Evening star., 1961-12-04

from friends and strangers.
Mrs. Jack l. Resnicoff.
Inaugural Holiday
Last January II, The Star
published my first thoughts
on making Inauguration Day
a civil service holiday
throughout the States in
stead of merely here in the
Washington Metropolitan
Area. The proposal grew to
include the entire Nation, and
shortly thereafter Senator
Philip A. Hart of Michigan
introduced Senate Bill 1863 to
make this proposal the law
and intent of the land.
Working with Senator
Hart's knowledge and valu-
able counsel. I made a prelim-
mary survey of American
public opinion in six major
streams of United States life,
namely, primary and second
ary education. higher educa-
ton, business. labor, farm
ing, and politics. The bases
of selection were simple but
most effective: the superin-
tendents of public schools
in the largest and smallest
cities and towns in the so
States. the presidents of
colleges and universities with
the highest and lowest
student enrolment in each
Of the so States, a similar
group of 100 presidents of
chambers of commerce, the
largest and smallest in
pendent. local AFL-CIO la
Dor councils. local heads of
national farm organizations,
and 100 State chairmen of
the Republican and Demo-
cratic Parties.
The educators were gen.
orally in favor Of the pro-
posal but provided that
schools not be closed and
that efforts be made to sup
plement the observance with
special classes in pertinent
subjects. Business reaction
was mixed, probably because
OF management's concern as
to who will pay the holiday
wages. Labor was for the pro-
posal. and I strongly suspect
1t would even foot some of
the costs. The farmers, of
course, thought of their crops
as well as their country. The
politicians were, by and large,
reluctant to commit them
selves. but those who did so
were in favor of the holiday
Tor the same reasons that
prompted both Senator Hart
and myself to urge passage
OF the bill. Some of these
letters were published in the
Congressional Record.
Favorable Congressional
action will provide a legal or
formal framework into which
schools may organize special
programs utilizing live TV
presentation of the cere-
monies before and after dis
cussion periods. (The presi-
dent of one of our largest
universities wants to tape a
national series of local OBJ
servances for export along
the lines Of the Voice of
America.0
A widespread objection to
the legislation was the fear
that Inauguration Day would
become just another day Ito
go fishing" Ito litter our
highways with beer cans" or
Ito sleep late and catch up
with postponed poker games"
This is a justifiable objection
that could be turned firmly
aside by an unequivocable
Statement of Congressional
Intent" to the contrary.
The non-school population
could take time to recapitu-
late and appreciate our hard
won heritages of religious,
social, and political freedoms.
Realistically speaking
where else but in America
does there exist the hard,
capable core of determined,
irresistible force and truth
necessary for eventual peace?
Independence Day marks
the birth of our freedom in
a world in upheaval. Inau-
guration Day, once every four
years, could well mark the
continuity Of our freedom in
another world in upheaval.
william ID. Partridge,