Lurid Luren

Governor Luren Dudley Dickinson, 80, of Michigan, who claims a "pipeline to God" (TIME, June 12), last week described, in a public statement, what he saw during his trip last month to the Governors' Conference at Albany, Saratoga Springs and in New York City. Lurid was the word for the observations of the Governor, whose lifelong dream is the revival of prohibition. Excerpts:

"Fascinations, brilliance, high-life systems and customs, bewildering scenery and surroundings, being paired with or alone with strangers at glowing public functions with unlimited flow of every variety of liquor at every turn, with dance halls and drinking tables on the side, richly dressed and sweet-voiced hosts and uniformed waiters repeatedly urging visitors of every age, including . . . girls, to drink--thank God our girls came home unsullied and never will know how near the brink they were. With Governor Dickinson were his adopted granddaughter, Delia Patterson, 25, and his secretary, Margaret Shaw, 19.

"Only at the luncheon given us at the President's home at Hyde Park was liquor not served. I expect it could have been had there if asked for. In this gathering in the main were high-class citizens, but none could eliminate or keep out all the leeches when swarms from outside were trying to climb in. 'Tis so at all high-life functions.

"Any mother who permits her girl to attend such functions should demand ironclad protection. Girls from 15 to 25 were there. We had two in our party. Never would have I permitted either to have gone without constant watch. I knew what they were going to face! What a responsibility! What aches of mind! . . .

"Less than ten feet from one of our party was a charming little girl in her sweet innocency, by high-life rules paired at a table with a young man with a wife and children at home. All aglow in her youthful innocent glee she unfolded plans made to pair with him at each following public function, with an added trip during the lull at New York to visit a friend of his, to take through the highways, byways, hellish beckonings at every turn, through similar routes from which thousands like her never return. . . ."

Others who attended the Governors' Conference festivities marveled at Governor Dickinson. Said Governor Cochran of Nebraska: "Nobody saw what Dickinson says he saw. There weren't any wild parties."

Governor Maybank of South Carolina: "Evidently the distinguished Governor . . . must have gone places and done things that Mrs. Maybank and I did not. . . ."

Governor Lehman of New York (the host): "No comment."

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