The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1961-01-10

u lilC SOFCI iHlltIlt VI
Cuba :"
THERE WAS A TIME when
"severing diplomatic relations"
was more ominous than now.
The Communists have not only
negated the rules and confused
the words but made meaning
less the forms of international
life.
LIBE RTY, DEMOCRACY,
peace. justice. brotherhood,
truth. equality-all these and
many other of mankind's noblest
concepts have been betrayed be-
yond international m ing.
Treaties have come such
scraps of paper that there is no
ink. oath. seal or writing in
blood with which they could per-
suade US to trust one without
security.
And diplomatic relations"
severed or surviving, are not re-
lations but hostile eyes across
a table.
We the American people are
still old,fashioned enough, how
ever, to be awed by such a term
as severance of diplomatic
relations. Since that is so, it is
a pity that with the election re-
turns of last November showing
such equal division, a hint Of
division should be allowed to
exist in the action against Cuba.
But even though Democratic lead
ers in general have endorsed
President Eisenhower's move,
President elect Kennedy has
refused to make a statement.
That may be good protocol or
practice but Americas position is
woefully impeached when a Pres
ident in office who represents
one half of US is not supported
by a, President elect represent
ing the other half in a critical
incident.
/
1T IS A PITY that the Presi-
dent had to take the step against
Cuba without Mr.. Kennedy's
agreement.
You can't judge either man,
OF course, without knowing facts
that are not to be made known.
You can only deplore the face
of possible division turned to
the enemy, the fresh hint given
Khrushchev that he may pre-
vail against Kennedy as not
against Eisenhower.
Should Eisenhower have wait
ed and let Kennedy decide on
action against Cuba? Does Ken
nedy's refusal to make a state
ment mean Eisenhower knew he
wouldn't and was forcing his
hand? Or was Eisenhower con-
WINGED this was something which
must be done - and as once
that Communist leaders meant
to use the final days of the out
going President for moves he
would not feel it proper to
counter?
Surely by now Mr.. Kennedy
will have said something to dis
pei the picture of an America
split in half both at home and
aloud!
THE CUBAN CRISIS in the
midst of which Kennedy is about
to succeed Eisenhower in office
differs both in noture and de-
gree from the economic and
banking crisis in which Roose-
welt succeeded Hoover. Is Ken
nedy influenced in his refusal to
cooperate with outgoing Eisen-
hover by Roosevelt's refusal to
do so with the outgoing Hoover?
To this day Mr.. Hoover is con-
WINGED that much could have
been saved if FDR had been
willing to join hands. But if he
had done so he would not have
been able to present the country
with that psychologically sax
ing, clean break Inauguration
spectacle of an eagerly conf.
dent young man voWing in the
name of new crowd that "all
we have to fear is fear Itself"
Even though it had to be de-
layed. he could say it far more
effectively that way than jointly
with the outgoing President.
But the outgoer this time hap
pens to be the most popular man
on earth. And the in-comer has
come in by hair. That makes
their company somewhat diff
ferent.
THE PRESIDENT MAY have
made a mistake. Or, even if
right, it could be that he should
have waited. with Kennedy so
nearly in office. But Kennedy's
silence now may so confirm
Castro and Khrushchev in ex-
pectation of coming soften
ing of American policy that they
will make still other and even |