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We have energetically supported legislation coming through the Armed Services Committees and the Appropriations Committees, in working for adequate recognition by the Congress of the concept surrounding the principle of civil defense.

We shared a leading part in bringing into enactment Public Law 85-606 which spells out the responsibilities and prerogatives of government at all levels in national civil defense. We have been diligent in support of budgetary necessities implementing civil defense for 11 or 12 years and we intend to continue such activity.

We come now to the point where other conditions, if they could be worse, have now become worse. The enemy bangs at the Brandenburg Gate and even approaches some yards into West Berlin, an anchor point where we have drawn the line and we will not move. We have read that a retiring admiral predicts that late this year the showdown will come with ultimate weapons and with decisive results to both sides. The national administration has asked of you and received the full budgeted amount for civil defense for the first time in history.

Shelters are being constructed, some improvised, some converted, more signs are going up with the big "S" all over America and I note the construction here on Capitol Hill will afford you, the lawmakers, worthwhile protection from fallout or detonation.

Just as we are sure each of you is determined that there shall be continuity in our Government, we, too, are just as earnest that there be no failure to fill up the ranks and carry on in the true American way and that at all times we shall have as nearly as possible not only a quorum but, shall we say, a "full House" and I add, a full Senate.

Doubtless, most of you know what has taken place at the State level and of the way the legislatures have already adopted their own methods of succession. We have been vitally interested in the demonstration of response in what has been taking place there, quite as much as we are here on the national scene.

The history of constitutional amendments has been that it takes time for them to be ratified, State by State, and it takes usual preponderant percentage of the Members of Congress to act affirmatively in order to get proposed amendments to the people through their representatives in the legislatures.

The Senate has acted several times. And now we wish this year to see the House act first. We are convinced that when you have acted the Senate will joint the issue quickly.

Continuity in civilian government, I am sure, is just as essential in your own thinking as it is with us who, too, are concerned with the democratic process which must endure at all times. It is the welfare of all our people, not just labor alone, which brings us here to this table today. We are quite aware that what is beneficial for all our citizens likewise is beneficial to our own memberships.

A TIME FOR CLEAR, POSITIVE ACTION

The many indecisions which today are characterizing what is going on all around the world are adding to static conditions. This situation is an open invitation to the predatory and imperialistic antifree world to move in, take over, and to hold ground which may never return to the terrestial map as we have come to know it and to believe it would remain during our lifetime.

As the resolution adopted at the AFL-CIO convention in 1957 declared, we continue to hold to be true, even more so if possible today. In part that resolution stated:

"Even in the event of a national emergency, the reins of Government must remain in civilian hands. With proper leadership, the American people will respond and perform voluntarily the tasks which will be required."

In the same year of 1957, there were substantially the same resolutions in your committee, including those by Chairman Celler and Representative Thompson of Louisiana.

We are convinced there is urgent need for adoption of the proposal to assure that the Federal Government's legislative branch shall carry on with the nearest approximation at all times in emergency or disaster to its full strength of numbers.

By whatever method as provided under the several joint resolutions, whether by gubernatorial discretion or by the central committee of the party from which a Member of the Congress has come, the result will be only temporary and until the electorate once more shall have spoken.

PRESCRIBED MEANS FOR OTHER SUCCESSIONS

The decisions and the results can supply the American people a representative Government which are confident will endure through these trying periods and even future crises. This is the stake which labor has in this legislation and the stake which all others possess-that necessary steps be taken preparatory to meeting emergencies as they arise.

For the most part, it takes months and sometimes longer for the draft of a constitutional amendment to make the rounds of the States and to get action. We hope there still is time this year to get his amendment circulated and acted upon and to obtain the three-fourths signatories necessary in the States. Whatever the case, with the standby mechanism available, we will see Government continuing to function in orderly fashion.

As we read the several pending resolutions, in the final analysis, it is the people who shall speak in filling temporary congressional vacancies under the provisions of an existing article in the Constitution. Because this already is the prescribed means, in time of tranquility, we find full reason for supporting a method in conformity with present practice while we alter the Constitution to make it a more perfect document tailored to fit the nuclear age.

It is the House of Representatives which represents the people, district by district, while the Senate represents the States. The States themselves already have made noticeable progress in adoption methods of succession in Government. The Congress and the States long since have spelled out the steps for the presidential succession, thus leaving the Congress to act for itself and the population as a whole.

Of the several pending joint resolutions, the Celler measure appears best to serve the good purpose of congressional succession.

As for percentage level at which the emergency shall be declared to exist, we suggest the lowest percentage, the best, perhaps as low as 10 percent.

We urge, therefore, that without delay, the congressional succession legislation be started toward a successful conclusion.

Mr. RILEY. I would also like to comment verbally and make myself available in response to any of the questions you may have you think I

'can answer.

AFL-CIO probably is the largest individual segment of the American labor. We have a great concern over this legislation. Among the public interest groups of the United States, I think we have been as vigorous as any, or more so than any other outside organization in pursuing basic legislation before the Armed Services Committee and appropriations with which to implement the intent of Congress.

Now, civil defense is recognized as a built-in part of American life and it is the thing that we have been working for for some 10 or 11

years.

We endorse the general purposes of the Celler joint resolution. And with that, I think that will express our deep feeling about the necessity for this type of thing to be done now without further delay.

I note that resolutions of this sort have been pending in your committee since at least 1957.

The world is not going to wait; conditions are not going to wait up for delay after delay. I hope that shortly, even this session of the Congress, we may see action in a definitive form and get the foundation built in the form of a constitutional amendment.

If you find it then necessary to come back and fill in the crevices and cracks and structure in detail, then I hope we can at least have some action at this level without a great deal of postponement.

We have no question about what the Senate will do. It has done it three times. So it is clearly up to your subcommittee on it and the full committee to give its full attention to it.

Mr. LANE. So, Mr. Riley, you come here before this subcommittee today representing thousands upon thousands of labor, organization of the AFL-CIO?

Mr. RILEY. Yes, sir.

Mr. LANE. Sponsoring, fostering this legislation?

Mr. RILEY. That is true.

Mr. LANE. In favor of any legislation that might be brought out here by the committee to take care of this vital situation?

Mr. RILEY. We feel that the Members of the Congress rightfully have their questions, mental or otherwise, expressed and certainly you as an internal operation will want to give full attention. But please, let's move the thing along in your wisdom so we can have somethingto at least feel that we have a type of security to maintain the democratic processes for which we have fought so many wars. Mr. LANE. Thank you, Mr. Riley.

Are there any questions of Mr. Riley?

If not, Mr. Riley, I can appreciate your attendance here this morning.

Mr. RILEY. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. LANE. The next witness is Miss Sally Butler, director of legislation of the General Federation of Women's Clubs.

Miss Butler, you may proceed.

STATEMENT OF MISS SALLY BUTLER, DIRECTOR OF LEGISLATION, GENERAL FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S CLUBS

Miss BUTLER. Mr. Chairman, members of the committee, I have a prepared statement from our organization which I will not take your time to read. It is very simple.

(The statement follows:)

STATEMENT OF GENERAL FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S CLUBS, WASHINGTON, D.C.

The General Federation of Women's Clubs is aware of the destructive potential of nuclear warfare and, therefore, has a vital interest in the work of the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization. Since 1953 we have had resolutions supporting the program of civil defense.

The clubwomen recognize the possibility of mass destruction in case of attack and as good homemakers they believe as a locality, a State, and as National Government, we should be prepared for any emergency. We recognize that there could be great destruction and concentrated loss of life.

There could be many Congressmen, legislators, and other Government officials. killed. If a bomb should destroy the Capitol Building many States could be. left without representation for a prolonged period unless some action is taken now to be effective in such a contingency so that the people of every State would be represented at all times.

We do not know just how this program can best be set up but we do believe that the present provision of the U.S. Constitution could well prove inadequate for the welfare of the people if there were great devastation where State government officials were likewise destroyed.

The President of the United States, Mr. John F. Kennedy, made the following statement relative to civil defense:

"The primary objective of civil defense, survival of our people in the event of nuclear war, is of utmost importance to our Government and to every person in the United States. Protection of our population should be the basic concern of every American who loves his country above his own personal gain. Each one of us should actively seek to give wholehearted support and participation to our local civil defense corps and its objectives. Survival in disaster can be. achieved by each of us only when we join hands together in a team effort for

mutual protection. Civil defense cannot give us survival until we give civil defense our service in the interest of our families, children, and Government. "As a team for survival, we must accomplish more much more than we have accomplished in the past. Time is becoming urgent and unless each of us prepares now, our freedom of choice could very well slip from our grasp. Civil defense is our Government in time of emergency; it will be the very heartbeat of our lives when we need it the most-in enemy or natural disaster. In this most essential and urgent undertaking, let us believe firmly that it is not what civil defense can do for us, but what we can do for civil defense. Through our civil defense program, let us think and work to survive, that our work alone may represent a strong and effective deterrent to any enemy who may rise against us."

Knowing that the President and his official family know much more of the real dangers to our people and to our Government we, as clubwomen, support the administration in their effort to protect our people.

We urge that every effort for continuity in government be made on both State and National levels. We urge passage of legislation which will give the best possible continuity when it would probably be essential to the survival of our way of life.

Miss BUTLER. We do not sponsor any specific bill. We have confidence in your committee, in the Congress of the United States, but we do recognize the situation that if an emergency came, we would have to have something done.

We do not feel you could be in your final analysis too specific as to the individual or a certain section of Congress that would be responsible for the simple reason that war, if it comes today, will not be fought on the battlefield; it will be in the homes and in governments, the seats of government. We have no assurance that practically all of any Congress or any legislature the Speaker of the House, or notwithstanding anybody-could be eliminated.

So we have confidence in you and this Congress. We realize that something must be done.

The 5 million women that I represent are anxious that something be done that will continue our type of government should an emergency, such as this contemplates, come. And I am only here to let know that the women of this country are supporting you in your efforts to try to do what you can to have our type of government continue in case of an emergency.

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Mr. LANE. Miss Butler, I know you represent a great organization of women's clubs throughout the United States, representing the women of our country, and there is no desire on the part of this committee to hurry you or hasten you with your testimony.

If you wish to read your statement, it is perfectly all right.

Miss BUTLER. Well, I am sure that is not necessary. And I know that you are busy and we appreciate the fact that you let us come and really bring to you the fact that we are concerned, we are worried. We want you to do something. And we feel that you know far better than the women of this country what kind of bill, what must be included in the bill.

Mr. LANE. We are thankful for your presence here today as director of legislation of that organization and the fact that you have taken the time to come here and present your statement and oral testimony in behalf of these bills pending here before the committee this morning.

Are there any questions of Miss Butler?

If not, I thank you very, very much, Miss Butler.

Mr. MACGREGOR. We thank you for your kind words and for your brevity, Miss Butler.

Miss BUTLER. Thank you. We believe in that.

Mr. LANE. The next witness is the National Association of County Officials, Mr. Bernard Hillenbrand, the executive director of that organization.

STATEMENT OF BERNARD F. HILLENBRAND, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY OFFICIALS; ACCOMPANIED BY C. D. WARD, ESQ., GENERAL COUNSEL

Mr. HILLENBRAND. Yes.

Mr. Chairman, my name is Bernard Hillenbrand. I am the executive director of the National Association of County Officials, and we will likewise be very brief.

Mr. LANE. What is your address, Mr. Hillenbrand?

Mr. HILLENBRAND. We are at 1001 Connecticut Avenue, here in Washington.

Mr. LANE. And the name of your assistant?

Mr. HILLENBRAND. Our general counsel is Mr. C. D. Ward.

Mr. LANE. Mr. Ward.

All right, you may proceed.

Mr. HILLENBRAND. We are here to strongly support House Joint Resolution 91 or similar legislation.

We do not feel that we are competent to come and testify on the details of how this should be worked out, but we are here to say that there is a tremendous amount of interest throughout the country at the grassroots level in this whole question of civil defense and more particularly in this question of continuity of government.

I think that we have the distinction of being the first, what you might call grass roots, organization to meet in the United States since President Kennedy's Tuesday night speech on civil defense. We can assure you there was an enormous amount of interest on the part of our officials, county officials. They met 4 full days. They strongly endorsed a strong planning on the continuity of government program.

We have with us a report that we have done on the county official's role in having a continuity of government program at the local level, lines of succession, preservation of records, and so on. We would like to make that available to the members of the committee and say that if the House of Representatives takes this action and supports this constitutional amendment, it will help us at the local level.

There is always a feeling on the part of the local officials that the Members of Congress are infinitely better informed on the seriousness of the world situation and as long as the Members of the House have not been able to work out a continuity of government program, it weakens us to a certain extent in the States. It will be very helpful to us if you pass legislation in this area.

I can speak now for all of our county officials; we would strongly support that.

Mr. LANE. And you wish to have your memorandum part of the record?

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