Fall 1963 and Protection

[David Boylan]

The following appears in the October 31, 1963 issue of THE WANDERER, p. 6. THE WANDERER had a fairly small audience of right-wingers. The Taylor Caldwell that wrote the following letter is the well-known author and Bircher. TC is replying to Sheldon Emry's letter dated Oct 17 commenting on the extensive protection that JFK had around him on his trip to Duluth in early October.

President Kennedy in Danger?

Taylor Caldwell

I was deeply interested in Sheldon Emrey's [sic] account [Wanderer Forum, October 17th] of Air Force men, soldiers with rifles at the ready, Highway Patrol officers, helicopters, guards, etc., being out in full force day and night when President Kennedy visited Duluth. This account is most extraordinary-- but even more alarming, and not for the reasons Mr. Emery [sic] gives: "Mr. Kennedy is now showing a visible power in the soldiers that he had not openly displayed before."

Personally, and for many other reasons, I do not think Mr. Kennedy "is now showing a visible power...." Only a few months ago Mr. Kennedy mingled affably with crowds, shaking hands, moving among them, shrugging off Secret Service men and leaving them behind. Why, then, this sudden change?

In the first place, the world is becoming more and more turbulent daily, even hourly. This fact appears only in small items in the newspapers; apparently the press is being cautious about the terrible situation, and this is alarming in itself. Despite that test-ban treaty it is most obvious that Mr. Kennedy is quite aware that peace is not at hand and that, on the contrary, the international situation with respect to Communism is growing increasingly ominous. I receive hundreds of letters a year from behind the Iron Curtain, from fans of mine. Lately the letters are full of disquiet, a sense of disaster near at hand. Letters from my relatives in England and Ireland express great uneasiness. It is as if free men everywhere now "feel" a monster threat, even though a few months ago they were somewhat amused, as they wrote me, at America's "attitude towards Russia." Human besngs have instincts as well as lower animals, and it is obvious, to me at least, that human instinct is stirring in fear everywhere. We all know that there is not a spot on earth which is not now in a state of suppressed chaos or open danger or marching with soldiers or war or intense uneasiness.

The enemies of freedom and God are everywhere in every country of the West. It is possible that Mr. Kennedy is in personal jeopardy from them, a matter which is not being mentioned in the newpapers. Indeed, it is very probable. Presidents have been murdered before in our history, and in less dreadful times. Among our enemies there are many madmen. I receive quite a number of pro-Communist and "liberal" periodicals, and some are quite inflammatory against Mr. Kennedy. The tone of the "liberal" periodicals--some of our big monthly magazines for instance--are wrathful against our President. It seems that they had expected him to overthrow the Constitution and set-up a sort of crypto-Communist dictatorship. (They call it "progress.") He has disappointed them, and there is no canard too mean for them to print and no sneer too ugly for some of their pages. His parents, his wife, his children, his brothers and sisters, are held to ridicule in a lot of the "liberal" and pro-Communist press. This may come as a surprise to many of my Conservative brothers and sisters. As that part of our national press is influenced from Moscow it is easy to see the temper of many of them. And that temper can easly inflame madmen. The very fact that Mr. Kennedy is apparently now being so closely guarded should alarm all of us very deeply, whether or not we agree with the President on political matters. The mere though of Mr. Kennedy being assassinated should make all of us shudder for the reprecussions in America would be most terrible and disorder would result at the very least.

Then there are the "agents provocateur" who would just love such an "incident." I know. I read some of their literature. It would delight them--and serve their evil purpose--if harm came to Mr. Kennedy. I have already sent a sample to the Department of Justice; it actually suggested that the President be lynched!

Rather than being alarmed, perhaps we should feel relief that our President is being guarded as Mr. Emrey relates, whether we are Democrats or Republicans. I, for one, am relieved.

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Dave

[Shanet Clark]

Interesting post, it captures the context of the time very well.