Evening star., 1936-02-29

1nere is B. Qeun1Ce 1Qea 10 WIIdt COus
stitutes mud-slinging. Some people
call any statement of fact mud-sling-
ing. I wouldn't call all criticism acri-
mony. Unless you are driven to it
as last resource, it shouldn't be
practiced. My own belief is that in
discussing issues it Is sometimes un-
avoidable to say things that are con-
sidered critical by the other side. I've
made campaigns without ever men,
tioning a name of an opponent, how
ever. Issues, not personal habits,
should be discussed"
Senator Burke of Nebraska feels
much the same way.
"Ninety-nine times out Of a hun
dred invective hurts more the one who
brought it into the campaign than
the one whom it was directed against.
I think righteous Indignation is just,
but bitterness hurts more the one who
uses it than him it Is used against" !"
he says.
Senator Donahey of Ohio declares:
There is no need of bitterness If you
speak the bitter truth. I still have
faith in humanity. Any man who
loses his faith in humanity is gone;
his usefulness is ended. Parties, in
political campaigns, should appeal to
the intelligence of the people, not te
their emotions. The American public
will settle questions correctly If they
understand them. AS an individual
always tried to appeal to their in
telligence; most politicians follow the
line of least resistance and appeal tc
their emotions"
Senator Austin of Vermont thinks
there is more advantage in good
humor. My impression is that more
harm than good is done by acrimony
in any debate"
Senator Shipstead of Minnesota:
II don't think it disco anybody any
good. I've never found it necessary
myself; I've never seen. that it did
me or anybody else any good"
CENATOR CAREY of Wyoming:
Give been in campaigns where
there wasn't any invective, so you
can control it. You can keep it out
of your own committees, but you
can't control all the people in a cam
paign, of course. I believe in clean
campaigns. conducted on issues rather
than personalities"
Il think acrimony has no place in
any Sort of contest" says Senator
Pope of Idaho. "A clean, hard, fair
fight in politics or anything else Is
all right, but acrimony serves nc
purpose save to confuse and cheaper a
campaign. It should be our job to
stay above that sort of thing in our
political contests"
Senator Hatch of New Mexico de-
clares he never has found acrimony
to have any advantages. "I've never
INDUCED in it myself" he says, land
do not expect to. As far as ones own
political fortunes are concerned, If
they cannot rest on their own merits
see no reason to rise on the demer-
its of the opposition. I believe in
stressing your own program"
Senator George of Georgia says
acrimony amuses the American pub
lie. "The American public gets more
out Of a campaign if it is acrimonious,
even though it adds nothing to the
clarity Of the issues" he holds.
I've seen some pretty hot cam
paigns and I never say that it helped.
It hurt rather than it helped" says
Senator Minton of Indiana. "I never
believed in running away from q
fight, but mud-slinging befuddles the
people and confuses the issues rather
than gives them a clear-cut issue
on which to express their judgment. "
Senator Reynolds Of North Carolina
Il think as rule one who starts
mud Singing and continues mud
singing finds that such tactics act
as boomerang and therefore are
more injurious to the mud-slingeE
than is their injury to the party at
whom the mud is slung. think that
all political campaigns should be con-
Quoted on very high plane for the
very good reason that the people
really at interest constitute the pub
lie, which public Is more vitality inter-
ested than any candidate or any
party. Campaigns should be con-
Quoted upon cold facts, in order that
the public may benefit thereby. It Is
a perfectly natural thing to tell the
truth when the truth won't hurt, but
it is difficult to tell the truth when
you know 1t win hurt. That re-
quires courage and courage Is one OF
the most admirable and commend
able things on the face Of the earth
On the other hand, it requires more
effort to be untruthful, and while
untruth may serve its purpose for the
moment, it certainly won't survive
time"