, decried
the "me-tooism" of the present
two parties. He proclaimed himself
the "choice" for the American
public.

Mr. Wallace first defended
himself against what he called
the misrepresentation of his campaign
by the press and news
media. He said that in her recent
election as governor of Alabama
his wife had received support
from all races and colors. "I
never said a mean word about
the Negro people," he added.

"Destruction Of Liberties"

"But I'm sick and tired of the
destruction of individual liberties.
The people should run the hospitals
and the schools." He
pointed out that the Supreme
Court declares many of these
manifestations of democracy unconstitutional.

"The Supreme Court," said
Mr. Wallace, "is nine men who
sit like gods."

"The intellectual elite thinks
it knows better than the people.
They advocate everything from
the destruction of the nation to
the victory of the Communists
in Vietnam."

"Entree' Into High Circles"

"These people, said Mr. Wallace,
"have an entreeé into the
highest circles of government.
Looking down their noses, they
say people don't know how to
run their schools, their labor
unions."

"Thomas Jefferson said the
country would be dissolved by
an irresponsible judiciary. . . .
Roosevelt tried to pack the
Court. I'd unpack it."

Never Defied Federal Law

"I've never defied a federal
law," said Mr. Wallace, "But if
I were President I wouldn't let
Communists run wild in the name
of academic freedom. You can't
have safety, it's impossible to
convict a man. . . . And they
say we've got to protect academic
freedom and individual
rights."

"The intellectual incompetents
on college campuses think they
know better than the man in the
street." The result, he said, is
destruction of property rights.

"They put human rights above
property rights in Russia and
China," he said.

Mr. Wallace commented on
the integration attempts of the
federal government. "Bathrooms
have nothing to do with civil
rights, only property rights."

"But," said Mr. Wallace, "I
have never been against civil
rights." He reiterated that such
matters were for the people to
decide.

"The New York Times and
the beards supported Mao over
Chaing, then Ben Bella, then Castro,"
he stated.

Knew About Castro

"Why, every red-neck in Alabama—and
I'm one—knew that
Castro was a Communist, but
not the smart folks who've got
the planned economy."

"I was a cab driver," he said,
"and that's the kind of place
where you get wisdom and knowledge.
I'm not against intellectuals.
. . .Believe it or not, I
went to college. . . .I'm against
incompetent intellectuals."

"Wisdom comes from understanding
of people and events.
The breakdown in race relations
comes because of hypocrisy.
The answer to race problems is
honesty, good faith, and candor."

He pointed out that his administration
in Alabama built 30
trade schools and junior colleges
and established a bus system
which anyone can use to
attend them. Alabama was, he
said, second in the nation in
percentage increase in college
students."

"The state wants to control
education. . . .If the people aren't
given a choice in '68, we're going
to come back here and stir
something up."