Though Max Kumer wrote a good argument against the resolution adopted by the convention which prohibits any one 65 years old to run for the Executive Committee, I feel it was a timely and wise thing to do.
A socialist or anyone who wants to be for a well-ordered society ought to promote a policy of when one can get into gainful employment and when one ought to gracefully bow out.
This policy is particularly needed now when it seems we're stuck with peace as the nuclear weapons are making big wars obsolete. Up until these times, wars solved unsolvable problems. Back in the days gone by, there were hard times with unemployment growing; and, when a war was declared, all at once everybody was needed.
In spite of the fact we all put on an act that war horrifies us, wars were important. They reduced populations more effectively than the promotion of birth control. Wars gave us dramas as well as giving everybody something to do. Wars even saved a statesman's job. When he found that everything else didn't work out, he looked for a war to get into and had the people hate another country instead of him. The nuclear weapons will not put up with that kind of comedy anymore.
We've got to adopt a cutoff date for people to get out of the labor market so as to invite eager young ones to earn their right to live. but then Max argued with me that good guys like old Supreme Court Justice Douglas oughtn't to be let go as he kept Nixon from putting bad guys on the Supreme Court. We would be in a pitiful state if only one good guy was found to be able to stand up to evil. As it happened, the Senate saw to it that any mischief Nixon had was easily squelched.
I have faith in the young, and we'd better, as tomorrow belongs to them; and if we want any hope of growth in the organization they better be welcomed in.
He argues that governments do not retire older people; but it is being done in certain areas.
Locally, age limits are being put on judges and even the age-revering Catholic Church is retiring bishops.
He points out that Tito at 80 has not retired, and for that matter another oldie, Mao Tse-Tung, is still big boss of China; but then these two men are heroic father figures.
It is feared that when they pass all hell will break loose as one ambitious upstart tries to outsmart another ambitious one for that glorious job of being number one in their countries.
Perhaps even in this instance there need be no fear. After all, great guys like Kruschev, Nasser, The Lion of Juda of Ethiopia, have left the scene and things go along as if they were never here. And they're more remembered in contempt than in sympathy.
Even the glorious Nixon who had great popular vote left the scene in shame and a whimper.
So what the hell's wrong with retirement? When I'm asked how I like it I answer that I never had it so good. I get up when I feel like it and do what I like and I eat good and enjoy it.
It may be said that we got to have ambition. We got to have a drive and become somebody! I gave that nonsense up some time ago. Ambition for what? Ambition to make a faster car? -- Why, we have too many. To make more war material? We got enough on hand to kill everybody off on this planet already. To make bigger cities? They're too big already. The only thing I can come up with that is good is that we have less ambition to do big things, and that we do less of everything that got us in the mess we're in.
Consistent with Louie Serjak's article, I agree that we're making too much plastic which only makes our landscape dirty. Lots of that good stuff like liquor, tobacco, autos and air conditioners ought to have never been produced as it ends up doing us more harm than good.
It could be said that if you don't like the way it is, then why don't you go and run against those guys who are perverting a nation's purpose. Well, I did try and got licked in running even for a crazy job of precinct committeeman. There's nothing in that job but bother and nonsense.
But that doesn't make me a crabby old man. Hell no! Like a rat who's smart enough not to put up with frustrating mazes and goes to sleep in a corner. I bow out.
Why there are good purposes still to serve. There's our Waterloo road Pensioners Club of which I am president. I joined it to help promote dinners, picnics and tours. This is fulfilling. Right now we are already planning our annual dinner and dance at the Waterloo Rd. Hall on March 22. tickets will be $4. We're always looking for new members to come and enjoy and deliberate with us. Our dues are less for a month than a pack of cigarettes.