THE CONGRESS: Meeting the People

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As it is essential to liberty that the Government in general should have a common interest with the people, so it is particularly essential that the [lower house of the Congress] should have an immediate dependence on and an intimate sympathy with the people. So the author of The Federalist wrote of the U.S. House of Representatives— and so, in that same spirit, to five United Auto Workers' pickets huddled around a fire outside a Buick Motor plant in Flint, Mich, last week, came a small, balding man with a cracker-barrel voice: "Hi, fellows. I'm Chuck Chamberlain, your Congressman. I brought you some matches in case this fire runs out."

Charles Ernest Chamberlain, 41, Republican Representative from Michigan's Sixth District, began handing out red-white-and-blue matchbooks bearing his name, his photograph, and a key word: "Re-elect." One of the pickets turned his back, growling: "We don't need you around here." Deep in Democratic U.A.W. territory, Chamberlain was undismayed.

"Hey," said he, "we need two sides to everything, don't we? Isn't that the American way? Gee, I used to work in the plants myself. I know something about your problems." Cried the hostile picket: "You don't know anything. All Republicans are lousy, and your President is the worst goddam one of the bunch." Demanded a second picket: "Why are you coming around here?" "That," replied Chamberlain, "is the way our Constitution is drawn. We go out politicking every two years, and if you don't like us you can kick us out." "Don't worry," snapped the second picket, "we will."

Coming Closer. Campaigner Chamberlain kept at it. "That's your privilege," he said. "But if I am elected I will still welcome your criticism. I don't want you to write and tell me I'm a dirty dog. That doesn't help. But constructive criticism I welcome. There's plenty of room for differences of opinion. As long as I am Congressman. I represent all the people in the district—those who like me and those who don't like me."

Somehow, somewhere, Chamberlain hit a responsive chord. A third picket spoke up hesitantly."I think you're O.K.," said he. "I like your approach." Campaigner Chamberlain moved into the warmth of the fire, rubbed his chilled hands. "Thanks," he said quietly. "Now if your buddies will stop heckling me for a minute, there is one thing I'd like to say: the Government is a lot closer to you than you think. Maybe you don't like me, but every two years you have your chance to put in the man you want. And believe me, that keeps the Government very, very close to what you want it to be. That's good. That is the way it should be."