Eisenhower

So Vice President George Bush looks to Dwight Eisenhower as a model President (Part I, Sept. 11). Bush will need to make some radical changes in order to follow those footsteps.

Although a conservative of his time, Eisenhower would be considered more liberal today. In 1953, he said these words that speak to weaponry: “Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.” Further he said, “I do not see much hope for a world engaged in this all-out effort on military buildup, military technology, and tremendous attempts at secrecy . . . together we must learn how to compose differences, not with arms, but with intellect and decent purpose.”

These words are in extreme conflict to those of Bush. Even Michael Dukakis sounds conservative by comparison. It almost sounds more like ideas put forth by Jesse Jackson.

Surprised by Eisenhower’s comments? One final thought by this man who seems liberal by today’s standards: “. . . I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of their way and let them have it.”

MARGARET BAKER DAVIS

Modesto