Senator Kennedy, I'd like to ask you what you think of Dean Rusk's recent claim that

the effect of anti-Vietnam war demonstrations in the states may actually be to prolong

the war rather than to shorten it.

The war is going on in Vietnam being extended in Vietnam really because of the determination

those who are adversaries, the North Vietnamese, the Viet Cong National Liberation Front.

I don't think a particular action takes place, military action takes place in South Vietnam

because of the protests here in the United States.

I think that even if all the protests were ended and even if all of the objections to

the war came to an end here in this country, that the war in Vietnam would continue.

I'm sure to some extent the fact that there are some protests gives some encouragement

to Ho Chi Minh and to others, but I certainly don't think that that's the reason that the

war is continuing and why the casualties are going up.

Well, I definitely think that the demonstrations are prolonging the warb in that they're

giving the enemy, and I believe must face defeat on relative comparison to the power

of the two nations, they're giving him encouragement to continue, to hold out on the hope that

the division here in America will bring about a peace without defeat for that enemy.

Many of the demonstrations now taking place in this country could not legally take place

if there was a legal declaration of war, so we, I think, are faced with a choice here.

Again, and I'm sure the Senator agrees with me, America will jealously guard this right

of dissent, because I think the greatness of our country has been based on our thinking

that everyone has a right even to be wrong.

I'm Charles Collingwood, and this is town meeting of the world, the latest in an occasional

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