Evening star., 1960-06-10

pressed my position in favor
Of the administration approach
I have given my reason and the
Governor has stated his rea-
son, these among others:
First, the Forand approach is
compulsory in character. II
compels people who do not need
health insurance and who dc
not want it to take it against
their will. 1t also fails to cover
4 million people over IS who
do not happen to have social
security and among whom we
find some Of those who most
need coverage. The admins.
tration bill covers all people
over SIS, but it provides coverage
only on a voluntary basis and
not on a compulsory basis. The
Governor and I disagree or
this. This is a disagreement
and this is and should be,
think, debated and discussed
and 1 am glad to see him take
his position so that it can be
done.
Going to third issue in the
field of education, the Cover.
nor has expressed his view.
that we should do more in edu-
cation from a Federal stand.
point. II he had checked my
records and my statement he
would find that l have sup.
ported enthusiastically . the
administrations education pro-
gram. One that would provide
aid to education through aid
to school construction for needy
school districts; one that in ad-
dition to that would provide on
a very generous basis aid to
higher education and this, in
cidentally, is vitality needed,
May say in that connection,
as far as the Governors posi-
tion is concerned, he expressed
his opinion that there were GER
tain Republican legislators who
did not support the adminiStra =
tion'S education program. I
would only point out that the
Governor has some difficulty in
getting his education program
through his State Legislature
with a Republican administra- =
tion, whereas We have a Demo-
cratic Congress on our side. =.
Backs Defense Budget
The Governor expressed his
view that we should add SIS
billion to the defense budget
and to the civilian defense
budget. 1 have discussed de-
fenSe policy on several occa-
Sions I believe after
studying this in great depth
and in great detail in the Ma
tional Security Council that
the Presidents program which
now is before the Congress and
which, with some modification,
has been approved by the very
able and experienced Appro-
priation Committees of the
House and the Senate-with
some notifications it has been
that that program is not one
which leaves the United States,
in effect, as a sitting duck be-
fore potential aggreSsors. I be-
lieve that that program is one
that does provide the deterrent
power now that we need to
deter aggression and that in the
future will continue to pro-
vide it.
I have stated categorically
as I will state again today that
we must constantly re-examine
defense posture in the light of
what our potential opponents
are doing and also in the light
of new developments techno-
logically to be sure that we
make any changes that are
necessary to maintain this
adequate deterrent policy, but
I do not agree with the Gov
ernor when he says that today
the Congress should add $3.5
billion to the recommendations
of the President in the defense
area.
could go on naming . the
field Of economic growth. In
this area, the Governor Sug-
gested that there should be tax
reform. I could have referred
him to statements that have
made going back over three
years in which I have set forth
my position in much greater
detail on tax reform than has
the Governor. I don't mean
that he doesn't have other po-
Sitions as well. I don't want
to hold him just to this state
ment. In that area, for exam
pie, I have urged not only q
reform in the field of deprecia-
ton. as he has, but I have also
urged complete reappraisal
and reform of our hodge-podge
excise taxes, and I have urged
an attack on the problem of
what I call the counter pro-
ductee higher income tax rate.
Got Kennedy Advices
@. Would you be willing to
engage in a face-to-face debate
with Gov. Rockefeller on these
issues?
A. The question of debating
with the Governor is one I have
noted that was raised yester-
day. I had an interesting con-
versation with another candi-
date. that is. Senator Kennedy,
on the Senate floor yesterday.
He asked me what ! had said
about Mr.. Rockefeller's state
ment and I said I will tell you
after I come to Camden for a
press conference. He said, can
I give you some advice? I said
I am always willing to get ad-
vice, certainly from my Demo-
cratic friends, and he said If
the Governor wanted to debate
these issues why didn't he en-
ter the primary and debate
them there?