University of Virginia Library

I read with interest your recent
editorial on Senator Eugene McCarthy's
appearance at the Sheraton-Park
Hotel. The description
of events at the Sheraton was
correct and it helps to illustrate
the difference between the responsible
alternatives offered by
Senator McCarthy and his supporters
with the frustrated behavior
of a few who have abandoned the
political process for alternate
methods of reform. I'm concerned,
however, with your conclusion that
the Senator has not come up with
viable alternatives to current administration
policies.

Senator McCarthy has, in fact,
offered constructive proposals
which include a gradual American
military withdrawal from Vietnam
and the establishment of a new
coalition government there.

Prior to the recent Communist
offensive in Vietnam, I, along with
most Americans, had generally
supported the Administration's
Vietnam policies. We based this
support largely on assurances by
the President and his advisors that
steady progress was being made
in eliminating Communist insurgent
activity in South Vietnam
and that American efforts had
prevented the Communists from
effectively operating in heavily
populated areas outside of the
Mekong Delta.

We had also been led to believe
that the South Vietnamese Government
was steadily gaining the support
of its civilian population and
that continued air strikes in North
Vietnam were severely hampering
the capacity of the Communists
to launch major offensive actions
in South Vietnam.

President Johnson's recent press
conference emphasized the "Communist
defeat" but it obscured the
fact that the enemy has made a
mockery of the Administration's
contention that insurgency has become
localized in Vietnam. The
sustained and widespread nature
of the Communist drive, indicates
strongly that it was not a "desperate,"
last ditch, attempt by the
to gain power but a
demonstration of how little has
been accomplished by the American
military presence in Vietnam.

The President also argued that
the Vietnamese population did not
actively support the insurgents during
the recent offensive. It is more
certain, however, that the Vietnamese
did little or nothing to
inform the authorities of Vietcong
intentions or to prevent them from
accomplishing their objectives.

It is important to remember
that Senator McCarthy recognized
the strength of the insurgent movement
in Vietnam while civilian
and military representatives of the
Administration were contending
it had become demoralized and
impotent. It is about time that
responsible individuals revised
their thinking to recognize the
limits of foreign military forces
in resolving the problems that
occur from wars of "national
liberation." This, essentially, is
what Senator McCarthy is asking
us to do....

The frustration that exists in
the United States was accurately
reflected in your editorial but a
solution to this problem must be
found within the political framework.
By playing down Senator
McCarthy's candidacy and platform.
The Cavalier Daily has
joined other news media which
would rather admit defeat early
than channel their energies into
supporting a candidate who deserves
all the assistance he can
muster.