Diario las Américas., 1958-06-29

WHAT TO DO ABOUT 1T? -
Did he do right or did he do
wrong? All Washington is still de-
batting the Sherman Adams case.
And while the words continue to
fly, one man at least feels the
whole mess never would have hap
pened if folks had listened to him.
Back in 1851, Congressman
Charlie Bennett proposed that
Congress adopt a "Code of Ethics"
for all in government to follow.
At that time, Bennett introduced a
resolution setting forth a definite
stanard that would guide the con-
duct of those inpublic service. For
seven years he has been pushing
his resolution. He said last week
that ne looks for its passage dur
ing this session Of Congress.
BENEFITS code would not be
written into law. 1t would not be
binding But, it would clarity what
is and what is not ethical conduct
by public servants. Canon Mum.
Der Five of Benefits code deals
with the acceptance of gifts. II
reads: Never discriminate un.
fairly by the dispensing of special
favors Or privileges to anyone,
whether for remuneration or not;
and nver accept, for himself or
circumstances which might be
construed by reasonable persons as
his family, favors or benefits under
influencing the performance of his
governmental duties" Bennett
says that the present rouble is not
new, but is a natural outgrowth of
a pattern that was laid during the
1852 presidential campaign. when
this problem came up during
the Eisenhower Nixon campaign"
Bennett said, 81 felt a very serious
error was being made when they
did not face the problem proper
ly. The pattern was laid during
the famous Checkers television
broadcast. They should have said
two things First, that what Nixon
had done was wrong, and second,
they should have made it clear
that It would not happen again"
Bennett says that some of these
cases are matters of taste rather
than ethics. Ethics are involved"
he said, when some benefit is de-
rived from the mans official posi-.
ton. This was true in Sherman
Adams case. But, in the case of
Jim aagerty at Ponte Vedra. l
think it was just poor taste. 1t
might be all right for a man in his
post on to lend his persona and
name IT, help advertise Ponte We.
ORA II he wants to. But it seems to
me to be In poor taste. | also think
the same poor taste was shown
when Mrs. Eisenhower flew to a
beauty salon out West"
1 am sorry to say it, but il
seems to me that there is an ethic.
al blind spot at the White House.
At the samet ime the State Depart.
ment was diSciplining a minor off.
clal for accepting gift automobile
from King Saud, the President was
given a jeweled sword by the same
hand. What's the difference?"
Feeling is high in Washington
over The lifts that President Eli.
senhower himself has accepted.
Senator Proxmire (D-Wisc) pub.
lished a list of them in the Con.
gressional Record. Commenting on
them Bennett said, IF you want to
compare President Eisenhower
with President Truman, you will
find that Truman wasn't much of
a gift taker. And most of his
were souvenirs that probably will
go INTO his museum. But, the gifts
that President Eisenhower has ac.
cepted have been more numerous
and more valuable than those re-.
ceiveo bv any other President"
1T seems to be inevitable that
this issue will be a part of the De-
mocratic platform in the coming
elections. But to me the important
thing to be learned from the cur
rent happenings is that we need
an official code of ethics that will
serve as a guide, both for those
who work in the government and