Dear
Roy: I imagine that the running of a great chain of newspapers requires you to keep quite a broadly based research staff on the job.1 Your "listening posts" may give you an entirely different impression of what is going on in the mind of the United States than I would get from the reports that come to me through other channels.
As you and I have always agreed, the only criterion by which we should measure any proposed legislation act or program is the good of the whole country. Consequently, reaction within a particular political district or from a particular group, while important to a reporting Congressman or delegate, is not necessarily representative. Sometimes I feel that my own reports tend to become a bit lopsided, or at least tinged with partisanship. But there would seem to be no good reason for your own reports to suffer from this particular defect. Consequently, I would like it very much, if you could ever find the time and inclination, to give me your general impression of the national reaction to the domestic and foreign programs we have developed and are sponsoring.
These various proposals have been fairly well outlined in the State of the Union message and, in addition, there has been some publicity concerning their special features. Completely outside the program, of course, is the unwise current attempt to amend the Constitution.2
In general, I should like to know more about popular reaction to the attempts (1) to keep our money sound, (2) to balancing the budget, (3) to cutting expenditures, and (4) to striving steadily to lower taxes after the other projects are completed. (5) What are the rural and urban reactions to the over-all farm program? (6) The same applies to the emphasis we are placing on the air features of the defense program and (7) the efforts we are all making to stiffen the backbones of our friends abroad and to give greater life and vitality to the coalition of which we are the leader.
Similar information respecting the (8) social security, health, housing and unemployment insurance plans would also be valuable.3
Concerning the Bricker scheme I doubt whether there is any argument for or against, or any demagogic appeal, big or little, that I have not heard. In this area the big difficulty is that people simply have not been given accurate information. It is an intricate subject, but the big thing to remember is that one of the basic reasons for the meeting of the Convention in 1787 and for the writing of the Constitution was to make sure that the making and carrying out of international obligations would be the exclusive function of the Federal Government. On this point the Constitution makers were adamant because they had been through the unfortunate experiences of the Confederation.4
I have long been prepared to support any amendment to reassure the American public that all treaties and international agreements are subordinate to our Constitution and of no force or effect if they are not in accord with it. But I will not, under any circumstances, agree to any amendment that shifts or materially changes the historical balance of power among the three governmental divisions, nor will I, by the slightest iota, agree to anything that would weaken the power of the Federal Government in the area of treaty-making. There shall never be passed on to the future--with my consent--a weakened Constitutional structure in this vital business.5
The further we push along the road of time, the more delicate and difficult become our relationships with other nations. Consequently, the task of arranging these relationships becomes constantly more delicate and intricate. I wish the public could know more about these things--in fact, I may finally attempt to do my part in helping to spread such information.
I realize that I have asked you for a big order. I do not expect any exhaustive and analytical examination into any of these subjects. However, on my assumption that you are the center of a very good fact-finding organism in this country, I am anxious to have your views, no matter how sketchily or roughly stated.6
With warm personal regard, As ever
