Sen. Arthur V. Watkins’ OPEN LETTER to Salt Lake Tribune Nov. 5th 5th 1956 Citizens of Utah I AM NOT a candidate in this election, but one of the candidates has attempted to make me an issue. As far as my personal feelings are concerned at makes little difference if the charges hurled at me are answered or not, because I have complete confidence that time will vindicate me. I can afford to wait. But there may be candidates injured and well-meaning citizens who would be misled in their voting if these accusations, flimsy as they are, were not met head on. Therefore, in the public interest and as a duty I am citing some of the principal charges, together with my answers: “I (LEE) ACCUSE SENATOR WATKINS OF FRAUD IN REPRESENTING THAT GEORGE CLYDE WAS A TRUE REPUBLICAN….” This charge has completely failed for want of real evidence, although much promised by Governor. To recapitulate: George Clyde says he is Republican and has consistently voted the Republican ticket. Where is there a witness who can contradict him? Cache County Republican officials, where he spent much of his life, certified to his party standing. Secretary Benson, a lifelong friend, so certifies, and I have known him as a Republican for nearly 10 years. His record of Republicanism is fully as good, if not better, than that of former President Hoover and of President Eisenhower at the same stage in their careers. During much of his public career Mr. Clyde has served in positions where he could not participate in political activities. And I respectfully submit that the record shows that the has shown much more consistent loyalty to Republican principles than has Governor Lee during the past four years. “SENATOR WATKINS USED A CORRUPT POLITICAL MACHINE TO DEFEAT LEE.” The truth is I do not now have and never had a political machine, corrupt or otherwise. Machines are built on political patronage subject to discipline by the so-called political boss. With my congressional colleagues from this state I have recommended and there have been appointed some 12 Utahns to major posts - four of these to judicial posts: Judges David T. Lewis, A. Sherman Christenson, George W. Latimer, and David J. Wilson; one, Ed Morrissey, to a semi-judicial post as hearings officer for the Subversive Activities Control Board, The Judiciary is completely divorced from politics. Others recommended and appointed were A. Pratt Kesler, U.S. district attorney; Henry Kipp, Federal Housing Administration, Utah director; George R. Huntsman, executive secretary mortgage program; Howard Call, U.S. marshal; Jerry Jeremy, manager, U.S. Department of Commerce, Salt Lake; Clarence A. Anderson, state director, Farmers Home Administration; Dr. Edgar B. Brossard, reappointed chairman U.S. Tariff Commission. All of the above named, except the judges, are within the shadow of the Hatch Act and are out of politics theoretically and actually. Also, I have a personal staff of nine full-time employes and three part-time employes. More than 90 per cent of their time is spent in Washington. My “political machine,” if it rates the name, could only consist of my personal staff, and that is Washington. Compare that, if you will, with the governor’s State House patronage of more than 4,300 state employes, average, under his jurisdiction and subject to the will of the governor and his commissioners. If the matter weren’t so serious, this charge could well be the laugh of the season. “SENATOR WATKINS INTENDS TO RUN THE STATE OF UTAH FROM WASHINGTON IF CLYDE IS ELECTED.” This is pure bunk. I supported Governor Lee twice, but he knows and all the people know, that I did not try to run his office. I certainly do not intend to change my policies in the future. Being a senator is a full-time job. I seek no other. Rather it has been Governor Lee who has tried to run the nation from our State House. This charge is unfair to Mr. Clyde...It leaves nasty inferences and is unworthy of the man who made it. “SENATOR WATKINS USED HIS CONGRESSIONAL FRANK TO DISTRIBUTE A SPEECH HE MADE ON THE FLOOR ATTACKING ME (LEE).” Completely false. The governor requested equal distribution of his reply to my defense of the President’s integrity, which the governor had attacked, so I paid out of my own pocket for the printing of both my remarks and the governor’s and envelopes in which to mail them. There was no frank on the envelopes. I also paid the 3 cents postage stamp for each envelope that was mailed out. “SENATOR WATKINS WENT UP AND DOWN THE STATE DENOUNCING GENERAL EISENHOWER AS A MILITARY MAN DURING THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY OF 1952.” I was in Washington, D.C., all the time of the pre-convention presidential fight of 1952 and did not return to Utah until after Eisenhower was nominated. I took no active part in that pre-convention fight. I was a candidate for renomination at the time. “SENATOR WATKINS PROMISED THAT HE WOULDN’T TAKE PART IN THE PRIMARY.” No such promise was made nor was one asked of me. In answer to a reporter’s injury, I said that I did not then intend to take part. I was not a delegate. That statement was made prior to the nominating convention. Governor Lee continued his attacks on the Eisenhower administration, which justified my increased activity. “SENATOR WATKINS BROUGHT ABOUT THE DEFEAT OF TWO GOOD REPUBLICANS IN THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION.” I was not a candidate. The governor was. Only two could win out of the four who were running. This points up the absurdity of the governor’s statement. By his own campaign for nomination the governor worked to defeat at least one of those men, since if he were nominated then one of them had to be defeated. Clyde defeated the other one. “SENATOR WATKINS HAS A FEUD WITH GOVERNOR LEE AND IS A LEE-HATER.” I have supported him in three elections for governor and had the honor of appointing his son Jimmy to West Point - an act I’ve always been very proud of because Jimmy was an outstanding graduate of the Academy and a credit to his family, the state, and the nation. I doubt that these actions bespeak of hate for Governor Lee, or his family. “SENATOR WATKINS INTERFERED IN UTAH POLITICS BY TAKING PART IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY.” The truth is that I was wholly within my rights - which the governor has admitted - to support any candidate that my judgement indicated should be supported. Not only do I have the right to act but traditionally a senator has been regarded as one of the leaders of his party with some responsibility to aid the party in selection of candidates. That is true in other states of the Union. In 1950 I publicly urged Republicans to taken an interest in the senatorial nomination so that there would be the strongest kind of opposition to a New Deal senator. I heard no Republican criticism at the time. It is a little difficult to believe now, but only a few years ago Republicans had to hunt for candidates to fill the ticket. This year I publicly urged the renomination, without opposition, of my Republican colleagues. Up to date no Republican has publicly criticized me for that action. With the state entering a new era of growth and development I believed special attention should be given to the nomination of a candidate who would best meet the needs of the new era and would work in harmony with the Eisenhower administration. “GEORGE D. CLYDE IS THE HAND-PICKED CANDIDATE OF SENATOR WATKINS.” The truth, I regret to say, is that I can claim no credit for “discovering” George D. Clyde as a gubernatorial candidate. His name was first urged upon me by Utah Republicans who believed that Utah needed a governor with his background and ability to usher in our second hundred years of development. Having seen George Clyde’s brilliant work for more than two years in support of the Colorado Storage Project, I couldn’t help but agree as to his background and ability. Later when I was home in April at the Republican Organization Convention, I was besieged by delegates who were fearful that Governor Lee could not be re-elected because of anti-third term sentiment, his continued opposition to and criticism of President Eisenhower and most of his major policies, and the numerous enemies he had made through eight years of a turbulent administration. Although the outlook for Republican success in the election of governor was not very promising, even though the Eisenhower administration seemed to be highly popular. George Clyde seemed, under all the circumstances, to be literally the man of the hour for both the Republicans and all the people of Utah. I make no apologies for supporting him wholeheartedly and without reservation with such help as I could legitimately give during the course of a rather busy life. I reaffirm all the reasons I have already publicly given why he should be elected governor. “THE FULTON LEWIS JR. CHARGES.” They are all false. Mr. Lewis, chief defender and apologist for Senator McCarthy of Wisconsin, has repeatedly attacked me since I began my work as chairman of the McCarthy Censure Committee. Nothing but a complete whitewash of McCarthy would have satisfied Lewis. More than two-thirds of the Senate agreed with the fairness of the work of the committee over which I presided. It is significant that Governor Lee was accepting his defeat gracefully and was supporting Mr. Clyde until Mr. Lewis came on the Utah scene. Then everything changed and, thanks to Mr. Lewis and his interference, we now have the present disagreeable situation. I sincerely regret that circumstances have placed upon me the duty of making this statement. I urge Utah voters to return my congressional colleagues to office as a part of the Eisenhower team, to vote the Republican ticket straight from top to bottom. That way, in my humble opinion, the best interests of this state and nation can be served. Sincerely, Arthur V. Watkins Political ad paid for by Arthur V. Watkins, Orem, Utah.