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Spring, 1979
Vol. 1, No. 2
Health of American Politics Discussed at Williamsburg Conference "Government is in trouble because it's helping us too much," said University of Maryland Professor Donald J . Devine at a spring conference on "The American Political Tradition" held in colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. The event was another in a series of symposia sponsored by Young America's Foundation. Twenty-five specially invited college students participated in a full day of seminars which featured six wellknown scholars in the fields of political science, economics and law. One of the highlights of the conference was the after-dinner remarks delivered by former United States Senator William L. Scott. The former lawmaker agreed with most of the afternoon speakers that government has grown too large, causing us to lose sight of much of our Constitutional heritage. Scott quoted the familiar adage that "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely" in describing the current state of American political affairs. Scott cited high taxes and a judicial system which is expanding the power of the federal government over state and localities as evidence that too much power resides in Washington, D . C . Dr. John East of East Carolina University spoke at the first session which dealt with the Federalist papers. He contended that we have gotten away from our founding political principles and that because of this "the moral fabric of society therefore crumbles." In contrasting American politics today to the way it was envisioned by our founding fathers,
F o r m e r Senator William L . Scott addresses s y m posium in Williamsburg, Virginia. Prof. D o n D e v i n e looks on.
East said that "in politics in this country you don't have to know anything — just talk." Richard Dingman, Executive Director of the House Republican Study Committee, and Ronald Pearson of the Foundation Board of Directors spoke after East, discussing current conflicts between the executive and legislative branches of government. Dingman cited President Carter's abrogation of a Senate-passed treaty with Taiwan and expenditure of funds involved in giving up the Panama Canal without prior Congressional approval as two current situations which are leading to a confrontation between Capitol Hill and the White House. Ronald Pearson discussed the inWILLIAMSBURG CONFERENCE continued on page 7
Carter Budget Not So Lean For Education Programs Despite Administration protestations that the President's budget is "lean and austere," the White House wants to significantly increase federal aid to education next year. The cornerstone of President Carter's educational policy is his proposed Department of Education which would consolidate several programs which are currently distributed throughout the federal bureaucracy into one central agency. The proposed department would cost taxpayers $13.5 billion and employ 16,000 federal workers. Many experts believe that the final cost would go much higher. The budget for education programs may seem less enormous when compared with the entire federal budget of $532 billion, which includes an expected $29 billion deficit. This represents an increase of $39 billion over this year's spending. According to one educational expert on Capitol Hill, "This budget is about as lean as my fat aunt Molly." The President's budget message included an overall nine percent increase in federal spending in the area of education. Aid to elementary, secondary and vocational education is scheduled to increase from $6.5 billion to $7.1 billion. While President Carter has been roundly criticized by liberals within his own party for "holding the line" on the budget, many others criticize the White House for spending too much. The Congressional Budget Office's chief economist, Alice Rivlin, together with many other experts, exBUDGET continued on page 6
ILLEGAL FOREIGN
STUDENTS
MAY CONTRIBUTE T O CAMPUS
QUOTAS RECEIVE ANOTHER SETBACK A federal appeals court recently ruled that the University of North Carolina employed racial quotas which are unconstitutional. The court based its ruling on the Supreme Court's Bakke decision which held that outright racial quotas in admissions are illegal. In the North Carolina case, the university guaranteed that two seats in the student government would be reserved for black students and that any black student tried before the Student Honor Court would be judged by four blacks out of the seven judges appointed to hear the case. Two white students, Lawrence A. Uzzell and Robert Lane Arrington, took the case to court, claiming that they were being discriminated against because of their race. They said that every student, black or white, has a right to enjoy the same privileges at the state-supported school. The appeals court decision is considered significant because it represented a further refining of the Bakke case. Pro-quota forces are concerned that the decision will strike down affirmative action programs which involve preferences based upon race.
Publisher: Ron Robinson
UNREST
The immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) estimates that there are 42,000 illegal aliens in the United State who were originally admitted with student visas. The INS study was prompted by Attorney General Griffin Bell who is concerned with recent violent demonstrations on campus which were led by foreigners. Over the past several months, numerous confrontations with police were organized by Iranian students who opposed the now exiled Shah of Iran. According to one student at George Washington University, the scene of one confrontation last spring, "I am tired of having my American education disrupted by foreigners who are supposed to be our guests. During the demonstrations when the Shah visited the White House last year classes were often disrupted by the noise from the violence going on around campus." The Carter Administration, however, is apparently less concerned with the Iranian situation. According to President Carter's Ambassador to the United Nations, Andrew Young, Islam is "a vibrant cultural force" and the Ayatollah Khomeini is "a saint." There are over 50,000 Iranian students in this country with proper visas. There are almost a quarter million legal foreign students studying in this country overall.
Editor: Clifford J. White ill
PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS FAIL C O M P E T E N C Y T E S T The Dallas School District recently administered a basic competency test to its public school teachers —and half of them failed it. Students at a local private high school scored better than the public school teachers. The worst part of the situation is, according to prominent educator Dr. Max Rafferty, that the school administrators tried to cover up the story. The test results were publicly issued only after a ruling by the Texas attorney general that the scores were public property. Rafferty called the story, "Education's Watergate, Texasstyle."
C O U R T R U L E S THAT TOWN CAN'T B E C H A R I T A B L E The town of Ridgefield, Connecticut can't give its land away. According to a story in Philanthropy; Monthly, the town recently tried to donate 5.4 acres of land to the local Boy's Club. A feminist group took the town to court, charging that the donation would amount to sex discrimination. Boys' Clubs, as the name implies, do not include women as full members. The court not only agreed with the militant women's libbers, but also forced the town to pay the legal fees incurred by the Women's Political Caucus which initiated the suit. Just a few weeks after the court decision, another court ruled that the town also was not allowed to donate land to the Y M C A because the First Amendment to the Constitution prohibites the government from supporting any religious groups. The Y M C A has a religious affiliation.
Consultant: The Newsletter Factory P.O. Box 1682, Bellevue, WA 98009 Libertas is published quarterly by Young America's Foundation, Box 1002, Woodland Road, Suite B, Sterling, VA 22170. Address all editorial matter, letters to the editor, subscription inquiries, and changes of address to Libertas, Box 1002, Woodland Road, Suite B, Sterling, VA 22170. CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Send old and new address (including the envelope from a previous issue) with zip code number. Young America's Foundation was formed in order to provide essential conferences, seminars, educational materials, scholarships and speakers to the young people of America. As an educational organization, the Foundation strives to acquaint American youth with the principles of American government and the genius of the American political system in order that they may have a fuller understanding of contemporary public policy questions. if you would like more information about Young America's Foundation and the services it provides, please contact: Young America's Foundation, Box 1002, Woodland Road, Suite B, Sterling, VA 22170 (703/450-5270). The Foundation gratefully accepts contributions from individuals, corporations and other foundations. Printed by French/Bray Printing Company. Subscription Price $2.00 per year.
DR. W A Y N E J . T H O R B U R N
The goal of Young America's Foundation is to provide college students and other young adults with more balanced perspectives on both the theoretical foundations of American government and current public policy controversies. Few are better qualified to guide such an organization than Dr. Wayne J . Thorburn. A native of Somerville, Massachusetts, Wayne has been a very active member of the Board of Directors of the organization since 1971. An author, lecturer and former university professor, Wayne currently serves as Executive Director of the Republican Party of Texas. He has a impressive academic background, having received degrees from Tufts, Penn State and the University of Maryland. After earning his doctorate in Government and Politics, Wayne joined the faculty of Arkansas State University, where he also served as Associate Director of the Robert A. Taft Institute Seminar on the twoparty jsystem. Wayne has been interested in educating young people about the Amer-
ican political process for several years, beginning with his involvement in college with the campus-based Young Americans for Freedom (YAF). Wayne later served as Executive Director of Y A F from 1971-3. According to Wayne, "It is so important that young people be exposed during their college years to both sides of every political issue. Too often they hear only the radical point of view, both in the classroom and outside among their friends." Wayne says that he became involved with the Foundation because "it fills a critical void in educating young people about American politics. . .As a college faculty member I saw quite clearly that the radicals of yesterday are teaching today. That is so unhealthy. Groups like Young Americans for Freedom and Young America's Foundation are like a breath of fresh air on campus because without them, there would be no one to stand up to the radicals and other anti-American elements." Wayne now resides with his lovely wife Judy in Austin, Texas.
MEDIA GAINING POWER S A Y S WILLIAM RUSHER William Rusher, the noted author, publisher and columnist, spoke to a group of Columbia University students on February 7 on the subject of "The Media's Drive for Power." Rusher said that members of the media are constantly seeking preferred status under the law which they do not deserve. They consider themselves "above the law" and that is wrong, according to Rusher. In discussing the differences between a journalist's right to keep his sources confidential and the right of a doctor to keep discussions with his patient confidential. Rusher pointed out that while it takes many years of a training to become a doctor or lawyer, almost anyone can become a journalist. For example, he cited the case of the Stanford University stu-
Well k n o w n publisher a n d author William R u s h e r spoke at C o l u m b i a University.
dent newspaper reporters who claimed that their offices could not be searched for evidence sought by law enforcement officials. A regular guest on Public Broadcasting System's "The Advocates" program. Rusher said that the press got undue credit for breaking open the Watergate case. According to Rusher, it was the stiff sentences meted out by Judge John Sirica which led the defendants to cooperate with federal officials. Interestingly, Judge Sirica has publicly taken the same position, in interviews and in his recently published book. Mr. Rusher is a distinguished member of the National Advisory Council of Young America's Foundation. His remarks were presented at a forum sponsored by the Foundation.
Now, read what you have been missing in school.
Young America's Foundation provides the best in new books on the subjects of history, economics, philosophy and foreign policy. And at the lowest possible cost. The Foundation offers classics by Nobel prize winners such as Milton Friedman and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. Recent best-sellers are also available, by such authors as former Treasury Secretary William Simon. You don't often learn in the classroom about free market economics or about the threat of Soviet imperialism. These books are offered to those who care about the future of America and want to learn more about important policy questions in the news today. Let's face it, the media and the universities don't always present both sides to every issue. All you have to do in order to take advantage of the Young America's Foundation offer is to become a Subscriber to our Book Service — at no cost and with no obligation. This is not a book club. If you want to know more about why America lost in Vietnam or where our economy is heading, just fill out the accompanying order form. In addition, you will be sent announcements from time to time which describe the latest addition to the Foundation's library. You have nothing to lose — but, everything in the world to learn.
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BOOKS
W a r n i n g t o , t h e W e s t , by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. The Nobel prize-winning author and Soviet exile analyzes the nature of Soviet Communism and the Western response to it. $1.50 (reg. $2.95) First Circle, by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. The former Soviet political prisoner tells a haunting tale of what it was like during the purges in Stalinist Russia. The book is a novel, but based on historical fact. $9.00 ($16.50) A Time for Truth, by William Simon. The former Treasury Secretary explains where America's economy is headed and how to prevent economic collapse. Frank in his criticism of recent economic policy, Simon is optimistic about the future. $7.00 ($12.50) Capitalism and Freedom, by Milton Friedman. A Nobel prize-winning economist explains the workings of the free market and why it is the only economic system which will produce both prosperity and freedom. $2.00 ($3.45) The Conservative Mind, by Russell Kirk. A classic on conservative thought from Edmund Burke to the present. This is the book which led to a generation of study of American conservative thought. A must for any student of American intellectual history. $3.50 ($5.95) KGB, by John Barron. One of the best books to be found on the secret works of the world's largest secret police force, Barron's reputation for factual reporting is respected throughout the profession. $1.50 ($2.75) Murder of a Gentle Land, by John Barron and Anthony Paul. The gruesome, but true, story of devastation and genocide in Cambodia. A must book for all those who refuse to believe that a blood bath occurred after the Americans left Southeast Asia. $5.00 ($9.95) All Quiet on the Eastern Front, by Anthony Bouscaren. One of the leading authorities on Communism puts together a collection of essays
on the fall of Southeast Asia. A good explanation of how America blundered to defeat and how to avoid any future military fiascos. $3.50 ($5.95) The Conservative Intellectual Movement in America Since 1945, by George H. Nash. An excellent history of a vibrant and important philosophical movement. Nash establishes himself as one of the foremost historians of intellectual movements in the country today. $10.00 ($20.00) The Incredible Bread Machine, by the Campus Studies Institute. A good explanation of the free market and a refutation of many of the accusations against it. All the more remarkable because it was written by six student authors, none of whom were older than 26. $1.25 ($1.95) FREE BONUS—Choose One n The Conscience of a Conservative, by Senator Barry Goldwater. One of the most important books of the last decade, it contains much relevance to today's domestic and foreign policy problems. "Why the Soviet Union Thinks It Could Fight and Win a Nuclear War," by Richard Pipes. A well respected Harvard Professor looks at the strategic military questions now being discussed in the on-going debate over the SALT treaties. AND "World Split Apart," by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. A reprint of the famed Russian author's commencement address delivered at Harvard University.
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Young America's Foundation Book Subscriber Service Box 1002, Woodland Rd., Suite B Sterling, Virginia 22170 Please enroll me as a Subscriber to the Foundation's Book Subscriber Service. I do this at no obligation. M y benefits include: important books in such fields as history, economics, philosophy and foreign policy at cut-rate prices, plus regular announcements of the newest books available through the Foundation's service. Please send me the following books: Discount Title Price
Mixander Sohhmib^n WARNING TO THE WESt T H E INCRHDIBLfc:
BREAD
MACHINE
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Please find my enclosed check or money order in the amount of $ Please send the books as soon as possible to: Print Name:
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SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE EXTENDED
mtb Young America's Foundation now offers two new books and a film to its supporters. The two books, David Nelson Rowe's U,S,-China Policy Today and Nobel-prize winner Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's The First Circle both deal with foreign affairs, while the film, "Inside the Hayek Equation" deals with economics. Rowe's U.S,-China Policy Today, which was discussed in the Winter issue of Libertas, deals with the history of American relations with both Communist China and free Taiwan since World War II. Rowe, a distinguished member of the Foundation's National Advisory Council, up-dated the book immediately after President Carter announced last December that he was abandoning Taiwan in order to recognize Red China. Thus, the book contains the most current analysis of present day U.S.-China policy available anywhere. Rowe put together a very concise (106 pp. in paperback), yet thorough, review of the recent debate over America's foreign policy in Asia. A strong critic of the abandonment of Taiwan, Rowe believes that the Red Chinese have given up nothing, while the United States has betrayed an ally and is offering much needed trade for the mainland Chinese government. On the other hand, Taiwan has been left without a dependable ally, which could lead that faithful friend of the United States to have to seek out other alliances, including with the Soviet Union, which continues to feud with Red China. The First Circle, first published in the United States in 1968, is one of Solzhenitsyn's best novels. It is a his-
demic qualifications, financial need and the relation between the applicant's future plans and the goals of the Foundation. Preference will be given to those students who will be enrolled as undergraduates in the Fall, 1979. Interested students should send the following materials:
Due to the large number of applications still coming in. Young America's Foundation will extend the deadline for its scholarship applications until May 31, 1979. Don't delay— mail in your application before it's too late. The Foundation is making available a $1000 grant under the Coleman-Timolat Scholarship. Also, this year it will offer the first annual John Parker Memorial Journalism Award. Other grants will be available. The development of dedicated, knowledgeable leadership will be of major importance in keeping our nation free for future generations. For this purpose. Young America's Foundation provides scholarship funds for outstanding patriotic students who need assistance to complete their education in important fields such as law, political science, journalism, education and economics.
All correspondence should be addressed to:
HOW T O APPLY Scholarship grants will be awarded on the basis of three criteria: aca-
Young America's Foundation Scholarship Program Woodland Road, Suite B Sterling, Virginia 22170
The First Circle is a recent addition Foundation's B o o k Subscriber S e r v i c e .
to
torical novel depicting four days in the Soviet Union as dictator Joseph Stalin plans another of his inhuman purge campaigns. The hero of the novel is a brilliant mathematician who has been rewarded by the Soviet state by being sent to a succession of prison camps. Detailed and vivid in its description of personal confrontations with Communist brutality. The First Circle offers much insight into the real impact which totalitarianism can have on the human spirit. The book is offered for those who
—School and home address and telephone number; —A list of other financial aid being sought; —A statement need;
describing financial
—Any writing samples, including a 500-word essay discussing the applicant's future plans and their relation to the purposes of the Foundation.
didn't acquire the book when it was first published. Only a limited quantity is now available. While the two books offered deal with foreign policy, "Inside the Hayek Equation" deals with the economic philosophy of Nobel-prize winner Friedrich von Hayek. Filmed by the Campus Studies Institute (CSI) in California when the famed Austrian economist visited Stanford University last year, the film consists of a discussion/interview held by Hayek with the C S I staff. The film is a valuable tool for students seeking a better understanding of free market economics, in a non-technical presentation. Hayek touches on such contemporary controversies as the effectiveness of price controls, the causes of inflation and consequences of government planning. His answer to all of these questions is, of course, that our economic system has run into difficulties only when government has meddled in the private market, with high deficit spending and regulation of private enterprise. If interested in acquiring books or film please write to the Book Subscriber Service (see page 4).
6 WASHINGTON, D C L E C T U R E S E R I E S K I C K E D O F F REP. HYDE DISCUSSES ABORTION AT CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY In the opening of a series of lectures on important public policy questions to be held in the Nation's Capital, Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill) recently addresssed a group of students at the Catholic University of America on the subject of a Constitutional amendment to prohibit abortions. Mr. Hyde is a leader in the U . S . House of Representatives on the twin issues of a Constitutional amendment and prohibiting the federal government from funding abortions. For three months prior to the event. Young America's Foundation sought out a debating opponent for Rep. Hyde, but to no avail. Such proabortion members of Congress as Father Robert Drinan (D-MA) and Elizabeth Holtzman (D-NY) declined invitations. Hyde's remarks were witty and incisive and at times moving. He called the abortion issue "the major civil rights issues of our time." He defended the right of government to take moral positions on issues such as abortion, saying that to deny the role of morality in politics is to deny a large part of our history, including the Declaration of Independence and U . S . Constitution. According to Hyde, abortion is merely "a change of address" and that the to believe that the unborn child is merely a part of the mother's body is "to believe in the tooth fairy." The third term Congressman discussed how the unborn have independent organs, a heart beat, limbs and other features of a human life. He asked how one can recognize the difference between an infant ten minutes before birth and ten minutes after, or two months before and two months after. The Illinois lawmaker cited several statistics regarding the number of abortions committed each year in this country, saying that we lost more unborn children due to abortions last year than we have abortions committed each year in this country, saying that we lost more unborn children due to abortions last year than we have lost soldiers in all our wars combined. In response to a question from the audience, Hyde emphasized that the abortion issue split across party and
even philosophical lines. He noted that many of his strongest supporters in the House are Democrats. He further noted that there is nothing wrong with the so-called "single issue" politics which involves mobilizing support or opposition to a candidate based upon one issue. He said that single issue voters are simply those who will not compromise on fundamental issues of importance to them. Hyde concluded by calling abortion "the ultimate in child abuse" and said that the scientific evidence to support the view that a fetus is a living being is indisputable. He closed by quoting from Don Quixote: "Every man's death diminishes me because I am a part of mankind."
nent, was only a "half-way house on the way to totalitarianism." In pointing to specific examples, the current chairman of the Education and Research Institute noted that government is too large and that it is unmanageable because of the socialistic tendencies evident in politics today. He said that while we spent $200 billion in income transfer payments last year, we still have twenty-five million poor people. However, if that money were spent properly to help the poor, the average welfare family would have been very well off, making $32,000 per year. Instead, the money has gone to supporting a huge welfare bureaucracy.
E v a n s (left) a n d G e r s h m a n debate at G U .
R e p . H e n r y H y d e discusses the abortion issue with students at Catholic University.
EVANS, GERSHMAN SQUARE O F F AT G U Georgetown University was the site of the second Washington, D . C . Lecture held by Young America's Foundation. M. Stanton Evans, noted author and columnist, squared off against Carl Gershman, Executive Director of the Social Democrats of America, in a discussion of "Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy." Evans began his remarks with the observation that "the twentieth century is the century of totalitarianism, both Communism and N a z i s m . . . a l l of which have the common characteristic of collectivism." He said that capitalism was the only economic system compatible with economic liberty and that social democracy, which was advocated by his oppo-
Gershman's position was that the country needs even more government activism in order to obtain "the greatest good for the greatest number." He praised strong labor union collective bargaining agreements and increased regulation of business. He said that the country survived the Great Depression only because of President Franklin Roosevelt, huge federal deficit spending and more government control over the entire economy. The forum was attended by over 100 students. The program included a very lively question-and-answer session.
BUDGET from page 1 pects the overall federal deficit to go much higher than predicted by the President's advisors. The total federal debt should reach at least $892 billion by the end of fiscal year 1980. BUDGET continued on page 7
7 BUDGET from page 6 According to Art Pine, financial reporter for the Washington Post, 80 percent of all taxpayers will see their tax bill go up this year despite the much touted tax cuts passed by the Congress last Fall. The prestigious Washington-based think tank Heritage Foundation has computed that over the next five years an additional $215 billion will be paid in taxes, offset by only $93.5 billion in tax cuts. Two major criticisms are made against the proposed Department of Education. The first is that the new department would be a pawn for special interests. According to a former college professor who is now a chief Congressional staff aide dealing with the proposal, "The agency would be a sitting duck for the special interest lobbyists from the National Education Association. The taxpayer wouldn't have a chance. Federal aid to education would skyrocket." According to those who express similar opinions, a central department would gradually enlarge, employing more bureaucrats and spending more money. In order to protect their jobs, the workers in the agency would find new ways and reasons to
WILLIAMSBURG CONFERENCE from page 1 creasing assertiveness of incoming Congressional freshmen who are more willing to challenge the executive than ever before. According to Pearson, newer members of Congress are less likely to stand idly by when the President abandons a faithful ally, as he did to Taiwan, or when he tries to discourage Congress from considering a balance-the-budget amendment. All of the speakers agreed that the American political tradition is the best in the world. Professor Devine discussed the free enterprise system as an integral part of "the American dream." He lamented the fact that most of his colleagues in political science are "democratic socialists" who don't really believe that a free market can operate effectively. Devine discussed many statistics which show that capitalist countries are far more prosperous than socialist ones and that American business today has produc-
spend federal money in the area of education. Another major criticism is that federal assistance has led only to more federal control and a decrease in the quality of education. Federal affirmative action programs, which cost almost $600 million each year in higher education, are cited as prime examples. Another frequent example involes standardized test scores. As federal money spent in the area of education has increased, standardized test scores (i.e., SATs) have dropped 40 points from 1963 to 1974. According to the respected Hudson Institute, federal aid to education has done everything but improve the quality of education. From 1960 to 1975, federal aid increased from $1 billion to $15 billion, with the cost of educating each public school student increasing from $500 per pupil to over $2000. Harvard sociologist Christopher Jenck, has been a prominent advocate of the view that there is little relationship between cost and quality in education. Therefore, while many interest groups are complaining that they were slighted in Mr. Carter's proposed budget, it appears that the education lobby, while still dissatisfied, made out far better than other special interests.
Twenty-tive college students heard six speakers on ' T h e A m e r i c a n Political Tradition."
ed more job opportunities than any of the democratic socialist systems, such as in Great Britain. William Stanmeyer, an attorney, former law professor and current head of the Washington, D.C.-based Lincoln Center for Legal Studies, dis-
ERA MAY LEAD TO DRAFTING O F WOMEN The debate over whether or not the proposed Equal Rights Amendment to the U . S . Constitution (ERA) would lead to the drafting of women into the military took a new turn last January when Defense Secretary Harold Brown told a Congressional committee that if a proposed law to reinstitute the draft is passed, then women as well as men should have to register. E R A foes have been saying for years that the ambiguous amendment proposed seven years ago would lead to the drafting of females. Women's liberation groups have been split on the issue, some saying that such a thing would never happen, while other more militant feminists welcome the possibility of a draft. Said Mississippi Rep. G . V. "Sonny" Montgomery, who leads a growing number of Representatives and Senators who have proposed that all 18 year old men register for the draft again, "I don't have any problems" with women being included under the bill.
cussed the increasing role of the Supreme Court in making public policy. Stanmeyer said that the high Court had usurped power that should belong to the Congress and the state legislatures. He discussed anti-abortion laws, which the Court has prohibited, as a perfect example of where the Court has made a political decision which many voting citizens feel is morally wrong. The setting for the conference was ideal, in Williamsburg, Virginia. Williamsburg contains a large area restored to resemble the eighteenth century capital of the state of Virginia. Most participants spent the entire week-end at the conference, attending the conference for one day and touring the very educational Colonial Williamsburg complex the next day. The students represented a dozen schools in five states, including Georgetown University, the University of Maryland and the College of William and Mary.
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Cdmrat Dear Foundation Supporters: In the previous issue of Libertas, I reviewed Young America's Foundation's major on-going programs. I believe that over the past ten years we have provided a genuine service with these activities; but the Foundation is now prepared to embark on a unique project that we believe can have farreaching significance for the future of our country. Along with my fellow Foundation Directors, I passed through college during the late sixties. I witnessed the need to intellectually arm students before they enter college so that they can defend their philosophy and values throughout their academic career. We often wished we had possessed as underclassmen the intellectual and rhetorical skills we later had as seniors. If we are to cultivate a corps of capable leaders, we require an intensive program that insures the average college student will not be merely a passive receiver of what passes for conventional wisdom. To provide this service the Foundation is establishing an annual summer orientation seminar for pre-coUege and college students. This conference will prepare students for what they will face in their college classrooms in such disciplines as history, philosophy, political science, and any other subject wherein the ideas discussed can shape our country's future. The problems confronting many freshmen entering college is that they are overwhelmed by assigned material to the extent that they are unable to resist the imprinting of whatever philosophy a professor may wish to impose. Perhaps by their senior year they will have contacted Young America's Foundation and similar organizations and armed themselves with the necessary intellectual tools.
But this program is designed to insure they have access to these sources throughout their college years. Our pilot program will be held at American University in Washington, D . C on August 12th-15th. The Foundation has commissioned Dr. Alan Ned Sabrosky, an Associate Professor of Politics at Catholic University and formerly of the Foreign Policy Research Institute, as director of the program. Dr. Sabrosky will act as chief lecturer and will draw up the curriculum and bibliography for the conference. The pilot program will initially focus on foreign policy. The students will receive an overview of the topic, receive a series of lectures, participate in discussion groups, and learn what major texts they can expect to encounter in college in this field. The intended effect of this program is that the students will be fully prepared for their academic experience in at least one discipline. They will not only be able to make the most of their own experience but will be a force for academic balance in the classroom. The Foundation will monitor the program and invite student feedback. If the conference is success-
ful, we will undertake to expand the program in the Summer of 1980 in both participants and subjects. I believe this will be one of the most significant undertakings of the Foundation. We will be offering the average student a service that he cannot receive elsewhere. We have already confirmed an outstanding academic leader and program. We expect to keep you informed of the progress of this conference. In the meantime, we would welcome any suggestions you might have of students who might be interested in attending the conference. We have limited the total number of students to eighty (80) to help insure the maximum amount of interaction among the participants themselves. So please contact me at your earliest possible convenience if you are interested in attending or know someone who would be. Sincerely,
Ron Robii son President
ORIENTATION SEMINAR I SLATED FOR WASHINGTON, D.C. Students who have pride in their country and support its values and policies have often felt alientated by their college experience. In the study of International Relations, they often have to sit and listen while a professor expounds a Marxist or other revisionist view of our foreign policy. Young America's Foundation will hold its first annual orientation seminar which is intended to prepare students for the serious study of International Relations. The seminar will be a four-day intensive course of lectures, discussion and counseling on such topics as "Marxist Foreign Policy,'* "America's Military Posture" and other relevant subjects. The course is designed for undergraduates who have not yet studied foreign relations. The lectures are not, however, pitched at a rudimentary level. G r a d u a t e students and advanced college students may also benefit. The cost of the seminar is $25
which covers accommodations, meals and books. A limited number of scholarships are available. The program will be held at American University in Washington, D . C . The academic director is Dr. Alan Sabrosky, assistant professor of Politics at Catholic University. He is a published author and lecturer. If interested—please apply T O D A Y . Deadline is June 30.
NAME ADDRESS CITY
„^ „ STATE
ZIP
College which you will attend in Fall, 1979
Include an essay of not more than 500 words discussing why you wish to attend. The essay will determine your acceptance. Mail application to: Young America's Foundation Orientation Seminar I Woodland Road, Suite B Sterling, Virginia 22170