Agnew Praises Hard Hats In 'Human Events' Article

Vice President Agnew has published an article praising the "hard hats" -the helmeted construction workers who recently rampaged through the streets of New York and St. Louis beating anti-war demonstrators-as "Patriots" who are "contributing to unity in America."

Agnew's article, entitled "Aren't Hard Hats Also Entitled to Their Views?", was published in the Aug. 15 issue of Human Events, a right-wing Washington weekly newsletter. The accompanying picture shows Agnew smiling and wearing a hard hat marked "Agnew."

The article was first published as a substitute for a syndicated newspaper column by Victor Riesel.

Although Agnew says that "this Administration has the strongest feelings against violence," he states that the "hard-hat" violence "offers a contrast to the campus violence of recent years" because it was "quickly brought under control by the leaders of the workers themselves."

In addition, Agnew says that "leftwing radicals who have shown them selves disposed to violence have left no doubt in the minds of Americans that their purpose is to destroy."

However, he says that the "hard hats" -whom he calls "the men who built America" -are "justifiably angered."

"And if at times they lose their tempers and throw a punch or two," he adds," ... theirs is a protective anger that is stirred by reasonable resentment against those who would destroy what they themselves could never build."

Agnew praises the "hard hats" for defending "the values of self-reliance and hard work, of modesty and self-restraint and respect both for our parents and for tradition, a belief in God, and a conviction that there are times when we should fight a war in order that future generations might be free."

Agnew also states that the "hard hats" are "contributing to unity in America" by supporting President Nixon's policies even when they did not vote for him.

The true villain behind the conflict racking America, Agnew says, is "not the bellicoseness of a few construction workers, but the supercilious attitude of some of the more educated members of our society who look down on policemen and plumbers and hard hats as inferior."

"When someone spits on the flag he is spitting on unity, and that is why the hard hats struck the demonstrators on Wall Street who were spitting on the flag," he adds.

J. C. von Helms, a Harvard graduate student who left Cambridge in June to become a speechwriter for Agnew, said last night that the Vice President's article had "definitely not" been intended to encourage more violent "hard hat" demonstrations like those in May.

"He specifically said that he did not condone it," von Helms added. "He merely wanted to show that there were some differences."