Evening star., 1944-11-02
Dewey's Boston Bid

SVSy OVSlOu OIO
Governor Thomas E. Dewey, aided
by political blunder on the part
OF the Presidents running mate.
Senator Harry Truman, has made
determined bid for the sixteen
electoral votes of Massachusetts,.
which could easily be the deciding
factor in next weeks election.
The assist from Senator Truman
was in the nature of windfall. The
Democratic vice presidential candi-
date has been going around the
country demanding that Governor
Dewey repudiate certain allegedly
isolationist Republican Senators. At
a press conference some one ques-
toned Senator Truman about Dem
ocratic Senator Walsh. whose voting
record Is as isolationist in character
as that of the Republican Senators
who have been criticized by the
Democratic candidate. A more
adroit man would have sidestepped
the question. But Senator Truman,
agreeing that Senator Walsh had
an isolationist record, said that he
was not up for reelection and that
he hoped to reform" him during
the balance of his term.
1t happens that Senator Walsh
is a power in Massachusetts, politics,
having run far ahead of the Presi-
dent in that State in the 1910 cleo
ton. And he has made no effort
to conceal his resentment of Senator
Truman'S remark. The extent to
which this will influence TUESDAYS
voting in Massachusetts is question:
able, but there is no doubt that it
will put the President in a very
embarrassing position when he goes
to Boston Saturday night for the
closing speech Of his campaign. To
ignore Senator Walsh might we'll
cost him the State On the other
hand, II he makes show of friend
ship for him he will be put in the
position OF collaborating with
man whom his running mate has
branded as an isolationist. To say
the least, it is not happy prospect
for the Democrats.
Governor Dewey made no refer
ence to this incident in last nights
address. His principal targets were
PrOWGnr'c
Sidney Hillman and the Political
Action Committee. He accused the
President of putting the Democratic
party on the auction block-for sale
to the highest bidder-and expressed
his belief that the buyers would not
be the members OF the One Thou
sand Club, but "the Political Action
Committee of Sidney Hillman and
the Communists Of Earl Browder."
knowing that this was theme
calculated to appeal especially to
his Boston audience, Governor
Dewey left nothing to the imagina-
ton. He pointed out that Earl
BroWder stands for everything
that would destroy America" which
can hardly be denied by any one.
Then he called upon David Du-
binsky, president of the Interna-
tional Ladies Garment Workers,
and strong Roosevelt hacker, as a
supporting witness. Mr.. Dubinsky
broke with Mr.. Hillman when the
latter, in alliance with the Commu-
nists, took over the American Labor
party, which Is an important DO
litical factor in New York City. The
Republican candidate quoted Mr..
Dubinsky as follows: Il regard the
former American Labor party as a
Communist labor party. Mr..
Hillman can act as a front for the
Communists; I never did and never
will" That is not a distortion of
what Mr.. Dubinsky said. On the
contrary, it is fair statement of
the liability which the President
must assume along with the politi-
cal benefits that may accrue to him
through the activities in his behalf
of the PAC.
The Boston voters may or may not
agree with Mr. Dewey that these
Communist forces and their DO
litical allies are now engaged in
"capturing' the Democratic party.
But his speech was we'll received,
and the crowd of upward of 400 900
which turned out to greet him upon
his arrival in the city yesterday
afternoon gave definite lift to Re
publican hopes. Considering all of
these things, it is easy to under
stand why Mr. Roosevelt selected
Boston as the stage for his closing
address of the camnaipn