JOHNSON WOOS NEW SUPPORT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00001R000100100073-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 27, 2000
• Sequence Number: 73
• Publication Date: August 11, 1965
• Content Type: NSPR

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Approved For ReleasMA09WO o3 : CIA-RDP75-
CPYRGHT
CPYRGHT
BRIEFINGS FR: CONGRESS
CAI I . .Jr
By hMARY Mr.GfOBY
' S4aa?SIatL Wl'1LCC
heart talks with Congress, i
five scctiotis, on the Vietnam
esc "war,' have gone, 'as' swim
mingly as, a similar' exercis
.with the, nation's. governors tw
weeks ago.
1-Ins ssuccess' with the goveh
Hors, whom he summoned in
body from their conference
Minnesota, gave him the ide
for the congressional briefing
Several governors who went u
the steps protesting the decisloi
to boost the U. S. Commitmen
in Viet Nam, announced at hi
July 28 press conference, cam
down declaring complete ac
cord.
'Early reports on the congres
sional briefings have given th
President further hope of sup
port for his present policies.
Said one hitherto skeptica
and critical Democratic senator
"He'roally convinced me that'h
is as anxious as I am to find
way out."
The President told one bate
of senators that he has only tw
objectives;'in South Viet';N.am
4'ne'is.not to be thrown otzt an
the other is to getout as soo
as possible. ;
The occasions have been goo
hca er, ' aceol hng to aph o
Hill reviewers. The President is
deferential and humorous with
his old colleagues. He ' is sup-
ported by an 'all-star cast on the
dais of the East Room.
He points to Secretary of
Defense Robert S. McNamara
and, Secretary of State ? Dean
Rusk, and he says: "I've told
McNamiara he has 116 days to
keop us in there and Rusk, he
has 116 days to get us out."
The reference is in the idiom
best understood by the practic?
ing ? politicians before him. In
116 days, the second session of
the 89th Congress will recon?
vene. It will also mark the first
day of the 1966' campaign, in
whicih the Vietnamese wa-r could
be a major issue.
If his policies have not borne
fruit by January,, the implica-
tion is the President will have
to reconsider them drastically.
Usin;' "Peacemongers"
The President has? assured his
congressional audiences that he
has unleashed his "peacemong?
ers," as he calls them. He
indicates, in addition to Rusk,
roving Ambassador Averell
~.iarriman 'and United Nations
Ambassador Arthur J. Gold-
berg.
Eugenie Black,, director of the
ekong project, is on hand to'
personify the economic ,rchabili-':
tation efforts that are being
made, CIA Director . Admiral.
Arthur `Rayborn' and Gen.' Ea rl'
Wheeler, chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of..Staff,'.arepresent to
answer. questions about military
and intelligence operations.
"-S 'faP; Chas^?avoid 'dis
cussing the question that has
weighed most heavily on his'
mind in recent weeks - the
Vietnamese refugees. A flood of
photographs and television
scenes of civilian victims of'
Marine attacks has caused
dismay in the administration.
Pictures of mothers with dead
or wounded babies, of live
orphans assisting each other out?
of their ruined homes, they,
realize, could hamper both war;
and peace efforts.
The State Department, tlhe:
Defense Department, the White::
House and the U.S. Information;
Agency have met with increas- 1
ing urgency on the matter.
They know that the "war is
hell" theory will not serve
indefinitely. The fact and sight
of civilian suffering could divide
country and world sentiment
about both the lightness. and
effectiveness of U.S. action in
Viet Nam. ,
Approved For Release 2000/08/03 : CIA-RDP75-00001 R000100100073-6