May 1, 1962 - Former President Eisenhower said today that American concepts of beauty, morality, and decency were declining. Speaking at the dedication of the $3 million Eisenhower Library in Abilene, Kan., he singled out modern art and the twist dance craze for special scorn. General Eisenhower contrasted the twist with the beauty of the minuet. More sternly, he denounced the use of “vulgarity, sensuality, indeed, downright filth,” as a sales promotion tactic in motion pictures and books. General Eisenhower’s basic point was that the nation’s spiritual and patriotic development had lagged behind scientific, industrial, and material accomplishments. The former President added: “Now, America is the strongest nation in the world, and she will never be defeated or damaged seriously by anyone from the outside. Only Americans can ever hurt us.” His 25,000 listeners included old friends and neighbors, Vice President Johnson, and other political figures.
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