Evening star., 1946-10-21
Lincoln

Lincoln
Continued From First Page)
delegate to the United Nations and
also participated Importantly in the
draft of the U. N. Charter in San
Francisco last year. Even more than
that, Mr.. Vandenberg. has been re-
sponsible, through his advice, in a
stiffening and flrmer attitude on the
part Of the United States toward the
demands of Soviet Russia. And Mr..
Vandenberg has for many months
been target Of the governments
controlled newspapers in Russia.
Here in Michigan, Senator VAN
denberg has made the issue largely
one of anti Communism. He per-
sonifies that issue. This is true,
although for many weeks he has
been absent, attending the Paris
Peace Conference as an aide to Sec
retary of State Byrnes. He is not
planning to return to his State be-
fore the election November sand
is, in effect, leaving himself en-
tirely in the hands Of his friends in
this election.
His Democratic opponent, Mr.. Lee,
has not opened up with an attack
on Senator Vandenberg. What he
will do between now and election day
Is still a matter Of speculation. The
probabilities are, however, that he
will not level q personal attack on
the Senator. Indeed, the Democrats
are not in position to attack man
who has given his utmost to aid the
administration, both under the late
President Roosevelt and under
President Truman, in the formula
ton of a foreign policy which can
receive the support Of the American
people. whatever political party they
may adhere to.
Attacked by Communists.
Senator Vandenberg is in some
what the same position Gov. Earl
Warren Of California, who earlier
won both the Democratic and Re-
publican nominations for Governor
The California Governor has the
support Of the people of California
and Mr.. Vandenberg has the sup
port Of the people Of Michigan. He
Is under attack, indeed, from q
Communist candidate for the Sen
ate, and he is opposed by those
members OF the CIO who are in
clined to travel along with the Com
munist outfit. But take 1t by and
large, he Is sitting pretty with the
people Of his State.
The Democratic candidate for
Governor, former Gov. Murray D..
Van wagner, in q speech some
time ago, highly complimented
Senator Vandenberg for the job he
has been doing. AL this can scarcely
be considered helpful to Mr.. Lee, an
assistant corporation counsel in De-
troit. Mr.. Lee has run for public
ONCE In the past. He was, In q
measure, drafted by the party to
run against Senator Vandenberg
this year, although 1t is supposed
that he was willing to raise light
ening rod on the theory that some
thing might happen" and he might
find himself in Washington as
Senator.
Slate Expected to Win.
Kim Sigler, the Republican candi-
date for Governor against Mr.. Van
Wagner, and indeed the whole
Republican State ticket is expected
to win. Mr.. Sigler, charging that
the Communists and left wingers"
have, in large measure taken over
the opposition" in Michigan, said
in Detroit:
"If the Democratic Party wins
the elections this year, 1t will have
a tremendous effect on the National
elections in 1913. It will give aid
and comfort to the Communist
elements that are now using the
Opposition party as vehicle with
which to control this country"
Mr.. Van Wagner, for his part,
Is seeking to overcome this Com
munist issue. He accused the Re-
publicans Of crying Communism for
lack Of a better issue, and Of trying
to draw q red herring across the
path. He said: IT can't see where
Communism could possibly ever
make great gains In the United
States. There are too many bulwarks
against it. Too many people own
their own homes. Too many peo-
pie are looking to the day when
they will own a home and a car
and when they can live as they
want to live"
He added that Communism Is
bred Of poverty and diSillusionment,
such as ran rampant under the
Hoover administration. He insisted
the Republicans have no program
to advance.
The present Michigan delegation
| in the House of Representatives Is
composed of II Republicans and six
Democrats. The political seers here
say that after the next election, the
ratio will be Is Republicans and four
Democrats, and that 1t even may be
IA Republicans and three Demo-
Gratis, If the swing is sufficient. The
present Democratic districts in dan
ger, they say, are the 18th, 18th and
18th, represented respectively by
Representatives Hook, O'Brien and
Rabaut. The last two are Detroit
districts.
Here, as in other States, the CIC
Is not proving as effective an or
ganization as 1t did when 1t had