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Scene one. Take 194 3/4 On today's report from Washington, Senator Smathers discusses domestic and foreign problems of interest to the people of Florida and the nation. Now here is the first question. Well, some of this matters. This Congress has been said by some to be a do nothing Congress that reminds me of some years ago because, of course you're familiar with.

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I wonder whether you agree with this criticism. Well, if it is to do nothing, Congress is the hardest working do nothing Congress I've ever been associated with because we have labored long. It's possibly with not too much results since January 3rd, I think, actually, before the Congress is over with, we're going to have a pretty good record.

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Also, I think that we must remember that sometimes the country is better off when the Congress does not pass a whole lot of programs and new legislation. And actually, I think this year this is the country is generally in good economic condition. I don't believe we need a lot of programs, but before it's wrong with, we will have.

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I believe a tax bill will have an education bill, would have a public works bill and we will have passed most. We will have passed all the appropriation bill now, Senator, the question of the passage of a tax bill in this particular session of Congress, I think, is paramount.

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You have been conducting hearings as a member of the Finance Committee and I think on this joint committee more recently in questioning Secretary Dylan on these tax matters, what has he come up with? Two sodas. First, he's He is very emphatic about the need for passing it this year in order to keep our economy growing.

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And he is indicates a great apprehension about the fact that while the economy is good at the moment, if we do not add this stimulus and let the private sector of our economy begin to become more productive, that we might get into a recession. Secondly, I think he makes the point very ably, that we're never going to have a balanced budget unless we get the economy producing more effectively and fast.

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Thirdly, he makes it clear that we will have deficits chronic deficits because the Congress is just not capable of cutting $8.5 billion out of the budget, we can cut maybe four billion. But with the deficit this year of eight billion, we've still got a minus of four billion.

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And so the only way to get over this chronic deficit period that we're now in is to stimulate the economy and thereby then do that by getting a tax reduction bill. Speaking of cuts, Senator, the House cut quite a good bit from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration appropriation.

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I think some $250 million. This might affect industry in Florida, Might it? It's drastically if this is not put back. Of course, there are a lot of people who say that we should not be interested in the race for the moon and we should not spend so much money in the space.

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But I think you mean on non military ventures on on sort of non military ventures. But I think that we must remember that in addition to putting a man on the moon first, which gives us of course great prestige, there are many, many side benefits which results from our efforts in space, which actually are not realized, and we must remember that the cost of the space program is $5 billion which actually is less money than we spend every year in the private segment of our economy, on cosmetics, on rouge, on things of that character.

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So it's not a great deal of money. Well, now are you going to fight to restore those funds so that we can keep economy the economy of Florida Road? Yes, in the Senate, we hope to put back those funds so that the economy in Florida will be strong and so that actually we cannot fall behind the Soviet Union.

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Obviously, in the space race project, the nation which controls the better weather satellite in which might be might actually control weather, will be in a very important position. Decide benefits, which we get, for example, of having a radar set developed, which now you can put on blind persons and it's almost as good as eyes and that it lets them know where objects are and where they're walking.

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This is a side benefit. We have got a new side benefit that's developed in Cape Canaveral, resulting from the spacesuits which the astronauts wear, which now permits people who've had strokes who've had heart diseases who have been bedridden to now get up and move about for the first time.

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It gives hope in that field we find with the developed paint put on the Mercury project, which would not peel off as the re entry, uh, capsule came back in, which is now permanent so that once you paint a building, you never have to repaint it again.

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There are many other aside benefits to the space program. Thank you, Senator Smathers. I trust you'll be with us next week at the same time. One again, we report from the nation's capital. Some of this matters on matters pertaining to the state of Florida. We seem to be getting murmurings that you are or are not for a certain candidate for the governor's race.

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Now, can you clarify that once and for all? I'd like to clarify once and for all what I would tutorial candidates who run under the Democratic label and on the Democratic ticket and apparently seek Democratic votes. I hope that they would not run their campaign against the National Democratic Administration or they're labeled.

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I think there are many issues that are involved in the development of the state of Florida, which could give them plenty to talk about. I don't like to see us divide ourselves with Democrats. For after all, Florida has now become, in fact, a two party state, and the Republicans are quite strong.

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Democrat candidates should remember they're going to have to run with the Democratic nominee for the friends. And it appears to me that we can certainly be as smart as the Republicans are being, because every time I pick up the paper I observed, where Nelson Rockefeller or Nixon or Goldwater traveling about the country, saying that while we are arguing with each other, we must all stay united and we must not offend one another because, after all, we will all be together in November.

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But this is merely what I'm trying to preach a little bit in Florida, in my humble way, hope that I will have some influence on all of our Democratic candidates. Certainly I'm going to participate, but only as an individual. I shall vote for my particular as a candidate, the one that I think will do the best job.

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But it's not going to be a matter of public record, I hope well, senator. Let's jump to foreign problems for a moment. This is not a matter of together ship. However, The question of the Berlin crisis seems to have subsided somewhat. We see Adenauer retiring, we see the Soviets again opening up the autobahn, and I'm wondering whether you think that this is really means something.

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Or was this a misunderstanding? In my judgment, I think it was a misunderstanding, as has been stated by a spokesman for the State Department. I don't believe there's been any actual change in the attitude of the Communist. It's brother evident to me that Mr Khrushchev wants to bring about the improved relations with the West.

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And I don't think that he would let just the stopping of two or three trucks on the autobahn as was done, less than 40 men involved altogether. I don't think he would let a little thing like that, and so I think he was quickly straight down.

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But I think Mr Abner, I think that the free world is losing a great champion in him. Free world is losing a great person who believes in freedom and democracy must have great respect for Mr Abner, who came in right after war. And who made his country, uh, which had been our enemy, a greatly respected country and who has made it an active participant in the free world activities.

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And I think it's been done mostly because of his own iron wheel and determination. And I think he's one of the great men of our times, and he deserves all of our Thanks, Senator, a question of an analysis of propaganda we see madam knew who I think can compete with some of our gorgeous ladies from your state of Florida on television constantly.

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Is she helping her cause are hurting it? Well, I would like to say that, Tom, but my mother comes from Virginia, my father from North Carolina. I'm considered a Southerner, and I hope I'm a Southern gentleman. And I think with respect to ladies, I should not comment Well.

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Now let's comment a little bit on what's happening to the south of us. Is that condition worsening? I'm referring to the Central and South American countries. Well, we've seen, of course, the coups in Honduras and the Dominican Republic. Uh, there's a great danger in Venezuela today.

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There's great unrest in Brazil. Uh, Dr Elliot has just been sworn in as the new president of Argentina, and we hope that he will be in a frame of mind to cooperate with the United States. Frankly, I don't think that we're any worse off than we were.

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As a matter of fact, I think we're better off. I can recall 20 years ago when there were dictators and very strong Dictatorships in some a 16 of the 22 South American countries, and that wasn't very long ago. And today, while we have some, I think that it's evident that in some instances they do improve the situation.

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I don't believe our government can encourage military coups, but I don't think we should either lock ourselves in to say we're against everyone. Because certainly if the military took over from Fidel Castro took over in British Guiana and upset those governments and brought on a constitutional government in time, I think we would all benefit from that particular coop.

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Thank you, Senator Smathers. I trust you'll be with us next week at the same time when again we report from the nation's capital