davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1963-05-23
The President Decides: Three Major Forces Exert Pressure

the public against a Congress
which is controlled cat least
nominally) by his own party
and which has consistently en-
acted four-fifthS Of his pro-
gram.
Balance Important
In short, presidential appeals
for public support must be at
the right time and with the
right frequency, if they are to
be effective. On other occasions
he may need to ALLEVIATE q
portion of his public support
for serving as President Of all
the people does not mean Of
Tending none Of them. But this
also cannot be done too often,
if he is to maintain his posi-
ton; and it should not be done
for meaningless or hopeless
causes.
President Kennedy may have
struck the right balance be-
cause-for he is criticized on
the one. hand, for expanding
the powers of his office, send
ing too much to the Congress
and taking on too many con-
troversies and, at the same
time, for "hoarding" his popu-
larity and recognizing the limi-
tations of a largely lethargic
electorate.
Public opinion cannot be
taken for granted. Some Presi-
dents have tried to change it
Others have rushed to catch
up with it-but none has re-
peatedly defied it. With public
sentiment on it's side," Lincoln
said with some exaggeration,
everything succeeds; wit h
public sentiment against it,
nothing succeeds"
President Kennedy, for ex-
ample, has pressed a divided
Congress and a contented
public to abandon century-old
economic precepts and accept
a sizeable tax cut with a size
able deficit at a time of general
prosperity-but, unwilling to be
so far out in front of Congress
and the country that his pro-
gram would have no chance,
he stretched out the proposed
tax cut to avoid a peace-time
deficit larger than that of his
predecessor.
No President respects public
opinion simply out of fear of
impeachment or even solely out
of a desire for re-election-for
the same principle is followed
in both mis- terms. Instead,
both his conscience and his
common sense, both his prin-
ciples and his political judg-
ment, compel him to seek, to
the extent possible, the ap-
proval of the voters who
elected him and who can de-
feat his party, the consent Of
the governed who are affected
by his decision and on whose
consent its success may de-
pend.
Evening star., 1963-05-23
Jewish Welfare Unit
To Hold Convention

The Jewish Welfare Board
Second Armed Forces Region
convention will be held this
weekend at the Jewish Welfare
Board, 1887 Massachusetts, ave-
nue. NV, at 3 pm. on Satur-
day and 2:30 pm. Sunday.
The program will include an
Oneg Shabbat, reception din
ner, workshops, business meet
ings, reports and presentations
All sessions are open to the
public.
Evening star., 1963-05-23

Grated by those concerned over
import competition must be
balanced against the less active
but larger number of persons
benefiting from both exports
and imports. The political OF
congressional attacks induced
by a contractor whose weapons
must be weighed against the
long-range costs of continuing
an outmoded system.
The task is not always one of
choosing between two interests.
No President, even If he so
wished, could suspend the laws
in response to complaints-with
antitrust, for example. But he
may find 1t desirable to ac-
cept amendments to a tax
measure, or to reach informal
understandings ON concessions
regarding q trade bill, in order
to secure the passage of those
bills with the support of a
diverse coalition, or he may
warn his appointees against
exhibiting an attitude toward
business or labor that is so
hostile it might dampen the
economic climate.
Presidents Corrections
A Presidents own ties with
some economic or other group
may give him additional bar
gaining power with that group
or reduced influence with an
other. A President with close
ties to business, for example,
will meet less resistance to his
anti-inflation or antitrust ef-
forts. On the other hand, while
it should not be impossible to
find an equitable constitutional
formula to settle the church,
school aid problem, it is diff
Evening star., 1963-05-23

by stereotypes and shibboleths,
and by an innate resistance to
innovation. 1t is usually slow
to form. promiscuous and per-
vidious in its affection, and al
ways difficult to distinguish.
A President. therefore, must
remember that public opinion
and the public interest do not
always agree. The value to this
Nation of a foreign aid pro-
gram, for example, is not de-
termined by its popularity.
Last years trade expansion
bill could not have awaited a
spontaneous public demand.
Voter enthusiasm for our space
effort is high after each flight
of a Soviet or American astro-
naut-but in between flights
new doubts and complaints will
emerge. And almost any poll
ster in any State will find that
most voters want higher Fed
eral expenditures in their
areas of interest, lower expend-
itures elsewhere, and a balanced
budget always.
Must Resist Pressures
No President could simply
respond to these pressures. He
has a responsibility to lead
public opinion as we'll as respect
ito shape it, to inform it, to
WOO it and win it. 1t can be
his sword as we'll as his COM
pass.
An aroused public opinion
was more effective last year,
for example, in helping create
a climate favorable to the res
cission of steel prices, than any
statutory tool. President Ken
nedy's televised explanations Of
his decisions on Berlin, nuclear
testing and the Cuban quaran-
tine achieved on each occasion
a new national consensus that
discouraged any adversary's
hopes for diSunity.
But arousing public opinion
Is a delicate task.
President Kennedy's plea for
fall-out shelters in his 1861
discussion of Berlin ended the
prevailing national apathy on
civil defense-but it also un-
leased an emotional response
which grew to nearly hysterical
proportions (before it receded
once again to near-apathy).
His warnings on the presence
of Soviet missiles in Cuba last
october had to be sufficiently
somber to enlist support around
the world without creating
panic at home.
In 1861 he resisted the rec
omendation that he declare a
full-Scale national emergency
over the threat to Berlin, rec
ognizing that this resort to
ultimate powers and public
response had to be selectively
used. For similar reasons, he
has generally refused to stir up
Evening star., 1963-05-23

j potential power. He must know
how best and how often he can
appeal to the public - and
when 1t is better left undis-
turbed.
No President reaches that
summit of public favor without
believing he possesses land he
usually does) an extraordinary
instinct for public opinion.
He does not rely simply on
the views expressed in his
mail, or in public petitions, or
by pickets in front of the
White House. He does not
simply go by opinion polls or
crowd reaction. Nor does he
generalize from conversations
with visitors, reports from his
advisers, or his reading and
viewing of mass media.
His political intuition is in
part an amalgamation of all of
these-but he is likely to re-
gard his own invisible antennae
as somehow more sensitive than
any. president Mckinley, ac-
cording to Speaker Cannon, re-
tained his popularity by keep
ing his ear so close to the
ground he got it full Of grass
hoppers.~
/ I no longer believe those who
say that a poor politician could
be a good President, IF he
could only be appointed to the
job" Without the qualities re-
quired of a successful candi-
date-without the ability to
rally support, to understand
the public, to express its aspi-
rations-without the organiza-
tional talent, the persona a
charm and the physical stam-
ina required to survive the pri-
maries, the convention and the
election-no man would make
q great President, however wise
in other ways he might be.
When to go Along"
Each President must also
judge when to oppose or ac-
commodate a single segment of
public opinion. This is not an
easy task There will always be
a small but noisy group of
critics intolerant of the gap be-
tween hope and possibility,
complaining of a lack of lead
ership when long awaited
measures are not Immediately
enacted-while an equally small
and vocal group will wall that
each step forward the President
takes is a gross usurpation of
power.
The amount Of pressure gen.
Evening star., 1963-05-23

others without his access to the
facts.
For any President, any poll
tician dependent on public
opinion, is concerned with how
that opinion is shaped-with
how, to use a current phrase,
the news is being managed"
in the only place it can be man
aged, the m edia editorial
offices.
Tomorrow: The role of pres
idential advisers.
Columbia University Press
COnvrioht 10Ha
Evening star., 1963-05-23
Judge Of Public Opinion

Every President must, there
fore, be a keen judge of pub
lie opinion-to distinguish its
petty whims, to estimate its
endurance, to respond to its
impatience, and to respect its
Evening star., 1963-05-23
By THEODORE c. soRENSEN

special Counsel to the President
The major forces or sources
Of influence which shape the
Presidents decisions may be
grouped under three frames oi
reference - president politics
presidential advisers and the
presidential perspective.
Some purists - if not real
lists - may blush at the fact
politics heads the list. But
we are discussing our prime
political office and the Ma
tons prime politician - a
man who has been chosen
by his party as well as the
people.
Some Presidents may as
sert that they are above
politics" - yet politics, in
its trust and broadeSt sense,
still colors their every de-
cision (including the deci-
sion to appear non-politicaD.
Some issues have been ira
ditionally deemed to be out
side politics - but consid-
erations Of public and con-
gressional support still af-
feet their disposition.
There is nothing dishon-
orable about the influence Of
politics on White House de-
cisions. In a Nation governed
BY the consent of the gov
erned, it is both honorable
and indispensable.
While limitations Of re-
sponsibility and accuracy
should always be present, to
say that we should remove
such issues as Berlin or Red
China from politics is to say
they should be removed from
public accountability and
scrutiny. To charge that a
President is politically mo-
tivated - when he advocates
a tax cut or a strong civil
rights measure - is simply
to charge that he is doing
what every elected official is
elected to do.
Ever-Present Influence
Politics pervades the White
House without seeming to pre-
vail. 1t is not a role for which
the President sets apart certain
hours. 1t is rarely the sole SUBJ
ject Of a formal presidential
meeting. 1t is instead an ever
present influence-counterbal-
ancng the unrealistic, checking
the unreasonable, sometimes
preventing the desirable, but
always testing what is ac-
ceptable.
But democratic government
is not a popularity contest;
and no President is obliged to
abide by the dictates Of public
opinion. Our political idealism
may be filled with assumptions
of human virtue and wisdom
but our political history is
filled with examples of human
weakness and error.
Public opinion is often er-
ratio, inconsistent, arbitrary
and unreasonable. 1t rarely
considers the needs Of the next
generation or the history Of the
last. 1t is frequently hampereo
by myths and misinformation
Evening star., 1963-05-23

This is the fifth Of eight articles by
Mr. SOrensen. President Kennedy's
top White House ossistont. The
articles ore bosed on his SperonzO
Lectures at Columbia University,
which ore being published Os book
by the Columbia University Press.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-14
International Bank
Acquires Nassau Firm

The international Bank Of
Washington today announced
the addition Of Loyds a. Scot
fish Bahamas. Ltd. Of Nassau,
the Bahamas. to It's group Of
~ affiliates in the United
States, Luxembourg. West Ger
many and Liberia.
Maj. Gen. George olmsted,
USAR (retired). president and
board chairman Of the Inter-
national Bank. said the groups
resources. including banks. In.
surance companies and related
activities. exceed S1.2 billion.
Application will be made to
change the Nassau banks
name to international Bank Of
washington. Bahamas, Ltd.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-14
PEPcO Profits Gain
Sharply in 1862

Net income Of Potomac Elec-
trio Power Co. amounted to
elo.1e7.370 after taxes In 1862,
compared with el7.442,O6l in
1861. r. Roy Dunn. president of
the company said In his an
nual report to stockholders
yesterday.
The net was equal to $40
q share on s,5T7, Ola shares out
standing at the years end.
compared with e2.02 q share
on 7.S85.6i3 shares outstand-
ing q year earlier. L.
Operating revenues rose to
tl0l. sos ,367 from SOC, 424,l11 In
the preceding year. Operating
expenses totaled S73, 0e2 ,D14
compared with $50 ,950,04e.
Stockholders have been asked
to approve q proposed increase
from 10 million to 80 millior
In the number Of authorized
shares at the annual meeting
on April Is, Directors have an
nounced plans to split the com
mon stock two for one. Mr.
Dunn also said directors haS
indicated their intention Of de-
claring q quarterly dividend OF
20 cents . share on stock out.
standing after the split.
He estimated that the, CON-
pany will need SIS million OF
additional funds to carry its
construction program through
1858.
A large part Of this was pro-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-14
Government Moves
Towards Aniline Sale
~ the Aasoelitsd Press

The Government took its
first formal step today toward
the sale Of the big, wartime
seized General Aniline a. Film
Corp.
It came In the form Of publ
cation by Attorney General
Robert p. Kennedy Of q brief
notice In the Federal Register,
the official publication for
recording actions by executive
agencies.
Mr.. Kennedy announced that
he, a. head Of the Justice De-
partment, intends to sell the
93.5 per cent Of the ccmpany's
stock. seized by the Govern
ment In le42 as q German
asset.
Such q sale was authorized
by Congress last October. The
Authorization Act requires that
the Attorney General publish
notice Of intention TO sell ii
least 30 days before the sale.
1
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-14
New Yorker Magazine
Reports 1862 Profits

NEW YORK (APl. The New
Yorker magazine earned e..
02s.lee In 1852 despite apro.
fits pinch that grippsd many
Of the consumer publications
The income. equal TO 97aS {
share. compares with 9t.e76,.
753 or S7.2l . share earned II
1861. -
The circulation OF the mag.
Azine again registered O mod.
crate increase" r. H. Fleisch.
mann. president and chair.
man. said. Average net paid
circulation for the year wal
445,S22 compared with l36, loo
q year earlier. Advertising
revenue rose to q record high
Of sl7.oe4.il4 from si6.ls6..
ACT. 2
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-14
ny CHARLES COvELL
star stan writer

Financial General Corp, Vir-
einia and Maryland bank hold.
ing company, today reported an
increase In total assets but. q
drop In earnings In 1852.
James A. Bancroft. president,
listed combined earnings of eS.-
337. 900 after taxes for the "a
affiliated banks. This compared
with 1881 900 in 1851.
Total assets In excess Of t945
million. an increase Of more
than 800 million over 1851,
were reported.
"orcSs income from opera
tons showed an increase In
the case Of every bank" Mr..
Bancroft said, but increased
operating expenses more than
offset the rise.
"A large percentage Of this
increase in operating costs" he
added, represent the In
crease In interest paid on time
deposits"
Deposits in all banks
amounted TO $3.50. S2s 900 at the
year end, compared with tT6S,.
735 900 the year before.
Assets for the 10 majority.
owned banks were listed 81
S737, 7e3 900. Assets totaled
S207 .o26 900 for the six banks
In which the company holds .
minority interest.
In 1851, the assets were
1855. e42. 900 and sls8.0S2, 900.
respectively.
Deposits Increase
Deposits on December 81 rose
70 1851, los. 900 for the majority
owned banks and 9lee. 425. 900
for the minority group.
The year before they were
1854. 940. 900 and tl70,7sS 900.
respectively. s,r- rt-
with the acquisition this year
of majority interests In the
Bank Of Crisfield MD and
the Peoples Bank at Buena
Vista, Va. the holding COM
pany's group now numbers "a.
OF these. seven are in the
District area--two in Washing
ton. one in Silver Spring and
four In virginia.
Last year the group acquired
majority interests In the Ma
tional Bank Of Harrisonburs
Cva0. Citizens National Bank
In Pocomoke City Md.) and
the Peoples National Bank OF
Leesburg CvaJ. A minority In
terest was acquired In the
First National Bank Of Har-
risonburg (Va) and the First
National Bank Of Lockport
(ulO.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-14
BUSINESS
BRIEFS
BANK CLEARTNGs In I'd

BANK CLEARNGs in 20
leading cities In the week end
ed March - totaled $50. l9l. :
TAI 900 compared with s34. 6o7. :
ITO, 900 in the previous week
and s2s,S44.4le.o00 In the like
week q year ago. Dun q
Bradstreet.
Business Loans by member
banks in the week ended March
8 totaled S34.6l7. 000. 900. up $50
million from the previous week
and up 42,4l4.000, 900 from the
like week . year aeo.-Federal
Reserve Board.
Crude Petroleum Production
In the week ended March 8 ave
eraged 7.459,s10 barrels daily,
up 1880 for the week and
compared with 7.266,410 in the
like week q year Ago.-Am. Pc
troleum Institute.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-14
$50 MILLION
OUTLAY SET
BY FOOD FIRM

General Foods Corp. viii
spend about $50 million
for expansion in the cur
rent fiscal year. compared
with S42 million last year,
Charles O. Mortimer. the
company's chairman, told
the Washington Society Of
Investment Analysts ct an
Occidental Restaurant
luncheon yesterday.
This will raise the COM
pany's expansion total for
the last five years to more
than $500 million, he said.
General Foods will show
gains in both sales and
earnings for the 18th year
In q row in the fiscal year
ending March 81, he FORE
cast.
In It's overseas expansion.
Mr.. Mortimer reported the
recent acquisition Of Cof-
fea A. B. of Stockholm.
Sweden. and Cafes de Mex
leo. q Mexican coffee proc
essor. A large Jell-O plant
Is being built at Dover. DEL.
10 replace four outmoded
Eastern operations.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-14
MARYLAND OPINION ISSUED 2 va@
Finan Calls Revolving Credit Legal

sale violates neither the usury
laws nor the small loan laws
Of this state. The fact that
there was no retention Of title
Of security device In connec-
ton with the installTnent sale
does not affect the applicable
ity Of the small loan or uAtry
laws" he said.
The revolving credit charge
agreement "a q further sophis.
tication Of the me-price sales
principle. The purchaser enters
into An agreement prior to pur-
chase OF goods on credit. This
agreement sets forth in detail
the credit terms TO be extended
at the time his purchases are
made.
AT the time OF purchase Of
an item, the buyer and seller,
In effect. incorporate terma Of
II
this prior Agreement into tArmA
Of the sale: 50 that the ex.
tension Of credit on the re-
volving credit IA q part OF the
sales transaction and not q
loan Of money" t
Legislative proposals now
being considered by the Senate
committee would set maximum
rates on both title and nom
title installment credit con-
tracts and would require full
disclosure Of the rates and the
nature Of the credit. It would
update the 1ell act to meet
new conditions. Maximum rate
laws on non-title installment
credit have been adopted by rs
States.
The committee also Is con-
siderine proposals that would
raise the maximum interest
rates on small loans from
J TO 8 per cent.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-14
PRiZE-WINNlNG WHATsIT
Earnings Dip, but Rise in Assets
Is Reported by Financial General

vided through an offering Of
$50 million Of first mortgage
bonds In February. Plans for the
remainder Of the financing
have not been completed, he
said.
Citing O new all-time peak
In 1862 Washington area con.
struction activity. Mr.. Dunn
said residential expansion IA
expected TO remain At high
levels in the foreseeable future.
The number Of PEPCO custom
ers reached q record 37e.039 at
the end Of 1862. compared with
367, 1872 q year earlier and 341,-
4o7 at the end Of 1858.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-14

Of serving charge accounts al
the ! "a per cent rate.
He said that while q ~
per cent appears at first glance
TO be q return Of 10 per cent
q year, the cost Of servicins
accounts cuts sharply into any
profit from the extension Of
credit.
The State Attorney General
pointed out that the Maryland
Retail Installment Sales Act
was enacted in lo4l as q re-
medal measure TO correc,
abuses in the installment sales
field.
Requires Disclosure
The act provided for full dis.
closure Of terms. refund Of II.
nance charges for prepayment
and other devices TO protect
unwilling purchasers Of goods
title 10 which has been retained
by the seller.
mo case has reached the
Maryland Court OF Appeals
testing the applicability Of thu
usury or loan laws to install.
Enent sales. IS defined by THU
act" he added.
However, there are MANI
precedents in other jurisdlc-
tons and In the standard Au.
thorities on the subject, clearl,
indicating the general accept.
bility OF the common law prin.
ciple that the buyer and sellel
at the time Of sale may law
fully make an ARRANGEMENT foI
delay in time Of payment Of
the purchase price upon pay.
nent Of an additional consid'
Grafton which may exceed th'
lawful interest rate" he said.
1T "a our opinion that
bona fide retail installnnen
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-14

tailers and their accountants
have argued that q minimum
rate on revolving credit should
be Ia per cent on balances
at the end of the month up
to $1,000 and / per cent on
debt balances Of more than
$1,000. ~ III .A5,r
A few stores In the State
actually are charging Is much
as 2 per cent on monthly bal
ances, Some members OF the
Senate committee advocate
minimum rates Of "A OF one
per cent on balances up 10
$1,000 and "a OF one per cent
on balances Of more than ell
900.
Senator North cited testimony
Of q certified public account
ant that most sellers were un-
able to break even on the costs
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-14
Foirf0x National
To Open New Rrnnch

The Merrifield. va branch
of the National Bank Of Fairfax
will open temporary quarters
tomorrow ct Routes 20 and I'll
and Juniper street. The bank
also operates two other
branches in Fairfax and one
In Centerville.
Carlos =. France. assistant
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-14
Earnings

SchlumberEer, Ltd, in veal
ended December 81 earned s22..
100000 or SALT q share vs.
Sl7.ee6, 900 or S335 In 1861.
Marshall Field q Co. in year
ended January 81 earned &c.
i60.522 or S2.20 q share Us
&c. 06y65s or t2.25 In 1852,
Fairbanks whitney Corp. in
year ended December 81 had q
loss Of S4.s million compared
with q loss Of 1883 In 1851
Other earnings includec;
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-14
METALS

NEW YORK CAPD.-spot nonferrous
metz .S Sslse eos .Ucst cOVg.E, 81 sntss
l0h cent? 4 pound, New York. Zinc
nv cents Q pound, East 81. L6uli.
Tin 1.09M Q pound, New York. For-
eIgn silver $50 per troy ounce, New
York. Pittsburgh scrap steel No. 1
hsayy quoted By Iron AGE ct 900.