Evening star., 1953-09-10
Envoy Suggests
Non-PoIiticaI Group
To Plan U. 5. Policy
By Crosby S. Moves

The need for a high, nom
political planning authority to
work out basic United States
policy was suggested today in a
speech before the American Po-
litical Science Association by DR..
Charles Malik, Ambassador of
Lebanon
DR.. Malik, who is rated as one
of the outstanding political phi
losopherS of the day, declared
that IN the face of the threat
of communism, "the notion OF
the sovereignty of the people
must . be somewhat tempered
in the present age"
Neurological advances in
warfare. the need for secrecy,
and the complications of inter-
national relations put the de-
velopment of policy beyond the
reach of ordinary citizens, DR..
Malik said.
Fundamental policy, where
whole cultures are at stake" he
declared, must certainly be
conceived and developed far
from the din of the masses"
Sees Need for Detachment.
The Ambassador suggested
"the need for continuity of vision
in regard to fundamental United
States policy-a continuity that
can only be assured through
some permanent, high planning
authority completely detached
and free in its outlook and as
independent of the changing
fortunes of politics as possible"
The creation of such an
authority, DR.. Malik conceded,
would not be easy. He noted "a
natural distrust of the planning
function by the practical
politician"
Emphasizing the urgent need
for leadership in the free world,
DR.. Malik declared:
IF, then, whole cultures and
civilizations are in the balance,
will future generations ever for
give preSent-day leadership II.
foreseeing the future 1t
should yet blame the lethargy OF
the masses or the imperfections
of the democratic process for
being unable to move resolutely
and decisively at critical juno
lures in the interests OF its en-
battIed civilization?"
Obligation of Leadership.
The obligations of present.
day leadership, said DR.. Mallk,
are "to make absolutely sure OF
the truth, independently of what
the masses may think, and then,
so to love the people in humility |
and in genuine concern as to be
able to lead them in the neceS-
sary effort for their common
good"
Political researchers at the
Statler Hotel meeting predicted
that the impact Of national |
nominating conventions on the |
television audience may bring
drastic revisions in the system
of selecting delegates quite pos
sibly before 1860"
A research group headed by DR..
Paul T. David of the Brookings
Institution sharply criticized the
"intolerable confusion" which ex-
listed in the primaries last year.
Dealing with six types OF pr1-
maries held in II States and the |
District of Columbia, the report
pointed out that no two presiden-
tial primaries were identical. 1t
suggested that a model might be
developed based on variations OF
the California-South Dakota
Minnesota Wisconsin type or the
New York-Pennsylvania- Illinois
system.
Single Mark by Voter.
DR.. David said the main fea-
ture of the California-South Da-
Minnesota Wisconsin pri-
mary system is a combined bal
lot. BY making a single mark,
the voter in these States can ex-
press presidential preference
and also vote for slate of dele
gates committed to the preferred |
candidate. California introduced
the system 40 years ago.
THE Achilles heel of all these
systems is the question as to
which presidential possibilities,
real or alleged, will be on the
ballot" DR.. David said. His re-
port pointed out that President
Eisenhowers name was not
carried on any of the four
streamlined ballots last year.
The New York-Pennsylvania-
Illinois primary systems, dis
cussed as another base for de-
veloping a national model, pro-
vide for direct election of
unpledged district delegates.
State party organizations pick
the delegates at large.
Favored in Powerful States.
This type, the report said. has
a certain massive strength not
unlike that of the three power
full States" where it operates. 1t
is likely to find favor in such
powerful States as long as the
national conventions survive,
the report said.
A national convention COM
posed entirely of delegates
picked by the latter type would
seldom have 70 fight over Gre
dentials, it said, nor would such
a convention be likely to STRAY
very far from the desires of the
national party constituency"
In addition to speeches. the
program for the meeting at the
Statler Hotel calls for 90 differ
ent panel discussions. The sub
jects range from Campaign
Pressures and the 1852 Election"
to THE Soviet Union After
Stain"