What Will History Say About Reagan?

After reading The Times article “Reagan Era: What Will History Say?” (Part I, Aug. 21) on the Reagan Administration I thought back to the 1920s and the administrations of the very handsome and personable President Warren G. Harding and his successor, the laconic Calvin Coolidge.

For several years, Harding, the very model of chivalry, had charmed the country while he left the practice of government to his friends, and Coolidge adopted the maxim that the business of government is business. They promised the nation prosperity. And, they delivered! We enjoyed an upward spiraling economy, land prices rose, the stock market soared and everybody got rich. Not everybody.

Harding’s friends looted the Veterans Bureau and sold off Navy oil reserves; the soaring land prices often were for worthless land, the stock market soared on inflated margins and the bubble soon burst. And, farmers were in deep trouble.

Today, we have a personable, charming President acting every bit the serious ideologue. His ignorance is exceeded only by his pretentiousness. He has aged in his terms of office, but he has not grown (in wisdom.)

He has delegated the practice of government to his friends while he charms the nation from a helicopter pad.

His friends have looted the Pentagon and engaged in shady deals from Iran to Nicaragua and from New York to California.

He promised prosperity and he delivered. Land prices are up, the stock market up, inflation and unemployment are down. Almost all land prices are inflated in the extreme and, as is seen in parts of Texas and Louisiana, the land is worthless. Small family farmers are in serious financial trouble. But, Reagan smiles through it all and promises more of his prosperity. And, he offers the nation another Coolidge.

Harding was an amateur. The corruption in Harding’s term pales before that of Reagan’s term. No President ever suffered such administrative malfeasance.

Secretary of State Charles Evans Hughes conducted the affairs of state admirable. Secretary George Shultz has tried but has been defeated by Reagan’s “heroic adventurers”--Ollie North, John Poindexter, Elliott Abrams and Robert McFarlane.

If we stand tall today we might look down at our feet and realize the morass of inequity and failure our failed policies have created or deepened, both domestically and internationally.

THOM HENDRICKSON

Professor of History & Government

Cerritos College

Norwalk