The U.S. Senate Class of 1976; 6; Senator J. Glenn Beall

The United States Senate class of 1971. This year 11 the freshman five Republicans five Democrats and one conservative joined the ranks of the 100 and America's upper house of the legislative branch of government. Here for the national educational radio network with a profile of one of these new United States senators is your host Bill Moroney. And then the senator from Maryland is another one of those former congressman to whom election meant moving across Capitol Hill from the House of Representatives to the Senate. His name is Jay Glenn Bell Jr. and he was pleased with the change.

Well first of all it means it is a great honor to be selected to represent all of the people of Maryland in the United States Senate. It means. That I can ban my role as elected representative from being a member of the House of Representatives and representing a part of the state now representing the entire state interests of the whole state. It means also as part of I'm concerned that I can now take a greater role in the legislative process because as a member of the House of Representatives I'm one of 435. And as most people know they are very serious restrictions on younger members because of the rules of seniority. There are serious restrictions imposed just because of the size of the body. And while the rules of seniority still apply in the United States Senate because you're one of a hundred you have a much greater opportunity to participate in the actual motivated in the actual legislative process and I think you contribute more as a member of the Senate.

Perhaps Senator Bell is a Maryland man all the way. He was born in Cumberland Maryland on June 19th 1927. I was educated in the state's public schools in Frostburg Maryland and later attended Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. After graduation from high school Glenn Bell entered the Navy and served as an enlisted man during World War 2. After leaving the Navy he entered Yale University. In 1950 he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree and a commission in the Naval Reserve. After college he returned to his home state of Maryland. He entered the going to surance business with his father and is still an active member of the insurance company of Bell Garner and gear incorporated in 1953 he joined the Republican leadership in Maryland with his election to the presidency of the Maryland Federation of young Republicans. He was also County GOP chairman from 1958 until 1952. In that year he was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates and was immediately selected by his fellow delegates as minority floor leader. He stayed in the House of Delegates until his election to the

United States House of Representatives from the sixth Maryland congressional district in 1968 in the house he was greatly respected by his fellow members. He was selected by his fellow freshman representatives to serve in their stead on the Republican Policy Council of the house and was part of a special Republican study group charged with the reexamining the congressional seniority system. Glenn Bell has long been and still is a very active member of community affairs in his home Allegheny County of Maryland. He is the director of the First National Bank and Trust Company of Western Maryland in Cumberland Fidelity Bank in Frostburg and the Cumberland fair association. He is also director of the Maryland society for crippled children and adults. The Allegheny County League for crippled children and the Maryland Children's Aid Society he serves two is a member of the lay advisory committee of the Sacred Heart Hospital in Baltimore. Glenn Bell is currently a member of the American Legion the Rotary Club the Elks and Moose lodges the shrine and various Masonic orders. He was an active member of the St. John's Episcopal Church in Frostburg. Glenn

Bell even married a Maryland girl the former Nancy Lee Smith of Cumberland the bells now have one daughter probably more than any other member of the 1971 freshman class. Glenn Bell is extremely locally oriented when asked about his pet projects an area that usually includes varied federal programs and issued for other congressmen. Senator Bell immediately ticked off a list of Maryland projects. We have things that are a concern to us in Maryland. I mean it was sponsored to see you know in our national historic park legislation passed the House. We hope to get the Senate. This would preserve this national park and make it a Historical Park as you know now all the way from Washington to Cumberland Maryland which is about 150 miles. I'm concerned about that. The matters of the environment as a fact stated on the ticket with regard to Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay. As a matter Representative now the entire state are concerned with the development of the Port of Baltimore legislation

furthering that end in the in the Congress and federal level as a representative of the entire state and I'll be more concerned with mass transit but it's late and I have to pass because in both the Metropolitan hubs of my constituency that area around Washington that area around Baltimore there's a great need for mass transit a mass transit system in each instance. And of course the federal government will play a major role in constructing such a system on a national level Senator Bell still keeps as close to home as possible. Domestic issues top his list. They aren't the usual high public city impact issues that get batted about on a daily basis. What appears to be important to Senator Bell are long term long fought legislative issues that affect a great many people but somehow never seem to make it into the headlines except on rare occasions. I think there are several issues important. At the present time I think perhaps the most dramatic issue of importance at this juncture in history is the deliverance of health care

in this country. I would suspect that for the next two years the debate that will attract most attention is the debate that will center around some sort of insurance plan that will even be a national insurance plan it will be a plan using both public and private sectors of our economy to provide an insurance program for the people of this country so they can afford to care provide for their own health care. And secondly it will be a program involving the improvement of the deliverance of health care services because we do have a doctor shortage and we can talk all we want about insurance but insurance isn't much good unless you can get the service delivered to the people. And so we must improve the our ability to deliver the service we must train more doctors we must train more nurses and we must overhaul the whole the whole health care process in this country that's very important. I think revenue sharing support I think. The time has come when we have to put more reliance on state and local governments to select their own priorities for the jobs that have to

be done. I think they have the capacity to administer the programs. But I do think that they are restricted because of the real property tax in the growth of the tax base and I think the federal government's going to have to share some revenues with these governments. I think it's very important also that the Congress itself clean up its appropriations procedures because in most instances we find that the Congress is legislating in December appropriations for the fiscal year that began the preceding July. And this works a hardship on the executive branch of the government in that it impedes the efficient operation of our governmental process and works a very serious hardship on local and state governments who must budget in advance of the determination of the amount of federal aid coming to them. And I think we have to get to work on that. We have to do a better job in that regard. I think perhaps they were going to change the whole system of doing business we may have to authorize a year in advance of appropriations of the appropriations committees can then provide the money before the beginning of the fiscal year. I

think welfare reform is still a very very important item that must be considered and we must find some solution to this problem because our welfare rolls are growing every day and we are involved in an endless cycle the present program is kind of a bottomless pit and we've got to have a program to provide some hope for the people that are welfare recipients. Revenue sharing of course is meets with some resistance in certain circles because there's a group of people who think that if the federal government provides the money it must retain control absolute control of the expenditure of that money. I don't agree with this of course because I think. The federal government should provide the money with this little strings attached as possible to get the maximum value out of the tax dollars that's being provided. But there have to be some resolution of this dispute between these two points of view. And I would suspect this will take a little time to resolve and therefore it won't get the immediate consideration perhaps that where welfare reform might get during his election campaign gun control and law and order the crime issue rose to preeminence.

Senator Bell's opponent charges that he had never once introduced a single piece of crime legislation since entering the house at all fairness Mr. Bell was only in the house for one term and most of that time as it is with most new representatives was spent learning that Asheville congressional reps on crime Senator bell now voices some very definite positions and ideas. Law and Order and I've always felt and I said when I ran that I felt that the best deterrent to crime was a recognition on the part of the potential criminal that he's going to be punished for the crime that he might commit. And this translates I think into it to a legislative point of view in that we must legislate at the federal level the proper amounts of money for the operation of the courts we must see to it that there are enough judges that there are enough prosecuting attorneys at the federal level. I think we must see to it that there is a constant revision of the criminal code so that the penalties prescribed in the law take into account the differing circumstances of the times in which we live. I would think that the state government should do likewise.

The federal government also has a role it can play in training police officers and helping to provide the tools with which police officers who are local people can better do the job and I think there's a training function that can be done at the federal level we should support that. Now syncs also think there's a record keeping job that can be done at the federal level so that we have good accurate records as to criminals and their movements. They can be helpful to local police. Senator Bellevue is one of the biggest criminal problems facing this country is drug abuse. He sees efforts of Drug Control already underway and believes that a continued drive in the same direction is necessary. I think tremendous strides were made in the one first Congress last year when they passed the Drug Control Act of 1070 in the drug abuse act of 1070. And time will tell what changes are needed in these in these acts. Needless to say I still feel that the penalty should be on the drug seller and sympathy should be given to the drug user who in most cases is a very innocent young victim of someone else's greed and therefore I think we all have rehabilitative programs

and we all have good educational programs to point out the hazards to young people of using drugs and at the same time we want to severely penalize those who deal in drugs. If any reporter were to ask almost any senator what is the major foreign policy issue facing the Senate today. The answer what nine times out of ten zero in on the Indochina War but not in the case of Glen bell. That's a difficult question to answer. I suspect the problem is a continuing problem in the Middle East is an issue but perhaps one of which the Congress doesn't have too much control because the settlement of the trouble in the Middle East rests with the disputing parties and we can only hope that our country can be successful in having these people sit down at the table with each other and work out their problems. True so that they're mutually satisfied. I think as far as the Congress is concerned a determination has to be made as to the extent to which the United States is going to commit itself abroad. This means perhaps revision of our

troop strengths in various countries around the world. It means a greater reliance on military aid rather than actual providing actual bodies to do the job for these people. And as we withdraw our troops there for other points in the world it's incumbent upon the Congress to provide as a substitute a degree of military aid to all out of these people to do that job themselves which has been done for them by our men. And although this will cost us some money it's going to end up with a great saving because by the mere fact that our own men aren't there it means we save a lot of money and money spent for military aid. I would be probably will be money wisely spent because it allows us to substitute their men for our men. Senator Bell expresses a guarded reluctance to venture too far into the realm of foreign policy to determine whether this is a just a personal reluctance or an overall conviction. I asked him to comment on how much the Senate should become involved in America's foreign policy and affairs.

Well if the Senate has constitutional responsibilities impose on it. Admittedly the conduct of foreign affairs rest primarily with the president as it should and perhaps the legislative body can't respond quickly enough. To be of much assistance to the president However the recent legislative body should I think exercise a constant oversight or overview of the part of their policy of the administration and of course the legislative body retains the fiscal control over foreign affairs as it should. And so I think the Senate ought to be continually concerned about the part of our foreign policy of the United States and I think the Senate ought to take some initiative and I think in this regard perhaps the Senate ought to be continually reexamining our treaty obligations which have been previously ratified to determine of the conditions today are such the same as existed at the time the treaties were ratified and perhaps the conditions might change so it would be advantageous to change some of these treaties. And so I think there ought to be a constant reexamination of our commitments.

Since entering the Senate his idea reexamining treaties has been picked up and has already quietly underway with public hearings not too far away. That idea may turn out to be one of the major contributions of the 90 second Congress. Continuing along the foreign policy line and into the area of U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia Senator Bell disagrees with a popular Senate philosophy that such events as the Laos invasion the Cambodian incursion and even a resumption of the bombing of North Vietnam are changes in American foreign policy and therefore the president should consult with Congress especially the Senate before exercising such decisions in the future. No I don't think there are foreign policy changes. I think there are steps taken in execution of an already announced policy the president announced the Vietnamization policy with regard to Ward Southeast Asia and he announced we would withdraw our troops and every step he's taken since then has been in the presence of that particular policy. And I don't see as a any

air raid or an incursion such as Cambodia a change in policy. I only see that as steps taken to to bring this involvement Southeast Asia to a conclusion in line with the probably sleep policy previously announced by the president. Now I think the long range however the Senate should take a role in the future commitments of American men to other parts of the world or to continuing commitment in this part of the world and in this respect. In the last Congress I co-sponsored in the house some others a bill that was stablished guidelines for the president to use involving American men in other disputes. I don't think that the president in the case of a national emergency can come rushing to the Congress because the Congress doesn't react quickly enough. But the president can have his actions confirmed by the Congress and in the absence of a positive confirmation it can be

taken as a as a Congressional rejection of an action taken by the president. Never for a position from which the president should withdraw. But you have to establish these guidelines in advance so the president knows the rules under which he's operating. A Senate a bill mentioned a reassessment of American troop commitments abroad. One area under extreme Senate scrutiny is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization NATO now heavily dominated in force and financial support by the United States. Many of the European member nations have become upset of late over senatorial cries and recommendations that U.S. troop strength in Europe should be cut greatly. Well I think we probably have enough men and I at this juncture can't can't say whether we should be withdrawing them or not. Suspect that we're going to have to call on our allies to contribute more extensively to the common defense of Europe than they have been in the past and perhaps we can substitute some of their men for our men.

Senator Bell is concerned about Europe. You apparently is in some agreement with military analysts to predict a cut in U.S. force on the continent would encourage the Soviet Union toward both military and political adventurism. Bell sees western Europe as a possible Cold War psychological battleground during the 1970s. Well it would appear that it might be headed in that direction. It would appear that the Soviets are trying to make inroads among our friends in Europe and trying to play one friend off against the other. And I think we have to be very careful about this. And we have to make sure that our our friends over there know what's happening to them in the game that's being played. Senator bell makes no secret of where he stands in relation to his party's leadership both in Congress and the White House. I happen to be a team player generally if you will my legislative history as a member of the state legislature and. The members of Congress now in the Senate I believe that you accomplish change when people work together to bring about this change and I happen to believe that we need new programs and as long as these new programs being presented by the

past and are of the nature of the programs such as reform of our welfare system or revenue sharing or improving the health care then I'm happy to support them. Senator Bill rejects the implication that he is self-described label of team player is just a veiled synonym for the less flattering label of rubberstamp. And those are charges made during the last election I think I pointed out that my record of support for President Nixon was even less than my public support for President Johnson during a comparable periods of our tenure in office. Senator Bell's opponent in the 1970 election was the incumbent Democratic Senator Joseph tidings tydings was favored to win in the heavily Democratic state of Maryland. In fact tydings was the only major Democratic candidate to lose in 1970 on election night Democratic National Chairman Lawrence O'Brien also a close friend of tidings was unable to express anything other than shock at his friend's defeat. Senator Bell explains how he was able to win.

I think there are number of reasons and I can't attach any importance to any particular reason over another. The basic reason in Maryland for a Republican to win has to be dissatisfaction with the Democrat incumbent. No Republican in the state of Maryland and nationally has ever been elected because people were voting for him they've generally been voting against the incumbent in the office. This goes back to the time when Governor McCallum was virtually acting governor because people were voting against the sales tax and Governor lane goes back to center but I come back to my father goes back to Governor Agnew and Senator Mathias. We were and myself we were all the beneficiaries of a dissatisfaction with an incumbent. Now hopefully we have hope to get re-elected our own on our own record have people vote for us. But the basic ingredient to any Republican sess success initially in the state is dissatisfaction with the incumbent and apparently there was that. Greedy and in my election in 1970 the Bell family involvement in the United States Senate goes back quite a way and it has fluctuated back and forth between the bell and tidings family for a quarter of a century. Sen. tydings father held the seat for a long time until he was defeated

by a Republican who was later retired. Then Glen Bell Sr. won the seat. Joseph tydings defeated him in 1964 a landslide year for Democrats across the country. And now Glenn Jr. has taken the Senate seat back into the bell clan being a close supporter of President Nixon and looking ahead to an expected re-election bid in 1972. Senator Bell offered some observations and advice. I suspect a big plus for President Nixon. As of today it will be a success in the conduct of the foreign affairs of this nation. And the question mark remains the state of the economy and if the economy as we hope is on the upswing as it should be by that time then I would think that Mr. Nixon's chances of re-election are extremely bright. And the only thing that I would think that would cloud this picture would be a reversal in the economic picture and otherwise I think that Mr. Nixon has that the public support it's

necessary to bring about re-election. Glen Bell hopes to be a good senator and he hopes his service will last longer than one term. My ambitions right now are to do the best job I know how and being a United States senator from Maryland My my basic interest in him could aid in the government have been in the appropriations process and in the money raising and spending process I think this is a very hard government. And so I would strive someday to be a member of the appropriations or finance committees of the Senate. And again these are committee assignments that don't come to the junior senators they come to those with more seniority. But I do think that this all the while committees are important. These are two that are of particular interest to me. Of course the chairmanships come with seniority and with the particular party control of the Congress. And so in this case it would mean that I would have to serve here quite a while and it would mean also the Republican Party would have to gain control of the United States Senate. Something we hope well I'm not in the predicting business I can't predict

that at this juncture. But I would hope we could make gains in the next elections so that this is possible. Jenny Glen Bell Jr. United State Senator from Maryland. His record proves his dedication to public service. He is concerned with problems that affect his state's constituents. He doesn't avoid the spotlight of national publicity but the issues and legislation that Senator Bell will be working on aren't the type to provoke attention grabbing controversies. They just demand hard work. He may be criticized for ignoring the major international issues of immediate importance but he's answers on foreign policy may indicate a so far unproven foresight concern with the major issues that will affect our future Marylanders would do well to keep an attentive eye on the new senator. He may prove unsuited for his new high office but most likely he will turn out to be one of those hard working senators too often ignored by the news media where the backbone of the American legislative process. This is Bill Moroney.

Of the United States Senate class of 1971. It was produced in Washington D.C. for the national educational radio network with one provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. This is the national educational radio network.