Eisenhower Speaks His Mind

"We have got to have enough people who understand this in America, so that there is no question that the laws will be enforced."

7. CRIME

On the crime question, General Eisenhower said this:

"Crime is a real problem in this country, and it is getting worse. The problem is how to deal with criminals who are paroled or suspended. They are the ones who commit most the serious crimes in the country."

"Judges have to give proper sentences, and not be subject to influence. I have come to the point where I do not believe in lifetime judges. I don't want to reduce their independence, but I don't think they should stay forever."

"With life expectancy getting into high figures, we have too many judges who have been sitting on the bench too long. This is serious, because there has been a trend toward rewriting the Constitution by a series of judicial decisions."

"We have got to punish people for excessive speeding, and killing other people on the streets and highways. Self-discipline is what we need. We must teach this across the board in the press, in the schools, at home, in the churches, in Government. It must be some kind of movement."

"Today, people scoff at the word 'crusade.' But a great force brought on the Crusades-a great belief. What we have to do in America is generate a great belief in democracy. One of the things it demands is respect for law and order."

"If we can achieve this self-discipline, this self-government, then all the rest of our problem will take car of themselves."

8. SECURITY VS. ECONOMY

The former President is annoyed by popular writers who stress personality rather than achievement in Government, and history professors who write about his Administration "by quoting other professors," rather than going directly to officials who served in the Eisenhower Administration.

"They write that I put a 'balanced budget' above security," General Eisenhower observed. "Well, let me tell you this—I'm the only President in the history of the United States who went before Congress and said this is one time we are not going to disarm, not after this war."

"Actually, I think the neglect of our defenses at the end of World War II was one of the major causes of the Korean War. After Korea, no American was killed in combat during my Administration, although we had to prevent Communist efforts to take over in Iran, Guatemala, Lebanon, the Formosa Strait, and South Vietnam."

"A balanced budget is necessary, especially in time of prosperity, but I certainly didn't neglect security."

"I decided that we were not going to waste money just raising the kind of large standing army that would be useless in a major war—that we would rely on the nuclear deterrent, and have the kind of standing forces we needed to take care of brushfires. And that is what we did."

9. WORLD AFFAIRS

The former President was asked about foreign affairs—the outlook in Europe, where he served as Supreme Commander of the NATO military alliance in 1950-52, in the Soviet Union, and in Asia. The General made these observations:

EUROPE

"The outlook in Europe is worrisome. Europeans have lost some of their fear of a major Communist invasion. The Europeans are more willing to indulge themselves today."

"Just because one country is defecting, or abandoning NATO, is no reason for us to do the same. NATO is still a good concept; it gives the Atlantic community a place to discuss its problems. Our efforts toward keeping NATO effective should be increased."

However, General Eisenhower has always believed that the six U. S divisions assigned to NATO in 1950 were for "emergency purposes." He thinks we should keep some U.S. troops in Europe as an earnest of our readiness to be committed to any defensive war from the outset, but that the American ground force does not need to be too strong.