Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1963-05-28

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gether during the next electio
This statement was made last
week at a meeting of the Ken
sington Wheaton Democratic
Club which heard statistics,
facts and opinions from the
former reporter and current ex-
pert on pressure groups and
lobbyists. McCune, former as
sistant to Secretary of Agricul-
ture Charles F. Brannon, 1948-
50, and reporter for Newsweek,
Time and the Kiplinger Report,
warned the audience of local
pressure which he considered
more dangerous than the ma
tional groups.
"Harassment, threatening
phone calls, accusations of sub
version and violations of civil
rights are now typical events in
every major city in the United.
States" he said. McCune stated
that ''we tend to think of Cali
fornia, Idaho, Wyoming etc. as
the Right Wing centers. No so.
These radicals are thriving in
so-called stable communities
such as Westchester County and
Long Island, N. Y. We get angry
calls from all over Montgomery
County, Arlington, Fairfax. No
city, no community is free of
this movement"
McCune claimed that groups
such as the John Birch Society,
the County Above Party and the
Americans for Constitutional
Action have learned the subtle
arts of modern propaganda.
"They do not beat us over the
head with their story. These
groups, led by smart and well
known men such as Fulton
Lewis Jr. and Ezra Taft Benson
DR., have infiltrated radio and
TV stations throughout the
country"
Negativism, he said, is the
core of their philosophy. THUS
far the only thing they are for
is repeal of the Federal Income
Tax. Six state legislatures have
already passed this amendment.
The Right Wingers themselves
list at least 1000 groups affiliated
or closely following the John
Birch concepts. The number is
frightening, it is growing, and
they are financially able to SER
iously damage our freedom and
independence"
McCune pointed out that the
roots of the right-wing move
ment go back to 1852 and the
''Know Nothing" Party which
harrassed President Lincoln.
The Radical Right" is delv.
ing into educational organiza-
tons, such as the Parent-Teach.
err Associations because, "These
groups are already i'm a state of
turmoil and in ripe condition to
be further divided" McCune en-
phasized the danger of extrem-
lists infiltrating schools, libra
ries, citizen communities and
local precinct groups.
When asked what weapons
should be used to combat the
movement, McCune strongly
urged liberal-minded and intel
ligently conservative" citizens to
work through churches, COM
munity councils, PTAs and labor
groups. Discussion of the
facts" he added, "active inter-
est on the part OF the grass
roots voter, will reveal these
extremists and their obvious and
vitrolic attacks
"Suburbia has made tremen-
dous impact on both political
parties" he said "but 1 am
afraid the average person does
not know or care about real is
sues. 1t is up to us to inform
them. The truth will be the ulti-
mate undoing of the Birch-type
of theory"
The AGA met the night follow
ing McCune's speech, and pre-
scented medals honoring 153 con-
gressmen of whose voting
records they approved. They
were criticized by a group of
House Liberal Democrats, led
by Calf. Rep. Ronald B. Cam
eron who said Il know of no