Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-04
NASA NonpoIiticoI

to the Democratic Party. We
all know that it was a ma
tional triumph and that Re-
publicans, Democrats, and
persons of many political be-
liefs all did their part to
make the flight possible.
The point I was attempting
to make - and I believe it
was and is a legitimate one
was that our national, non
partisan, if you will, effort to
catch up with Russia and to
Sdrpass her in space efforts
has moved at a far different
pace and tempo under this
Administration than it did
under the past one.
This Administration has
seen the space effort as a
matter of urgent priority
and has approached the eff
fort with a determination to
succeed. Whether or not you
agree with some who have
said that the space effort of
the last Administration was
more linked to budgetary re-
Quirements than to actual
needs, I think you will find
that the sense of urgency
over the space program in
this Administration is in
sharp contrast with that of
the preceding one. Surely
you remember such Repub-
lican reactions to the first
Russian sputnik as that of
Defense Secretary Wilson
who said, Nobody is going
to drop anything down on
you from a satellite while
you're asleep, so don't worry
about it," There were many
other Republican statements
in the same vein, and I can
not believe that they were
very stimulating to the men
and women, regardless of
their political affiliation, who
were working on the space
program at that time.
I am not so foolish as to
believe any great national eff
fort can succeed if it's lead
erSh1p is on a narrow parti-
san base, but I also do not
think leadership which sees
no need for urgency or all
out effort in a national pro-
gram will meet with the same
degree of success as leader
erShip which inspires all
Americans regardless of
party - to do their best. AS
an American I am proud that
that we have that kind of
leadership today. AS a Dem
ocrat I am also proud that
this leader is a member of
the Democratic Party.
John M. Bailey.
Chairman, Democratic Ma
tional Committee.
= \ 4
The Stars Politics and the
Infinite" editorial deserves
heartfelt commentator. Ma
tional Chairman Bailey's
comments, crediting the Dem
ocratic Party with Col. John
Glenn's successful flight, not
only display an ignorance of
Project Mercury's develop
ment, but discredit a non
political achievement in
which all Americans can
justly take pride. Consider
the following:
October l, 1858 - NASA
opened its doors as the new
civilian space agency; Oc-
tober z. 1958-NASA organ
lied Project Mercury; No
vember Z, 1958-NASA held
a contractor and, bidders
conference on the Mercury
capsule; November (classi-
fled date 1958-NASA re-
queSted top national priority
for Project Mercury; Janu-
airy IL, 1959-NASA selected
contractor mcdonnell Corp.)
to build Mercury capsule;
January 20, 1959-NASA Sc
lected ITO potential astro-
naut candidates; April 2,
1858 NASA selected seven
aStronauts for training in
Project Mercury.
For fiscal years 1858, 1859,
and 1860, the Eisenhower Ad-
ministration requested sup
Elemental as well as regu-
lar appropriations from Con-
greSS for Project Mercury. AS
a matter of record, there has
not been a single change
made in Project Mercury I'M
der the Kennedy Administra-
ton to date. AS an assistant
administrator of NASA, I had
the responsibility of making
the arrangements and first
introducing the seven astro-