-- September 17, 1964
Arch Madsen, president of the church-owned KSL, relayed to the First Presidency an inquiry from a committee of broadcasters charged with selecting a new president of the National Association of Broadcasters. The committee wished to know if Benson, who was on their short list, would be available on a full-time basis to serve in that position. "After hearing all the facts pertaining to the matter," McKay dictated in his diary: "I indicated that so far as the Church is concerned, Brother Benson would be available for such an appointment." Hugh B. Brown concurred with McKay's decision, but added a strong qualifier, saying "if Brother Benson severed his relationship with [the John Birch Society] and accepted this position as a non-partisan assignment for the benefit of the Church primarily, he could do a lot of good; otherwise, he could do us a lot of harm." Benson was not offered the position. (1)
-- 1964, October
Observance of Family Home Evening reemphasized. (2)
-- October 1964
While on his European mission Benson authorized the Birch Society to publish a talk he had prepared as an endorsement of the society. In addition, he authorized the society to publish his photograph on the cover of its magazine in October 1964. This issue of the Birch organ also favorably reviewed Benson's just-published Title of Liberty and observed that he "is a scholar and a patriot, [but] he is primarily a man of God." (3)
-- 5 Nov 1964
U.S. representative Harding, who had condemned Benson in Congress, publicly praised his exile to Europe, and circulated the anti-Benson letters of church leaders, was defeated that fall for re-election. Harding and others saw his defeat as a result of Mormon voters' distaste for public criticism of LDS leaders and as evidence of Birch Society influence.
To the contrary, an analysis of election returns from 1960 to 1964 shows that Harding overwhelmingly retained the support of Mormon voters. In fact, in Madison County with its 91.7 percent Mormon population, the number of votes for Harding actually increased from 1960 to 1964, despite his public criticism of Benson. In other words, public criticism of Benson in the 1960s seems not to have alienated a large majority of faithful Mormon voters. They may have shared Harding's dismay at the apostle's endorsement of the Birch Society. (4)
-- December 1964
Benson ... authorized the Birch magazine to publish his "The Christ and the Constitution." (5)
-- April 1965
12 Dec 1964 The FBI's director publicly denied communist dommination of the NAAP. (6)
-- 16 Dec 1964
Reed Benson becomes John Birch Society coordinater of washington D.C. (7)
-- 1965
FBI directory Hoover left the impression with Benson that they were friends and fellow fighters of communism. Files show they exchanged copies of books and speeches. Hoover sent messages of encouragement when Benson was sick and when his stepmother died. He wrote a note of thanks for Benson's service when he left the Cabinet. He also once invited Benson to have his son, Reed, apply to become an FBI agent. In turn, Benson invited Hoover to speak at an LDS Church general conference (which Hoover declined), to attend a concert by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir with Benson's wife, to allow the LDS Church's Deseret Book Co. to print a compilation of Hoover's speeches (which did not happen), and even to attend a song recital by one of Benson's daughters.
"I realize that only in the next life will we fully appreciate all you have done to preserve freedom in this country," Benson wrote Hoover in 1965. "I am most grateful for your exposure of the communist conspiracy and for the wonderful organization you have established in the FBI." (8)
Endnotes:
1 - David O. McKay diary as referenced in Greg Prince, David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism
2 - Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Daniel H. Ludlow (editor), New York: Macmillan, 1992, Appendix 2: A Chronology of Church History
3 - Benson, An Internal Threat Today (Belmont, MA: American Opinion (1964); the Birch Society's American Opinion 7 (Oct. 1964): cover page and 43-44, 97. These are referenced in in D. Michael Quinn, "Ezra Taft Benson and Mormon Political Conflicts", Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 26:2 (Summer 1992) and Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power Salt Lake City (Signature Books, 1994), Chapter 3
4 - "How Could He Lose?" Idaho Daily Statesman, 5 Nov. 1964, 1-2; Harding to Frank H. Jonas, 8 Dec. 1964, Jonas Papers; Jack Anderson, "Birch Society Influence Defeated Ralph Harding," Blackfoot News, 15 Jan. 1965, 4, also printed as "Reed Benson Spreads Birch Gospel" in Washington Post, 15 Jan. 1965, B-13; Lynn Broadhead to Dean M. Hansen, 15 June 1967; Swanson, "McCarthyism in Utah," 143; Hansen, "Analysis of the 1964 Idaho Second Congressional District Election. These are referenced in in D. Michael Quinn, "Ezra Taft Benson and Mormon Political Conflicts", Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 26:2 (Summer 1992) and Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power Salt Lake City (Signature Books, 1994), Chapter 3
5 - Ezra Taft Benson, "The Christ and the Constitution," American Opinion 7 (Dec. 1964): 41-45, as referenced in D. Michael Quinn, "Ezra Taft Benson and Mormon Political Conflicts", Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 26:2 (Summer 1992) and Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power Salt Lake City (Signature Books, 1994), Chapter 3
6 - Quinn, "Mormon Political Conflicts"
7 - "Utahn Heads Birch Office in Capital," Deseret News, 16 Dec. 1964, A-13, as referenced in D. Michael Quinn, "Ezra Taft Benson and Mormon Political Conflicts", Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 26:2 (Summer 1992) and Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power Salt Lake City (Signature Books, 1994), Chapter 3
8 - "Ike and the Birch Society," Lee Davidson, Salt Lake Tribune, November 16, 2010 (provided by Joe Geisner)
LDS History Chronology: Ezra Taft Benson
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Ezra Taft Benson
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
