to maintain a strong alliance of the free nations to combat the
hostile nations affiliated with international communism — his efforts
in Cuba, in Western Europe, in Africa, in the Near East and the
Far East — are being assailed by a party here at home which seems
unfortunately to have as its main purpose the regaining of power. As
reasonable people, we of course do not expect in this democratic
society any party or any person ever to attain a position of immunity
to criticism. On the contrary, we understand that criticism that is
rational and constructive is an essential ingredient of democratic
government.

It can become corrosive to our society, however, when it is ir-
rational and noncontstructive, and it becomes despicable when it is
used by political parties or individuals for selfish purposes. Particu-
larly is this true when our national security — our very survival as
a nation — is at stake. Some of the criticism of this latter variety
I think we can expect during the next year and a half, not, let me
add, from unpatriotic motives but as a result of overzealous partisan-
ship. It behooves us — Democrats, Republicans and all others —
to fight this kind of irresponsible criticism whenever and wherever it
raises its ugly hand. Although the risks are not nearly so great, neither
is the reckless criticism of domestic policy to be tolerated. It is all
right to disagree with Democrats and their President on tax reduction,
on health and welfare policies, on the program of public works. But
Republicans will be abusing their privileges and forfeiting the con-
fidence of American citizens if they attempt, out of purely partisan
consideration, to wreck the President's plan to strengthen the eco-
nomy and correct the gnawing problem of unemployment or to
sabotage his program to improve the health and educational op-
portunities of all the people.

I said a moment ago that we could expect our Republican op-
position to employ political skill and cunning to defeat Democrats
and regain the power they lost in the election of 1960. A few days
ago I read, — as I suspect most of you did — an account of a speech
which Vice-President Lyndon Johnson made in a southern city — a
speech in which the Vice-President warned Democrats of our southern
states of a plan by Republicans to capture that region by stirring up
strife and discord among Democrats. He was cautioning Democrats
to remain on guard against the strategy of divide and rule — a
strategy which is as old as tyranny and as ancient as man's greed
for power.

Now, Maryland and Delaware are border states, with certain

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