Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-10-06
ON THE RECORD

the ON THE RECORD interview
with former President Essen
hover on which the story on
Page Al Is based.
Q. General, you have been away
from the White House now for
80 months. Do the problems Of
the world, the Presidency and the
Republican Party seem any diff
ferent when viewed from Gettys-
burg than they did from the
White House?
A. Well, the problems are there,
of course. And we must remember
that some problems seem to be
imbedded in human nature and
are never going to be answered.
What you do is to find the best
way to live with them in view
Of the situation and conditions
of the time. But. by and large,
what we might have called the
issues Of 1860, for example, when
Nixon was running, are largely
the same in their general sense.
From this distance. I find my
self just as concerned as I was
about them then. I have been re-
lieved of the burden of having to
make decisions and plans and
programs respecting them. On the
other hand, have the Illustration
that I can do no more about
them than can anyone else of our
100 million population.
don't believe that anyone can
have gone through the kind Of
experience that I have, both in
the military and in the political
world and disabuse his mind of
concern about these things. And
he cannot help thinking and fig
uring what he would try to do.
Thow in Cold War?
@. There have been indications
In recent months of a thaw in
East West relations - the test
ban treaty, some likelihood of a
wheat sales agreement with the
Soviet Union, and q change in
tone Of propaganda. How do you
appraise this; as a meaningful
trend. or a temporary shift?
A. I think this: The free world
would be badly advised to take
every Communist move as clear
indication Of change in strategic
purpose. They have, time and
again, publicly announced their
purpose Of destroying freedom. In
the absence Of something that
would prove they have abandoned
that basic purpose, we can by no
means take any action that would
drop our guard.
You speak of a thaw. You have
read this dictum of Mao Use
tung in respect to military oper-
atoms. He said: The enemy at
tacks, we withdraw; he stands
still, we harass; he starts to
withdraw, we pursue and destroy"
This applies to the whole Com
munist strategy and tactics in
the world. They are using every
possible way to achieve their
basic objective-our own destruc-
ton.
We have to remember this: We
are not trying to destroy any
thing. They say they must de-
stroy our form Of life. Now why
do they say that2 1t is because
they are afraid of the COMPARE
son between their way of life
and ours. They believe that their
form of political existence does
not have the appeal that ours
does. That is the reason they
have to destroy us. Until they do
that. they don't feel safe. Conse-
quently. we Just cannot expect
them to abandon their basic pur-
pose and therefore we have to
be very, very careful.
So would not call this a thaw.
I would call it more Of a change
in tactics for the moment. And
I would say this: If, in a matter
of an economic deal, we saw that
we got a very great advantage in
it, well, then 1t is a good horse
trade. And in a horse trade, If
you get a good thoroughbred for
an old plug, there are no ideals
about the thing. There is no prin-
ciple that is being furthered. 1t
is just a material gain.
Surplus Wheat Sale
@. Is that the way we should
view the sale Of surplus wheat to
Russia?
A. If we don't get a very def
mite advantage in it, I don't see
the reason for doing it. Certainly
we are not trying to be altruistic.
We are not trying to strengthen
their system. If there is a mutual
advantage, you can't kick about
a trade.
@. And trading gold for surplus
wheat might be the kind of horse
trade you had in mind?
A. 1t might be. But would look
at this thing very carefully. 1t