Show Letter to the Editor The open letter by Mr Dement Demont Demont De De- De- De mont ment H Howell carried in your issue of Oct 6 raised some questions which it seems appropriate appropriate to answer especially as Mr Howell admittedly knows little about the Mothers Crusade Cru Cru- sade This movement was originally conceived by a group of mothers mothers mothers moth moth- ers of servicemen address PO P.O. Box 53 South Pasadena Calif Subsequently it has been enlarged enlarged enlarged en en- to include all concerned mothers throughout the nation and it is now the Mothers Crusade Crusade Crusade Cru Cru- sade for Victory Over Communism Address of the western headquarters is PO P.O. Box Mesa Arizona The Mothers' Mothers Crusade is becoming becoming becoming be be- coming more widely recognized throughout the nation every day We have just been advised by our national president Mrs J. J A. A Conant of Phoenix Arizona Arizona Arizona Ari Ari- zona the women and men in every state in the Union are carrying the petitions It is expected expected expected ex ex- ex- ex that by next spring we can mobilize women from allover all allover allover over the United States and go to Washington DC D.C. armed with over two million signatures on the petitions asking that legislation legislation legislation legisla legisla- tion be passed immediately to stop trading with Communist countries that are sending supplies supplies supplies sup sup- plies to North Viet Nam and the Viet Cong Congo Mrs Conant is a very prominent prominent prominent prom prom- nationally known figure Last year she was Arizona president president president pres pres- ident of the American Legion Auxiliary and in 1964 she was Arizona State president of the Federated Women's Clubs Other Other Oth Oth- er prominent women in every state are joining the Mothers' Mothers Crusade Stopping aid an and trade with countries that are send military supplies to North Viet Nam will hasten the PEACE we all want and will minimize the number of our sons who are killed Our casualty figures released by the Associated Press on March show COMBAT DEAD 2335 WOUNDED The figures now are arc much higher We mothers are not asking suspension of ALL trade with ALL Communist nations for ALL time as stated by Mr Howell We are only asking suspension suspension suspension sus sus- pension of aid and trade with Communist Countries that are supplying North Viet Nam while the war in Viet Nam is in progress It is just that sim sim- For the edification of Mr Howell and possibly others we would like to quote from an address address address ad ad- dress given by Pres Johnson at the commencement exercises of his daughter Luci His state state- ment was that he welcomed debate debate de Clde bate and new ideas from serious and concerned people on US U.S. foreign policy that such discussions discussions discussions dis dis- dis- dis are one of the great strengths of American racy Of course there can be beno beno beno no decision with which all will agree but ALL WILL BE HEARD We mothers are serious and concerned people and we are taking our President at his word And when we obtain an appropriate appropriate appropriate number of signatures we intend to s send nd a representative group of Mothers to Washington to give the President our new ideas A recent statement issued by bythe bythe bythe the Office of Public Service Bureau Bureau Bureau Bu Bu- Bu- Bu reau of Public Affairs Dept of State captioned Free World Shipping in North Viet Nam says among other things The uThe Executive Branch is mindful of the provisions of the amendments to foreign assistance assistance assistance as as- legislation which call for the denial of economic and military aid to countries that do donot donot donot not take appropriate steps to remove their ships from the North Viet Nam trade Why do dowe dowe dowe we not deny economic and military military military mili mili- tary aid to Communist nations who have sworn themselves to tobe tobe tobe be our enemies and who are directly or indirectly killing the FLOWER OF OUR AMERICAN YOUTH j pres res J Johnson jonnson ana and me the state stare Dept know the effectiveness of economic boycott in order to bring another nation to its knees Consequently they have instituted such a boycott against the friendly peaceful antiCommunist antiCommunist antiCommunist Com anti government of Rhodesia Why does our government not employ such tactics against governments governments governments gov gov- who are supplying the arms etc that are used to kill our sons These are the questions we mothers are asking our leaders in Washington and many senators senators senators sena sena- tors and congressmen are asking asking asking ask ask- ing the same questions The Right of Dissent is one of our precious American Again we say lets let's give our servicemen the wholehearted support they are entitled to THE LIFE WE VE SAVE MAY BE YOUR SONS MANTI MOTHERS' MOTHERS GROUP JANE BRAITHWAITE and ANN HORNUNG Co-Chairmen Co tet aN r ai s talc |