Reagan Hits Harshly at Adversaries : Claims Democrats Divide Country, Weaken Defense

President Reagan, in a biting Memorial Day political attack, accused the Democratic Party of “pitting white against black, women against men and young against old”--while trying to weaken the military and promote “giveaway” programs.

He also charged that congressional opponents of U.S. aid for Nicaraguan rebels “are cutting off our chances to avoid a major crisis in Central America.” The President asserted that his critics favor only “closing our eyes and making a wish” that communism will not spread in the hemisphere.

Reagan took a shot at the Soviet Union, which plans Thursday to resume arms control negotiations with the United States at recessed talks in Geneva.

‘Morally Superior’

“Don’t let anyone tell you we are morally equivalent with the Soviet Union,” he admonished Republican contributors attending a fund-raising dinner for Sen. Paula Hawkins (R-Fla.). “We are far morally superior, not equivalent, to any totalitarian regime--and we should be darn proud of it.”

Reagan’s assault on the Democratic Party was by far his harshest since he ran for reelection last fall. And, paradoxically, it came on the eve of a nationally televised address in which he will urge bipartisan support for his new tax simplification plan.

Later, as Reagan flew back to Washington aboard Air Force One, White House spokesman Larry Speakes explained that “it was a political rally and he (Reagan) tells it like it is. . . . The President’s words stand on their own.”

Reagan’s barbed remarks contained the type of direct, uncompromising slashes favored by Patrick J. Buchanan, his new, controversial communications director who supervises the presidential speech-writing team.

Unity, Traditional Values

Speaking in a Miami hotel to the 1,600 GOP contributors who paid up to $1,000 apiece for dinner, Reagan accused the Democratic Party of politically dividing America by race, sex and age. By contrast, he portrayed the GOP as the party of unity, traditional values and common sense.

“We Republicans have been blessed with grass-roots supporters who are committed to the ideals of individual freedom, family values, free enterprise and a strong America,” the President said in his opening remarks.

“While the other party has tried to build a coalition by segmenting America into warring factions--over the years pitting white against black, women against men, young against old--we’ve taken a more positive path. The Republican Party has sought to unite our citizens by building on those fundamental beliefs that made America the great land that she is.”

He added: “We don’t promise quota systems and giveaway programs. We promise to do what’s right for America.” During the 1980 presidential campaign, a similar comment by Democratic incumbent Jimmy Carter prompted a demand from Reagan that the President apologize to the country. Carter later acknowledged that he had made a mistake politically.

Carter had said that the voters on Election Day would “determine whether this America will be unified, or if I lose the election, Americans might be separated black from white, Jew from Christian, North from South and rural from urban.”

Concerning the military, Reagan said that it is crucial to reelect Hawkins next year and keep Republicans in control of the Senate because “the opposition often acts like a weaker America is a safer America.”

“Like it or not,” the President added, “that’s the kind of bizarre logic that will carry the day if the other party regains control of the Senate. But with a Republican majority, we can count on common sense and courage to rule the day. Republicans know it is strength, not weakness, that will ensure the peace. We are fully aware of the threat communism poses to human freedom.”

Criticism of Castro

In Central America, Reagan said, Cuban President Fidel Castro “is behind much of the trouble.” He contended that Castro’s “consuming hatred of America and his ideological commitment to communist tyranny has impoverished his country and oppressed its people.”

Drawing loud applause in a state where anti-Castro sentiment runs high, Reagan ad-libbed: “I have a message for Fidel Castro about the drug traffic. He can tell American television networks anything he wants, but nobody in his regime is going to get away with this dirty drug business.”

Speakes later said that Reagan was referring to an interview of Castro by Dan Rather on CBS-TV in which the Cuban leader, according to the White House spokesman, “denied his country was in any way responsible for the drug trade.”

The Reagan Administration has accused Castro officials of smuggling narcotics into the United States.

Arlington Ceremony

Reagan began Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery, just across the Potomac River from Washington, where he placed a wreath of red and white carnations at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The President appeared to be wiping tears from his eyes as an Army band played the National Anthem, and also later during 30 seconds of silence that concluded the traditional ceremony.

Reagan then flew to Walt Disney’s Epcot Center southwest of Orlando, Fla., where he stood with his wife, Nancy, in an air-conditioned, bulletproof reviewing stand and watched a parade of 20 school bands from 17 states. These bands had been slated to perform in Reagan’s Jan. 21 inaugural parade before it was canceled because of below-freezing temperatures.

Speaking at Epcot, the President said his tax proposals would make the federal tax system simpler and fairer and would launch “a new American revolution.”