Evening star., 1961-06-26
Dominant Force


Len NadaSdy of Minnesota.
Dominant Force
Despite this setback to the
far right, conservatism as
doctrine was so much the DOM
inant force at the convention
that observers were forced tx
seek an explanation for it
vogue among the young poll
ticianS.
Senator Goldwater of Ari-
zona, the patron saint and per.
sonal hero of most of the young
conservatives. told a press con-
ference in Minneapolis the con.
servative revival stemmed from
three main sources:
/. The .country's sense oi
disquiet at the performance oi
President Kennedy. the liberia
candidate in the last election
2. The natural resistance oi
young people to anyone's tell.
ing them what to do.
8. A reaction by college stu
dents against liberal courses
and liberal professors.
Natural Rebellion Seen
Others at the convention
agreed with the essentials oi
Senator Goldwater's analysis
Representative Rousellot Of
California, q John Bircf
Society member. commented
THE basic thing behind this |,
that people realize something
has gone wrong. We're not win.
ming the battle against COM
munism. and we're not goins
to win it as long as our owl
Government thinkers with
socialism. People are beginning
to understand that socialism 1
not the answer to communism.
Another young Congressman
of a more moderate stripe
Representative MacGregor o
Minnesota, laid stress on eth
natural tendency of people il
their late teens and 20s II
question and reject the views o
their parents and their elders.
Senator Morton of Kentucky
another moderate, said. "col
lege students are always Ii
rebellion against their teachers
In my day, most of the prof
were pretty conservative and
lot of the kids went left. Nov
most Of the teachers are lib
erals so you get the opposit'
reaction"
G0ldwater Credited
Also an underlying factor
some Of the conversation IL
Minneapolis indicated, may b
that today's college student
have grown up in an era o
prosperity, unmarked by tn
economic anxieties of the de-
preston.
It's natural" said an Obi,
delegate. "for them to be stirret
more by slogans Of liberty AMI
opportunity than by promise
Of security and protection from
financial risk"
Finally, all agreed that Sen.
ator Goldwater himself hai
Sparked the conservative re-
vival by his personality anS
character. Hes taken con
servatism," an admirer said
"out of the high collar era ant
made it make sense in the je'
age"
Young people are attracted
to Barry Goldwater," said Rep
resentative Rousellot, because
he states his position in clear
simple, unmistakable words. HI
cuts right through the by.
pocrisy of most political talks.
ANSWER to Everything"
Representative MacGregor
who is less of an enthusiast or
this subject, put it this way;
People react to strong leader
ship, leadership that Is positive
and definite and says, I've got
the answer to everything
"Just as the liberal Demo
Gratis have an easy answer tt
everything and tend to at.
tract people who want easy
answers, so do the conserva.
tive Republicans"
Much of conservatism's ap.
peal to young people lies ir
its demand that they show the
courage to make the hard
choices conservative leaders say
their elders have avoided.
at is up to you," Senator
Goldwater told the Youns
G.. o. P. convention. You mus
give an example-an example