Pro Blue

[John Dolva]

A collection of material aimed at understanding what Pro Blue was. It appears to have been a significant divergence point in the history leading up to the assassination.

A letter in

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.ph...indpost&p=51451

is a starting point. It refers to meetings involving Walker, Thurmond, Prescott Bush and others. At the moment I'm trying to find out what Prescotts contribution/voting record was, but this is incidental to getting to an answer of 'what was/is Pro-Blue.?'

Prescott Bush here in association with the people such as Gen. EA Walker places the current president a hop and skip away from one of the prime persons of interest in the assassination of JFK, if nothing else certainly in spirit which provides a relevance to the network John S. is writing about.

Similarly grouped with them are Chennault, John Birch, JBS, and anti Cuba individuals.

Further::

1 month later

"===========================================================================

==

New York Times, September 8, 1961

McNamara Refuses to Identify Individual Censors in Pentagon

But He Gives Senators a List of Security Staff --

Thurmond Voices Criticism of Policy on Anti-Red Speeches

WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 -- Defense Secretary Robert S. McNamara refused today

to give the name of the person in the Pentagon immediately responsible

for deleting anti-Communist statements from speeches by an Army general.

He did provide a roster of the twelve-man security and review staff,

which clears speeches. But he declined to identify particular individuals

in the section who had made specific deletions.

The demand for this information was made by Senator Strom Thurmond,

Democrat of South Carolina, at the close of hearings before the Senate

Armed Services Committee on his resolution for a full investigation of

charges that military officers have been "muzzled." ...

It was also learned today that Gen. Edwin A. Walker, deposed last spring

from his command in Europe because of the nature of his troop

indoctrination program, had pleaded the military equivalent of the Fifth

Amendment's guarantee against self-incrimination during the investigation

of his case by the Army Inspector General...

The entire transcript of the proceedings involving General Walker, which

runs to more than 900 pages, is in the process of being declassified by

the Department of Defense...

Senator Thurmond's inquiry today related to a speech prepared for delivery

last March by Gen. Arthur G. Trudeau, Chief of Army Research. In

testimony today it was indicated that the excisions had the effect of

softening the general's blunt criticism of Soviet policies and tactics.

Mr. McNamara said that the justifications for the changes was that

negotiations were then going on with the Russians for release of the

downed RB-47. It was regarded as impolitic at the time, he explained,

to provoke the Russians unnecessarily..."

later yet...

=============================================================================

New York Times, November 19, 1961, page 1

KENNEDY ASSERTS FAR-RIGHT GROUPS PROVOKE DISUNITY

Attacks Birch Society and 'Minutemen' at a Party Dinner in Los Angeles

Spread of Fear Scored

President Says Real Threat Comes From Without, Not Within

by Tom Wicker

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 18-- President Kennedy spoke out tonight against the

right-wing John Birch Society and the so-called Minutemen in a speech

at a Democratic Party dinner here.

The President mentioned neither group by name but left no doubt whom he

meant.

[in Atlanta, Senator Barry Goldwater, Arizona Republican, attacked

the "radicals in the White House." At a news conference, he called

President Kennedy the "wagon master" who is "riding on the left

wheel all the time."]

The President, in his talk at the Hollywood Palladium, also made his

first public response to Edward M. Dealey, publisher of the Dallas

Morning News. Mr. Dealey attacked the President at a White House

luncheon for "riding Caroline's tricycle" instead of being "a man on

horseback."

Some 'Escape Responsibility'

"There have always been those fringes of our society who have sought to

escape their own responsibility by finding a simple solution, an appealing

slogan or a convenient scapegoat," Mr. Kennedy said.

Now, he continued, "men who are unwilling to face up to the danger from

without are convinced that the real danger comes from within."

"They look suspiciously at their neighbors and their leaders," he declared.

"They call for a 'man on horseback' because they do not trust the people.

They find treason in our finest churches, in our highest court, and even

in the treatment of our water."

"They equate the Democratic Party with the welfare state, the welfare

state with socialism, and socialism with communism. They object quite

rightly to politics' intruding on the military -- but they are anxious

for the military to engage in politics." ...

Mr. Kennedy chose a region in which the John Birch Society has some of

its strongest support to make his third and sharpest attack on what he

called tonight "the discordant voices of extremism."

In the first two speeches, at Chapel Hill, N. C., and Seattle, he also

warned against left-wing and pacifist extremists. His remarks tonight

were directed to far-right groups and individuals.

The reference to "armed bands of civilian guerillas" appeared to be

directed at the Minutemen, individual groups of which are being

organized and armed in some parts of the country. The organization

is reputed to be particularly strong in California.

Los Angeles is regarded as almost the heartland of the Birch Society.

Two Republican Representatives from its urban districts, John H.

Rousselot and Edgar W. Hiestland, are avowed members. ...

=============================================================================

New York Times, November 19, 1961, page 54

RIGHTISTS PICKET KENNEDY SPEECH

3,000 Parade in Los Angeles in Orderly Demonstration

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 18-- Raucous picketing took place outside the Hollywood

Palladium where President Kennedy spoke.

For nearly an hour, 3,000 persons paraded, carrying signs and chanting

and singing their protests over a variety of issues.

The demonstration, which started rather mildly five hours before the

President spoke, was suddenly stepped up by an apparent influx of

rightists.

Some of the signs carried by men and women wearing red, white, and blue

paper hats, read: "Unmuzzle the Military," "Clean Up the State

Department," "Veto Tito," "Disarmament is Suicide," and "CommUNism is

Our Enemy."

The marchers sporadically chanted "Test the Bomb," and, "No Aid to Tito."

They sang, among other things, "God Bless America" and "The Battle Hymn

of the Republic."

A much smaller contingent of pacifist marchers was elbowed out. Most of

these carried signs urging the end of all atomic testing...

=============================================================================

New York Times, November 19, 1961, page 54

Eisenhower Travels Aloft With Kennedy

SHERMAN, Tex. Nov. 18 (AP) -- President Kennedy and former President Dwight

D. Eisenhower rode together to Perrin Air Force Base near here by helicopter

today after attending the funeral of Sam Rayburn at near-by Bonham.

Senator Carl Hayden, Democrat of Arizona, was also on the helicopter.

Mr. Kennedy and General Eisenhower stood together talking by the side of

the aircraft for about two minutes. Mr. Kennedy gestured repeatedly with

his left hand and appearing to be explaining something to General

Eisenhower. General Eisenhower listened intently and shook his head

affirmatively several times.

They shook hands. Mr. Kennedy then walked briskly to his plane and General

Eisenhower got into an Air Force automobile.

=============================================================================

New York Times, November 24, 1961, page 1

Eisenhower Says Officers Should Stay Out of Politics

Assails Extremists In TV Interview

Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower last night urged officers of the

armed services to shun partisan politics.

Speaking as a General of the Army, he declared it was "bad practice --

very bad" for an officer, even when testifying under oath before a

committee of Congress, to express opinions "on political matters or

economic matters that are contrary to the President's." ...

The former President was blunt in discussing the recent "rise of

extremists" in the country.

"I don't think the United States needs super-patriots," he declared.

"We need patriotism, honestly practiced by all of us, and we don't

need these people that are more patriotic than you or anybody else."

His definition of extremists embraced those who would "go back to

eliminating the income tax from our laws and the rights of people to

unionize... [and those] advocating some form of dictatorship." It

also included those who "make radical statements [and] attack people

of good repute who are proved patriots."

At that point, Walter Cronkite of the C.B.S. news staff, who conducted

the interview, asked about the "military man's role in our modern

political life." He did not cite, but obviously referred to, the case

of Maj. Gen. Edwin A. Walker, who stirred up a controversy that led to

his "admonishment" for the political nature of the indoctrination of

his troops. General Walker lated resigned from the Army.

"I believe the Army officer, Navy officer, Air officer," General

Eisenhower said, "should not be talking about political matters,

particularly domestically, and never in the international field, unless

he is asked to do so because of some particular position he might

hold." ...

The general declared there was hope for disarmament and better

East-West relations. As the Russian standard of living improves, the

Russian people will begin to understand that there is another way of

life, he said...

=============================================================================

Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina first became a member of the Committee on Armed Services of the United States Senate on January 19, 1959. Senator Thurmond's continuous service on that committee covers more than 75 percent of the period of the existence of the committee, which was established immediately after World War II, and more than 20 percent of the period of the existence of military and naval affairs committees of Congress, the original bodies of which were formed in 1816.

________________________________________

http://www.jfk-online.com/jpsgblpjg.html

"Perhaps this would be the logical point to introduce a mutual cquaintance of Banister and Walker: Medford Bryan Evans. The first item concerning Evans is his entry from "Contemporary Authors" (Volumes 25-28 (revised); Gale Research Co.; 1971-78). Evans was born in 1907 in Lufkin, Texas. He graduated from the University of Chattanooga in 1927 and took a Ph. D. from Yale in 1933. He taught at various colleges. From 1944 to 1952, Evans worked for the Atomic Energy Commission in Oak Ridge and Washington, D. C. His last position was as chief of security training. He worked for the H. L. Hunt-created Facts Forum Foundation in Dallas from 1954 to 1955. He lived in Natchitoches, Louisiana from 1955 to 1962, teaching at Northwestern State College from 1955 to 1959, and working as a "consultant" from 1959 to 1962. In 1962, he went to work as managing editor of "The Citizen", official publication of the Citizens' Councils of America in Jackson, Mississippi. Evans was also a member of the John Birch Society and a contributor to its publication, "American Opinion". (see also: McMillen, Neil R. "The Citizens' Council". Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1971) My understanding is that Evans died in the late Eighties. M. (Medford) Stanton Evans, a member of William F. Buckley's circle, is Evans' son.

In 1962, Evans appeared alongside General Walker at the Senate "Military Muzzling" Hearings organized by Strom Thurmond. (Military Cold War Education and Speech Review Policies; Hearings before the Special Preparedness Subcommittee of the Committee on Armed Services, U. S. Senate, 87th Congress, 2nd Session, p 1389)

A review, by Evans, of three books related to the JFK assassination appeared in "American Opinion" for September, 1977. (pp 67-70). In the course of the review, Evans described Banister as "a friend of mine as it happens." (p69, 1st column, 1st paragraph)

An indication that Evans and Banister moved in the same circles in Louisiana is that in 1960 Evans was named as secretary of the Louisiana States Rights Party. Kent Courtney was the party's candidate for governor. David C. Treen, a New Orleans attorney was named chairman, replacing another N. O. lawyer, Felix Lapeyre. (NOTP; January 6, 1960; s1, p11) Kent Courtney was named by the HSCA as a Banister acquaintance. (HSCA; Vol X, 130)

General Walker should be asked about the purpose of his trip to N. O. just before the assassination. Was Banister present at the meetings? Did Walker have direct or indirect contact with Banister before this? Did he ever discuss Banister with Medford Evans? Was Banister interested in the Walker shooting? Did Walker discuss Banister with Evans after the assassination?"

This seems to indicate that for the far right the Walker Pro Blue (others describe it as Pro American, and others as Anti Communist) JBS inspired program was indeed a rallying point for an attack on Kennedy.

Edited January 17, 2006 by John Dolva

[John Dolva]

While looking for material on "Pro Blue" I came anross this reference to a bill which appears in part to be dealing with the followup to the Armed Services subcommittee hearings looking into Walkers resignation/sacking. According to Robert it deals also with outsourcing which is perhaps relevant to other threads.

MEMORANDUM OF ATTORNEY GENERAL REGARDING CONFLICT OF INTEREST

PROVISIONS OF PUBLIC LAW 87-849, FEB. 1, 1963, 28 F.R. 985

January 28, 1963.

Public Law 87-849, 'To strengthen the criminal laws relating to bribery, graft, and conflicts of interest, and for other purposes,' came into force January 21, 1963. A number of departments and agencies of the Government have suggested that the Department of Justice prepare and distribute a memorandum analyzing the conflict of interest provisions contained in the new act. I am therefore distributing the attached memorandum.

One of the main purposes of the new legislation merits specific mention. That purpose is to help the Government obtain the temporary or intermittent services of persons with special knowledge and skills whose principal employment is outside the Government. For the most part the conflict of interest statutes superseded by Public Law 87-849 imposed the same restraints on a person serving the Government temporarily or intermittently as on a full-time employee, and those statutes often had an unnecessarily severe impact on the former. As a result, they impeded the departments and agencies in the recruitment of experts for important work. Public Law 87-849 meets this difficulty by imposing a lesser array of prohibitions on temporary and intermittent employees than on regular employees. I believe that a widespread appreciation of this aspect of the new law will lead to a significant expansion of the pool of talent on which the departments and agencies can draw for their special needs.

Robert F. Kennedy,

Attorney General.

another event involving the CIA funding of private business in this instance subsidising Travel agency for student travel to Cuba. This starts to go a bit off topic but may be related in some way for future ref.

Edited January 18, 2006 by John Dolva

[John Dolva]

another event involving the CIA funding of private business in this instance subsidising Travel agency for student travel to Cuba. This starts to go a bit off topic but may be related in some way for future ref.

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.ph...indpost&p=51451

Since 1952 (which is also around the time that the illegal CIA mail opening programs were started) for at least the following 15 years the CIA funded groups that included SDS, ((FPCC??speculation)) through various dummy funds(including one based in Dallas.). This was revealed by the NSA which eventually led them to discontinue a lot of their activities because of the distrust that followed the revelation. For example it brought an end to their overseas activities like sending student to helsinki conferences. This seems to have been directed by the Armed Services subcommittee (covert action committee #5??) that Symington was a member of (see above), I wonder if one can find out what Prescott's involvement was?

Roberts pushing of this issue led LBJ to speculate that Senator RF Kennedy was preparing for a run at the top job...

Edited January 19, 2006 by John Dolva