Evening star., 1946-07-11
Minnesota Elections
Aid British Loon Bill
Defeat of 1solationists Raises
Republican Party's Prestige
BY David Laacrence


| Did the Minnesota primary cleo
| ton assure the passage of the British
loan in the House of Representatives?
| Many competent observers in Con-
| gress think the answer is yes" They
| do not argue that the election itself
/ made new votes in the House but that
! it prevented the wayering and doubt
ing few from voting against the loan.
For several days now it has been rec
/ ognized on Capitol Hill that the number
| Of on-the-fence votes constituted BAL
ance of power which would be sufficient
to defeat the loan bill. Opponents in
sisted that sentiment through the Mid
die West was strongly against the loan
The Minnesota election furnished n
natural test because the issue was de-
| Dated there between two rival candi-
dates for the Republican senatorial
nomination. Certainly if ever there
was a clear-cut demarcation as be-
tween the international-minde and
the So-caled iSolationist attitude 1t
was to be found in the Minnesota pri-
mary election
Not only did former Gov. Thye who
won the nomination, make his position
clear in favor of the British loan and
international cooperation but he had
behind him one of the most outstanding
champions of International unity
Harold Stassen. whose views are closely
associated IN the public mind with those
of the late Wendell Willkje
Isolationism Obsolets.
The decisive victory means much
more than an indication to the Re-
publican party in the House of Repre-
sentatVes that the isolationist argu-
, ment now can be beaten in world that
has been shrunk in size by airpower and
. improved communications, to say moth
ing of atomic bombs. 1t means that
the Republican party can no longer
be called isolationist just because few
OF its members here and there cling
to their prewar concepts Of foreign
/ policy.
The Republican party in the House Of
Representatives has an opportunity
/ now to emerge on the roll-call on the
British loan bill as party that does
not consider foreign policy a partisan
affair
If the preponderant number of Re
publicans do vote for the British loan,
it will be a sign that the Republican
party is siding not only with for
mer Coy. StaSSen but with Senator
Vandenberg of Michigan and Senator
Austin OF Vermont. who have succeeded
In recent months in doing more TO
achieve a bipartisan front in world
affairs for the American government
than have any other men in the Senate
in more than a quarter of a century.
For it was the Republican party
which went 'isola ZIONIST after World
War I and many of its strongest
spokesmen kept that attitude up to the
Pearl Hsrbor episode, thus making Eu-
ropean statesmen doubtful as to what
the United States could be expected to
do If the terms of the Kellogg peace
treaties outlawing war and aggression
were violated.
Foreign Policy Unity.
There is no way of being sure what
might have happened in Europe If the
course of the United States had been as
plainly marked out in the '30s as it is
today with respect to the preservation
OF peace in Europe Such an attitude
on our part then might have assisted
in strengthening the group of nations
who saw Hitler rising but did not dare
alone to challenge him.
In any event, the fact that the Re-
publican party is playing a constructive
part today in keeping foreign policy
from becoming a political issue is sn
important achievement. 1t means that
the Republican party will not be Sc
lecting its next presidential nominee on
the basis of foreign policy views but on
what might be termed domestic eco
nomlc policy. The views of Messrs. Stas-
sen and Vandenberg may differ as to
! domestic issues, but on foreign policy
they stand together in upholding the
I United Nations and such measures as
are being proposed to bring about eco
! nomic stability through the grant of
inter- governmental credits.
/ The Minnesota primary defeated
! Senator Shipstead. who voted against,
the United Nations Charter and who
doubtless felt that the Middle West
would revert TO its 1920 point of view.
Minnesota proved by its votes that he
was wrong. The prestige of the Republi-
| can party has risen immeasurablv.
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