DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM: Will It Lead to The Great Society?

The Democratic platform promises to lead America toward achievement of what President Johnson has called "The Great Society." Its principal planks, and their G.O.P. counterparts:

sbEXTREMISM. Unlike the G.O.P., which vetoed a similar plank at San Francisco, the Democrats condemn "extremism, whether from the right or left, including the extreme tactics of such organizations as the Communist party, the Ku Klux Klan, and the John Birch Society."

sbCIVIL RIGHTS. The Democrats call for "full observance" and "fair, effective enforcement" of the new civil rights law, reaffirm "our belief that lawless disregard for the rights of others is wrong--whether used to deny equal rights or to obtain equal rights," hold that "true democracy of opportunity will not be served by establishing quotas based on the same false distinctions we seek to erase, nor can the effects of prejudice be neutralized by the expedient of preferential practices." Thus the Democrats match the Republicans, who, besides promising "full implementation and faithful execution of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and all other civil rights statutes," went on record as "opposing federally sponsored 'inverse discrimination,' whether by the shifting of jobs, or the abandonment of neighborhood schools, for reasons of race."

sbTAXES. Promising to "seek further tax reduction," and "remove inequities in our present tax laws," the platform resembles its G.O.P. counterpart.

sbROLE OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. "The

Federal Government exists not to grow larger, but to enlarge the individual potential and achievement of the people. The Federal Government exists not to subordinate the states, but to support them." The G.O.P. plank held that the Federal Government should "act only in areas where it has constitutional authority to act, and then only in respect of proven needs where individuals and local or state government will not or cannot adequately perform."

sbEDUCATION. To foot the increasing costs of education, the platform suggests "new methods of financial aid," including "channeling of federally collected revenues to all levels of education, and, to the extent permitted by the Constitution, to all schools." The plank also proposes "to ensure that all students who can meet the requirements for college entrance can continue their education," an expanded program of public scholarships, guaranteed loans and work-study grants. To achieve essentially the same goals, "while resisting the Democratic efforts which endanger local control of schools," Republicans would use "selective aid to higher education, strengthened state and local tax resources, including tax credits for college education."

sbMEDICARE. The Democrats plug for hospital care for older Americans under the social security program. The Republican medicare plank urges "tax credits and other methods of assistance" to help needy senior citizens meet the costs of medical and hospital insurance.

sbGOVERNMENT SPENDING. Citing the goal of "a balanced budget in a balanced economy," the plank pledges to "continue a frugal government, getting a dollar's value for a dollar spent." The G.O.P. plank promised a reduction of "not less than $5 billion" in the present spending level.

sbETHICS IN GOVERNMENT. "Every person who participates in the Government must be held to a standard of ethics which permits no compromise with the principles of absolute honesty and the maintenance of undivided loyalty to the public interest." This replies to a G.O.P. platform charge of general Democratic wrongdoing.

sbLABOR. The Democrats pledge "a job, and a fair wage for doing it" for every person willing and able to work; "another job" for those displaced by technology; increased coverage of the Fair Labor Standards Act; increased minimum wage and greater coverage; increased overtime pay; expanded manpower training and retraining programs; efforts to repeal state right-to-work laws; an end to "the present, inequitable restrictions on the right to organize and to strike and picket peaceably." The G.O.P. platform promised "restoration of collective bargaining responsibility to labor and management"; less intervention by third parties--presumably Federal Government officials--in settling labor disputes; and complete reorganization of the National Labor Relations Board.

sbAGRICULTURE. To achieve higher farmer incomes, lower consumer prices and lower governmental costs, the platform promises continuation of present policies, with commodity programs designed to strengthen farm income; expansion of food stamp, school-lunch and other surplus-food programs, along with research into new uses for farm products; community programs and agricultural cooperatives "to assure rural America decent housing, economic security, and full partnership in the building of the great society." The corresponding G.O.P. plank stressed a hands-off policy by the Fed eral Government, promised farmers the "maximum opportunity to exercise their own management decisions," while resisting imposition of further federal controls and "all efforts to make the farmer dependent, for his economic survival, upon either compensatory payments by the Federal Government, or upon the whim of the Secretary of Agriculture."

sbDEFENSE. "Until such time as there can be an enforceable treaty providing for inspected and verified disarmament, we must, and we will, maintain our military strength, as the sword and shield of freedom and the guarantor of peace." The platform promises to: continue the "overwhelming supremacy of our strategic nuclear forces"; strengthen limited warfare and anti-subversive capabilities; maintain "the world's largest research and development effort, which had initiated more than 200 new programs since 1961, to ensure continued American leadership in weapons systems and equipment" and continue the civil defense program; examine the Selective Service system "to make certain that it is continued only as long as it is necessary." Republicans pledged to "end 'second best' weapons policies" and "the false economies which place price ahead of performance."

sbNUCLEAR WEAPONS CONTROL. Answering Goldwater's argument that the NATO commander should have more control over tactical nuclear weapons, the Democratic platform asserts: "Control of the use of nuclear weapons must remain solely with the highest elected official in the country--the President."

sbCUBA. The Democrats will "move actively" to "further isolate Castroism and speed the restoration of freedom and responsibility in Cuba." Republicans promised recognition of a Cuban government-in-exile, and assistance tor Cuban freedom fighters "in carrying on guerrilla warfare against the Communist regime."

sbVIET NAM. The Democrats pledge "unflagging devotion to our commitments to freedom" in South Viet Nam. The G.O.P. platform promised to "move decisively to assure victory" and "end the fighting in a reasonable time."

sbPEACE. "The search for peace requires the utmost intelligence, the clearest vision, and a strong sense of reality," warn the Democrats. "Responsible leadership, unafraid but refusing to take needless risk, has turned the tide in freedom's favor." Said the G.O.P. plank: "A dynamic strategy aimed at victory--pressing always for initiative for freedom, rejecting always appeasement and withdrawal--reduces the risk of nuclear war."

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