The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • 18

1 8-A Atlanta and CONSTITUTION SUNDAY, AUGUST 25, 1974 Off Ford Warm Campaigning Pays for Continued From Page 1A candidate crinkled his city nose. "Rich, isn't it?" ItSIIIB the threat of Ford's candidacy during the first eight weeks of the primary race. But with only a month remaining before the September primary, Ford's inroads were visible everywhere. The two largest dailies in the district, the Press and the Herald, were giving the young challenger considerable daily coverage. Moreover, they were supporting him editorially and calling for Jonkman's defeat.

Frustrated and enraged, the veteran congressman became petty. One of the downtown sights he heartily disliked was Ford's campaign headquarters, a war surplus red, white and blue Quonset hut that served to remind voters of Ford's military service. Jonkman picked up his tele-phone and called Frank McKay, the political boss. McKay promised he would get rid of Ford's Quonset to appease the angry congressman. "There was a day when McKay could take care of almost anything," Ford said.

"He knew just how to go about it." The Ford campaign headquarters was located on a vacant lot owned by Wurz-burg's, one of Grand Rapid's leading department stores. And Wurzburg's attorney was Julius Amberg, in whose law firm Ford worked. "McKay had someone call was probably the first timet they were ever called upon to work in a congressional race and, man, they really made the difference." With the primary won, Ford took on his new opponent, Democrat Fred J. Barr. Ford defeated him handily, 74,191 votes to Barr's 46,972.

But the election of the new congressman was shadowed by other political news. G. Mennen Williams, stunned Michigan by winning the governorship from Republican incumbent Kim Sigler. President Harry Truman astounded the experts by beating favored Republican Thomas E. Dewey.

And the Republicans lost control of Congress. Ford would go to Washington in January 1949 as a member of a Republican minority in the House. First, however he had to payoff a wager: "During the primary, on somebody's farm I can't remember whose I said that if I got nominated and won the fall election, I would come out and work in the dairy barn for two weeks. So there I was, every morning, from :30 until about 9:30, helping with the cleaning up barn, you' name it MONDAY IN THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION: Young Jerry. Wurzburg's and the man who ran Wurzburg's called Amberg," Ford related.

"He told Amberg that my Quonset hut offended McKay and that Wurzburg's was looking for some favors from McKay. Could Amberg get his young junior lawyer to move his hut?" Amberg called Ford into his office, reminded him that Wurzburg's was indeed a good client of the law firm and asked Ford's opinion on the request. "I told him, 'Mr. Amberg, it would bother me, but we can end our relationship right here. I am not going to move that Quonset And he said, 'Excellent! That's exactly what I hoped you would The hut stayed." The episode was symbolic, notonly as a rebuke to McKay but to Jonkman as well.

On Sept. 14, 1948, Reput lican voters in Ottawa and Kent Counties chose young Jerry Ford by a wide margin over veteran Barney Jonkman. The ballot count for Ford was for Jonkman, it was 14,341. The adventure's great asset, aside from the candidate, according to Stiles, was womanpower. "You wouldn't believe the number of women who were out there working for Jerry," Stiles said.

"It the average voter. Intentionally, or not, it had the effect of making him seem to be one of them, not somebody on a pedestal. And it sharpened the political contrast between Ford and Jonkman. As Ford's campaign manager, Jack Stiles felt this was by far the most important aspect of the primary race. It was absolutely essential to mingle with the voters, to "let them see you, touch you, shake your hand." Why? Because the 5th District once had such a congressman in the late Carl Mapes, Jonkman's immediate predecessor, who had served a quarter-century in the House of Representatives.

"Carl Mapes was noted for his warm handshaking and no speechmaking just going out and meeting people and sitting on a park bench and being one of them. So to some extent Jerry Ford's campaign was a nostalgic repeat of a Carl Mapes campaign. "Jonkman had been cold, capricious and arbitrary in his decision-making in Congress. The people of the 5th District were saying in their hearts, in a reminiscent, sentimental kind of way, 'Why can't we have a congressman like old Carl? Actually, that was the secret of it all." Jonkman had pooh-poohed news coverage, but the daily handshaking tours of food markets, hardware stores, feed mills, business districts of towns big and small, appearances before Rotary, Lions and Kiwanis meetings, 4-H fairs, county fairs, factory picnics, plant gates and spe-c i a 1 1 y-arranged Republican gatherins in the evening were not. Everywhere, Ford offered to debate Jonkman, a challenge that worried some of the young candidate's backers because of Jonkman's oratorical skill and Ford's lack of it.

Jonkman, however, avoided a face-to-face showdown with Ford, contenting himself with shrill statements from his Capitol Hill office, confident that the regular organization would, as always, turn out enough votes to protect his incumbency. Whatever deficiencies Ford exhibited as a thinker, a platform speaker, or coiner of phrases, he more than made up for it with candor. "I don't know much about that," he frequently told audiences during that primary campaign, "but I'll find out for you." He had a forthright style of speaking that endeared him to his listeners, a way of reducing things to a common denominator easily grasped by A squat figure in knee-length boots came down the wide concrete aisle that ran the center of the barn and separated the two lanes of milk cows. Ford relayed the farmer's name to me in a hoarse whisper and added, "Four votes in the family." He whispered again. "Now what kind of cows are these?" "Jerseys," I pronounced with farmboy assurance, "brown with black tails." On the ride from Grand Rapids I had given Ford an easy lesson in identifying the kinds of dairy cattle he would be seeing that day.

It was a superficial explanation, but then, I hadn't come along to help a politican learn about milk cows. Besides, Ford wasn't really interested in the various breeds of dairy cattle, but in the dairy farmer who now stood before us. "Hi, I'm Jerry Ford," the candidate said, thrusting out a hand. "I'm running for Congress in the September pri-mary Republican. Sure hope they told you I would be dropping by." The farmer nodded.

"My missus got the call last night. Kinda figure the rain would keep you away." "Not me," Ford replied. "I'm the waterproof type." They both laughed. The farmer shifted 'his feet, rubbed his hands together and got to the point. "What can I do for you?" Ford was ready.

"I don't know much about farming," he said, "but I'm sure you've got problems that Washington doesn't know about or isn't paying attention to. Now if I were your congressman in United Presi international BLASTS AMNESTY Chicago John J. Stang, new national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, told the VFW that it was impossible for him to display compassion for persons who fled military service. Stang said his compassion was reserved for the families of those who were wounded or killed in the Southeast Asian conflict, for the former POWs, the MIAs and the honored survivors of all our nation's wars, whose service would be made a mockery of should this nation grant amnesty. .1.

X- taw Ford Initiates War on Inflation 'Tv yf J) t- stead of Mister Jonkman what would you like me to be doing for you?" The farmer rocked back on his heels, surveyed Ford and, for the first time, seemed to appreciate his coming. He poured out a 10-minute litany of grievances milk prices, I 0 1 1 9 7 vy ry --Q-t- Decatur Federal. And elect for yourself FedeKJJjD a winner of a way for making money more. pens Ford used to sign the bill. Afterward, Ford summoned Speaker Albert into the Oval Office for a half-hour discussion of legislative matters.

It was similar to a private meet-ing he held with Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield, Friday. It was a low-key Saturday for the chief executive, who scheduled only a half-day in the office. Ford also signed a bill extending for a year a National Health Service Corps scholarship program and student loans for new health profession students for the coming academic year. Another he signed will make special grants available for medical and dental students in District of Columbia schools, specifically Georgetown and George Washington universities. Afterwards, Ford set out to play golf at Burning Tree golf course.

Continued From Page 1A gress, industry and labor, Ford added, "inflation can be licked here and abroad." The new council consisting of eight members and four adviser-members appointed by the President will be in effect until Aug. 15, 1975, at a cost of $1 million. It replaces President Nixon's Cost of Living Council, whose authority to set ceilings on both wages and prices expired April 30. Attending the bill signing were Roy L. Ash, director of the Office of Management and Budget, and economic counse-lor Kenneth Rush, both of whom will serve on the new council.

Two Cabinet members attending were Secretary of Agriculture Earl L. Butz and Secretary of Commerce Frederick B. Dent. Representing the House were Speaker Carl Albert, Minority Leader John Rhodes, and Minority Whip Leslie Arends, all of whom received one of the grain costs, the scarcity of tractors, bad weather, poor roads, and wound up with all the problems that vex city folk and rural residents alike: the rising costs of food, clothing, schools and higher taxes. Not a single word was said about helping Europe recover from World War II, Ford's major campaign issue.

Ford listened attentively. He made a few notes and, when the farmer had finished, the two shook hands again and walked together toward the barn door. Ford handed him a campaign card. "Remember the name Ford. If I get to Congress, I'll remember what you've told me." So it went at each stop.

By Open a 5-14 Passbook account with just $5.00. Your money's always available, and interest is earned from day of deposit to day of withdrawal. Deposits made by the tenth of the month even earn from the first. Like all Decatur Federal savings accounts, yours is insured up to $20,000. And daily compounding means an annual yield of 5.39.

This Super Passbook pays a hefty 5-34 interest to people who are willing to leave their money alone a little longer. Deposits made by the tenth of the month even earn from the first. Initial minimum deposit, also $5.00. Annual yield, 5.92. Our 6-12 Certificate earns this high interest when you leave $1,000 or more deposited for as little as 1 year.

Your money's always available? Annual yield, 6.71. i i i ESCAPEE'S LIST Our 6- V4 Security Certificate, for the highest interest the public can get on 1 ,000 of insured savings in as little as 2-12 years. Your money's always Annual yield, 6.9S. Continued From Page 1A five years for car theft and Aimer was in prison for life on a murder conviction. Wilson declined to identify others on the list but said it "involves a lot of people here in Colorado as well as Texas." Wilson said all the people on William's list "are being watched pretty closely." The trio escaped Thursday night but not missed until hours later when dummies were discovered in their bunks.

Aimer, serving life for murder, and Williams were identi These special certificates pay 7-12 interest on a SI, 000 minimum deposit in as little as 4 years. Your money's always available;" Annual yield, 7.79. A substantial interest penalty is required for early withdrawal. eight oclock, Ford chatted with seven farmers whose households contained a maximum of 17 voters. By 9:30, after a stop for coffee, we were back in downtown Grand Rapids.

It was still raining hard and Ford had spent more than four hours trying to secure 17 votes for his race against Barney Jonkman. How, I asked, did he expect to beat the entrenched incumbent who had name recognition, was Dutch, as were so many of his constituents, and enjoyed a political reputation as conservative as most of the voters of the 5th District? "Maybe I can't do it," Ford agreed as he dropped me off at the Press. "But you heard them say they never had a candidate come to their farm before. Doing it on a rainy day was better than doing it on a nice one. They'll spread the word, wait and see." Ford was to repeat that kind of campaigning many times before the primary election in September, sometimes visiting with the farmers in the barns, sometimes out in the fields, sometimes even offering to help pitch hay while they talked.

From dawn to midnight. Just put an Jim in the box by the plan that sounds best for you. Then fill in the blanks below. Now tear out i i i i i i ballot and send it along with a check tor your Woman Slain By Phone Cord In Musella plan's minimum initial deposit to: Decatur Federal Savings, P.O. Box 968, De Georgia 30031 jm Mittf: I bnr turther information r.a 1 Jnn rp-p- at 377-finn Il 'm fied as former Snyder, residents.

Mangum was serving 3 to 5 years for car theft, while Williams was serving an indefinite term for assault. Colorado prison authorities said the escape was due to negligence by prison personnel. The three stole a car and drove away within sight of guards. New Mexico authorities said the trio is believed to have been involved in robberies and vehicle thefts in three New Mexico cities between their escape and their arrival in Texas. Officers searched for a 1969 model yellow Chevrolet truck-camper with New Mexico license plates.

The pickup-camper was believed stolen along with three shotguns at Lovington, N.M. In New Mexico, state police said three men robbed a service station attendant, his wife, and a salesmen early Friday at a service station in Wagon Mound, 66 miles south of the Colorado line on Inter-state 25. Officers said the victims were tied and left in a utility Ford campaigned the length and breadth of the 5th Dis rr-i jMw (Out of towners call collect area code 404.) 'wk -'m Immmw 0 Jikk MM Mlm Address il A'. CUy State Zip fjf 3 vlliillll Amount Enclosed Term of Certificate, years. I Interest: Credit my account Mail a check IT a.

VMlMklW'-I 1 to me quarterly for interest earned exceeding ef iiiiiiillMi IS fjfc a accoun'? i VVr 111 ilff, 111 ill'l'll Mill ill'" trict. Talking to voters on the farm might be a gimmick, de signed to attract favorable Italian Company Seems Shaky Law enforcement officers in Crawford County late Saturday said they had no suspects in the strangulation death of a Musella woman, whose body was discovered by a neighbor Friday afternoon. A spokesman for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) said Kathy Sue Woods Pierce, 22, of Musella, was discovered in the bathroom of her house with a telephone cord wrapped around her neck. Authorities said Dr. Larry Howard, chief pathologist of the state crime lab performed an autopsy early Saturday and said the woman had been dead about seven hours when her body was found about 5:30 p.m.

Friday. Mrs. Pierce had been divorced from her husband, JLar-ry Pierce of Warner Robins, for about six months. The GBI spokesman said the only witness to the slaying was the Pierces' 3-year-old son Joel. The child is staying with i father while investigation continues.

The body was discovered by a neighbor who often checked in on the family, the GBI said. MILAN, Italy (AP)-The state holding company which runs Italy's national airline telephone system and highway This is a paid commercial message brought to you by your friends at Decatur Federal, the saver's choice. By a landslide network faces serious uncer tainties," the president of the firm said. The report by Giuseppe Pe- trilli, president of 1RI which stands for Instituto per La Ricostruzione Industriale, sent stock in IRI companies plung MAKING MONEY MORE MAIN OFFICE DECATUR BELVEDERE PLAZA CANDLER-GLENWOOD CHAMBLEE-DORAVILLE DUNWOODY EMBRY HILLS LAWRENCEVILLE MONROE NORTH BUCKHEAD NORTH DEKALB CENTER NORTHLAKE NORTH RIVER-ROSWELL ROCKBRIDGE SOUTH DEKALB MALL STONE MOUNTAIN TOCO HILL AND NOW ACROSS FROM CUMBERLAND MALL AND IN CONYERS ing on the Milan exchange. room at the station.

Police said the men took about S60 from the attenndant, Alfred Bustos, and his wife, along with a shotgun. They said Ward B. Harness' of Raton, a salesman, drove into the station while the robbery was in progress. They took $37 in cash from Harness and a check for $198, policy said. Petrilli said in a letter to the government that the group's future programs "will have to be reduced" unless the state can provide quick financial aid..