
          Denton and Helms: The Enemies Within.  Patriotism in Peace
          
            
              Arkansas GazetteFrom the Arkansas Gazette
            
          
          Vol. 4, No. 6, 1982, p. 9
          
          Betty Bumpers' Peace Links may draw from a remarkable episode in
the United_States Senate impressive reassurance that it is gaining in
effectiveness and influence. The Senate, only hours before adjourning,
not only adopted a resolution asking President Reagan to declare
October 10 Peace Day under Peace Links' auspices but also rose to put
down a budding resurgence of McCarthyism.
          The touch of McCarthyism was provided by Senator Jeremiah Denton of
Alabama, who told the Senate after the resolution was passed that
"Four organizations on the Peace Links advisory board are either
Soviet controlled or openly sympathetic with, and advocates for,
Communist foreign policy objectives."
          Courtly rules usually apply during open Senate session, but Senator
Denton's outrageous remark appropriately justified an exception to the
rule, and senator after senator rose to reject the accusation. Among
those rejecting Denton's remark as nonsense were Mrs. Bumper's
husband, Senator Dale Bumpers, and Senator Gary Hart of Colorado.
          There is absolutely no evidence that Peace Links has any degree of
control by or association with Communists, and Senator Denton himself
offers no basis for his accusation other than the fact that he said
it. (Another demagogic political figure in these parts was fond of
remarking that "just because I said it doesn't make it so" but Senator
Denton apparently sticks to what he asserts, without aopology.)
Denton's staunchest defender during the exchange on the Senate floor,
some will say appropriately, was his fellow compatriot of the New
Right, Senate Jesse Helms of North_Carolina. Even Helms didn't say
that Denton knew what he was talking about, but instead criticized
those senators who criticized Denton.
          Now that Senator Denton's flirtation with McCathysism has been
answered on the Senate floor, the episode may turn out to be helpful
to Peace Links and to Peace Day for it has called a good deal of
attention to both. Peace Links was born out of the purest of motives
end it remains guided by the purest of motives by Mrs. Bumpers and
others who see it as a way to dampen the growing dangers of a nuclear
conflict between the United_States and the Soviet Union.
          Peace Links will not be discredited by such outrageous attacks as
that made by Senator Denton. It is one of many grass-roots
organizations that are demanding that steps be taken at the highest
political levels to prevent a nuclear war. Peace Links and other like
groups are practicing patriotism of a high order.
        
