Letter from Washington

You don’t have to put your ear to the ground to hear the rumble emanating from the conservative movement here in Washington. Economic sanctions against South Africa are the problem. On one side is the New Right plus certain movement mainliners. On the other is the Conservative Opportunity Society (COS), those energetic young House Republicans, self-styled populists like Vin Weber of Minnesota, Robert Walker of Pennsylvania, Newt Gingrich of Georgia, and Jack Kemp of New York, who are bent on leading Republicans to a majority status, which they feel means ridding the party of any appearance of softness on racism. Hence, their approval of sanctions. Condemning apartheid (as everyone does) is not enough, says the COS. Conservatives must also brandish economic weapons, notwithstanding that sanctions will hurt South African blacks.

Swords were first drawn last December when 35 House conservatives wrote a letter to the South African ambassador condemning apartheid and threatening U.S. Government pressure if changes were not made. Later, the COS was part of the overwhelming House majority (380 to 48) that passed a sanctions bill, for which it was bitterly condemned by the New Right. “Acute moral cowardice,” declared Howard Phillips, stressing that the South African government has instituted “reforms” of apartheid, and is “a target for destabilization” by the Soviets. “The demagogues have taken the high ground,” observed Burton Yale Pines, vice president of the Heritage Foundation. “You’re a racist if you don’t bludgeon apartheid with a sledge hammer.”

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You don’t have to put your ear to the ground to hear the rumble emanating from the conservative movement here in Washington. Economic sanctions against South Africa are the problem. On one side is the New Right plus certain movement mainliners. On the other is the Conservative Opportunity Society (COS), those energetic young House Republicans, self-styled populists like Vin Weber of Minnesota, Robert Walker of Pennsylvania, Newt Gingrich of Georgia, and Jack Kemp of New York, who are bent on leading Republicans to a majority status, which they feel means ridding the party of any appearance of softness on racism. Hence, their approval of sanctions. Condemning apartheid (as everyone does) is not enough, says the COS. Conservatives must also brandish economic weapons, notwithstanding that sanctions will hurt South African blacks.

Swords were first drawn last December when 35 House conservatives wrote a letter to the South African ambassador condemning apartheid and threatening U.S. Government pressure if changes were not made. Later, the COS was part of the overwhelming House majority (380 to 48) that passed a sanctions bill, for which it was bitterly condemned by the New Right. “Acute moral cowardice,” declared Howard Phillips, stressing that the South African government has instituted “reforms” of apartheid, and is “a target for destabilization” by the Soviets. “The demagogues have taken the high ground,” observed Burton Yale Pines, vice president of the Heritage Foundation. “You’re a racist if you don’t bludgeon apartheid with a sledge hammer.”