European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 31, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse                                So Surdov augu.1 31, the stars and stripes Page s highlights of platform adopted by democrats Chicago up follow ing Are excerpts from the party platform adopted by the demo cratic National convention principles in America and in the world Over Strong forces for change Are on the move. Systems of thought have been jarred ways of life uprooted institutions Are under siege. The governed Chal Lenge those who govern. We cannot stand still until we Are overtaken by events. We dare not entrust our Livest the Blind play of Accident and Force. We must March atthe head of events and by re Flection and Choice make the impulse for change the agent of orderly Progress. The world the conscience of the entire world has been shocked by the brutal and unprovoked soviet aggression against Czechoslovakia. By this act Moscow has confessed that it is still the prisoner of its fear of  dark Days should not obscure the solid achievements of the past years. Nuclear War has been avoided. West Berliand Western Europe Are still  Asia the tragic Vietnam War has often blinded us to the quiet and constructive develop ments which affect directly the lives of Over a billion people and the prospects for peace everywhere. National defens Ethe soviet attack on and in Vasion of a Small country that Only yesterday was Moscow s peaceful ally is an ominous re Versal of the slow trend toward greater Freedom and Independence in Eastern Europe. The re imposition of soviet tyranny increases the risk of War i Central Europe a War that could become a nuclear Holo  must and will maintain a Strong and balanced defense establishment adequate to the task of Security and peace. Arms Contro defense measures and arms control measures must go hand in hand each serving National Security and the larger inter ests of peace. The soviet  i o n and the United states still have a com Mon interest in avoiding nuclear War and preventing the spread of nuclear weapons. We will press for further arms control agreements insisting on effective safeguards against violations. Middle East the Middle East remains a powder Keg. As Long As israelis threatened by hostile a n d Well armed neighbors we will assist her with essential Mili tary equipment needed for he defense including the most advanced types of combat air Craft. Vietnam our most urgent task in Southeast Asia is to end t h Ewar in Vietnam by an honorable and lasting settlement which respects the rights of All the peo ple of Vietnam. In our Pursuit of peace and stability in the vital area of Southeast Asia behave borne a heavy Burden in helping South Vietnam to coun Ter aggression and subversion from the  reject As unacceptable a unilateral withdrawal of our forces which would allow that aggression and subversion to succeed. We have never demanded and do not now de Mand unconditional surrender by the  strongly support the Paris talks and applaud the initiative of president Johnson which brought North Vietnam to the peace table. We Hope that Hanoi will respond positively to this act of statesmanship. Recognizing that events i Vietnam and the negotiations in Paris May affect the Liming and the actions we recommend we would support our govern ment in the following Steps Stop All bombing of North Vietnam when this action would not endanger the lives of our troops in the Field this action should take into account the response by Hanoi negotiate with Hanoi an immediate end or limitation of hostilities and the withdrawal from South Vietnam of All for eign forces encourage All parties and interests to agree that the Choice of the postwar government of South Vietnam should be determined by fair and Safe guarded elections open to Al major political factions and Par ties prepared to accept peaceful political processes until the fighting stops accelerate our efforts to train and equip the South vietnamese army so that it can defend its own country and carry put Cut backs of . Military involve  should simultaneously do All in our Power to support an encourage further economic political and social development and Reform in South Vietnam including an extensive 1 a n d Reform  the future we will make it Clear that . Military an economic assistance in a s i a will be selective. In addition to considerations of our vital interests and our resources Weill take into account the de termination of the nations that request our help to help them selves and their willingness to help each other through Region Al and multilateral  want no bases in South Vietnam no continued military presence and no political role in vietnamese affairs. Foreign aide support a strengthened . A n d . Development foreign Aid program that is responsive to changing Circum stances and is based on t h e recognition As president John son put it. That self help is the Lifeblood of economic develop  Trade world Trade is essential to economic stability. We shall build upon the Trade expansion act of 1962 and the Ken Nedy hound of Trade negotiations in order to achieve greater Trade cooperation and pro Gress toward Freer International Trade. Taxes we will continue to use tax policy to maintain steady eco n o m i e growth by helping through tax reduction to Stim ulate the Economy when it i sluggish and through Tempo Rary tax increases to restrain  thorough revamping of our Federal taxes has been Long overdue to make them More equitable As Between Rich and poor and As among people with the same income and family responsibilities. All corporation and individual preferences that do not serve the National in Terest should be removed budget our goal is a balanced Bud get in a balanced Economy. Ally o v e r n m e n t expenditures should be subject to firm tests of efficiency and essentiality. To will thoroughly review and update the National labor relations act to assure an effective Opportunity to All work ers to exercise the right to org Anize and to bargain collectively including such amendments a repeal of the provision per mitting states to enact c o m Pul Sory open shop Laws Exten Sion of the act s Protection to farm workers employees of private non profit organizations and other employees not now Cov ered removal of unreasonable restrictions upon the right of peaceful picketing. Housing for the first time in history a nation is Able to rebuild or replace All of its substandard housing even while providing housing for millions of new families. This Means rebuilding or replacing 4.5 million dwell ing units in our Urban area Sand 3.9 million in Rural areas. To achieve this goal in the next 10 years we will assist private Enterprise to double it volume of Home building we will give the highest priority to federally assisted Home building for Low income fam Ilies. Jobs for the first time in the his tory of the world it is within the Power of a nation to eradicate from within its Borders the age old curse of  growth is our first Antipoverty program. Beyond that lie the measures necessary to assure that every american of every race in every Region truly shares in the benefits of economic Progress. To the maximum possible extent our National goal of full employment should be realize through creation of jobs in the private Economy where six of every seven americans now  those who cannot obtain employment the Federal government will be the employer of last resort. Civil rights we commit ourselves to wipe out once and for All the stain of racial and other discrimination from our National  have also come to recognize that Freedom and Equality require More than the ending of repression a n d  victims of past discrimination must be encouraged an assisted to take full advantage of opportunities that Are n o w opening to  will continue to support the Model cities program under which communities themselves Are planning and carrying out the most comprehensive plans Ever put together for convert ing their worst slum areas into Model  will charter a new Federal banking Structure to provide capital and investment Guaran tees for Urban projects planned and implemented through local initiative. Old in citizens benefits under old age. Survivors and disability insurance should be raised and should readjusted automatically to reflect increases in living  c a r e for the aged should be expanded to include the costs of prescription drugs. The minimum age for Public assistance should be lowered to correspond to the requirements for social Security. Justice am la we Are firm in our commit ment that equal Justice underlay shall be denied to no one the duty of government at every level is the a Seiy an Security of its people. Vet the fact and fear of crime Are uppermost in the minds of Ameri cans today. The entire nation of United in its concern Over crime in All forms and wherever it occurs. America must move aggressively to reduce crime and its causes. Democratic presidents g o a errors and local government officials Are dedicated to the Prin Ciple that equal Justice under Law shall remain the american Creed. Those who take the Law into their own hands under mine that Creed. Anyone who Breaks the Law must be held accountable. Organized crime cannot be accepted As a Way of life nor can individual crime or acts of violence be permit Ted. As stated by uie report of the National advisory commis Sion on civil disorders the two fundamental questions confront ing the american people Are How can we As a people end the resort to violence while rebuild a better society How can the nation realize the Promise of a single society one nation indivisible which yet remains unfulfilled this platform commits t h democratic party to seek Reso Lution of these questions. Education our aim is to maintain state local control Over the nation educational system with fed eral financial assistance an help in stimulating changes through demonstration an technical assistance. Every citizen has a Basic right to As much education and training As he desires and can master from pre school through graduate studies even if his family cannot pay for this education. Youth we Welcome the bold thinking and exciting ideas of  will support a constitutional amendment lowering the voting age to 18.we favor an increase in youth representation on state delegations in future democratic conventions. Steps should retaken to include youth advisors on All government studies com missions and hearings which Are relevant to their  support a random sys tem of selection which will re Duce the time period of eligibility for the draft and ensure Equality in select i proce dures. Welfare e v e r y american family whose income is not sufficient to enable them to live in decency should receive assistance free of the indignities and uncertainties that still too often mar our present  payments and eligibility standards for the aged the Blind the disabled and de pendent children should be determined and financed on a fed eral basis in place of the present inequitable  d e r financed Hodge podge s t a t e plans. Business Small business plays a Vita role in a dynamic competitive Economy it helps maintain Strong social fabric in communities across the land it build concerned Community Leader ship deriving from ownership of Small enterprises and it maintains the Challenge and com petition essential to u free Enterprise  assure a continuing healthy environment for s m a 1 1 Busi Ness the democratic p a r t y pledges to assure adequate credit at reasonable costs assure Miriall business a fail share of government contracts and procurement encourage investment in re search and development of Spe Cial Benefit to Small Enterprise assist Small business in Tak ing advantage of technological innovations provide centers of information on government procure ment needs and foreign Sale opportunities. The democratic party i pledged to develop programs that will enable members of minority groups to obtain the financing and technical management assistance needed to succeed in launching and of. Rating new enterprises. Medical care the Best of modern medical care should be made available to every american. We support efforts to overcome the remain ing barriers of distance Pov erty ignorance discrimination that separate persons from Ade quate medical  the last eight years of democratic administrations this nation has taken giant Steps Forward in assuring life and health for its citizens. In the years ahead we democrats Are determined to take those final Steps that Are necessary tomake certain that every Ameri can regardless of economic status shall live out his years without fear 01 the High costs of sickness. Through a partnership of government and private Enterprise we must develop new coordinated approaches to Stem the Rise in medical and drug Cost without lowering the Quality or availability of medical  care comprehensive group practice arrange ments increased availability of neighbourhood health centers and the greater use of sub professional aides can All Contri Bute to the lowering of medical costs. Transportation America is a nation on the move. To meet the Challenge of transportation we propose a dynamic partnership be Ween Industry and government at All  utmost urgency is the need to solve congestion in air traffic especially in airports and Between major metropolitan enters. We pledge intensified efforts to devise equitable meth ods of financing new and improved Airport and Airway facilities. Urban and inter Urban transportation facilities Are heavily overburdened. We support expanded programs of assistance to mass transit in order to avoid increasing congestion and decay of Center cities and to link residential and work areas. Despite the tremendous Prog Ress of our interstate Highway program still More superhighways Are needed for Safe and rapid motor transport. We Nee to establish local Road networks to meet regional requirements. Productivity on our railroads has improved greatly but there is need for further strengthen ing of the nation s railroads so that they can contribute More fully to the nation s transport requirements. In particular we will press Forward with the Effort to develop High Speed Pas Senger trains to serve m a j o r Urban  assume our proper place a a leading maritime nation we must launch an aggressive and balanced program to re place and augment our obsolete merchant ships with modern vessels built in american ship Yards. We support  of the Panama canal. We will continue to Foster development of harbours purls and Inland Waterways particularly regional Waterways systems the  Seaway and modernization of the Panama canal to accommodate our expanded water borne Commerce