Evening star., 1946-07-08
Trumun's S OPA Veto
Boosts uft's Chances
Action by President Gives Ohioan
National Recognition
By David Laurence

By David Laurence
Senator Taft of Ohio may have
cherished presidential ambitions here
tofore but he received an unexpected
boost in the recent message OF Presi-
dent Truman vetoing OPA.
Until then Mr.. Taft had been con-
sidered only in an incidental way; but,
thanks to the message of Mr.. Truman,
the Ohio Senator was advertised over
the Nationwide radio and the press as
the man who tried to get rid Of black
markets and the price controls which
encourage black markets and retarded
production.
Mr.. Taft becomes a probability for
the Republican nomination because his
party Is so convinced that it can win
with a conservative in 1948 it is ready
to consider any one who can appear be-
fore the people as champion of their
rights.
Prices Kept on Level.
Thus, despite the propaganda fostered
by labor union strategists and stimulated
by governmental agencies, the people
now know that they can get more and
better meat without the OPA than
with it.
The expected skyrocketing of prices
has not materialized. The figures now
are down to about what they were be-
fore the OPA expired. And it is the
knowledge that they can 60 high enough
at any time now to put black markets
out of business that keeps a steady flow
of cattle to markets, thus providing the
Nation with more meat than it has seen
in long, long time.
Mr.. Taft, as a Republican presiden-
tial nominee, will not be satisfactory to
the so-called liberals" OF either party.
But liberalism" is rapidly getting to be
known as synonym for reaction and
for continued Government meddling as
we'll as special privilege.
The liberalism" of the Democratic
party however, nowadays resembles the
special privilege trend of the Republic
can era Of high protectionism, when the
party In power played ball with the
contributors OF campaign contributions
and local machines in exchange for
favors granted through the tariff laws.
PAC Replaces Privilege.
Today the CIO-PAC has replaced the
high -protectionist lobbies for special
privilege. Today Democratic President
vetos Case bill and price-control bill
because he Is afraid of the special privi-
lege lobby which blandly promises sup
port at the polls or threatens to with.
draw it If he doesn't do its bidding.
Fearful of antagonizing the labor
union politicians, Mr.. Truman no longer
mentions wage control nor does his rec
ord show that he made any attempt to
retain wage stabilization even though
he insists on price fixing.
! Naturally the Republican and Demo-
cratic conservatives are fighting the re-
dictionary policies of the Truman ad-
ministration and insisting that prices
be freed from restrictions.
The Southern conservatives are fight
ing alongside Republican conservatives
because the CIO-PAC and other so.
called liberal" groups are seeking spe-
cial privileges for their own followers at
the expense OF the people as a whole.
Trend Favors Taft.
The situation is made to order for the
nomination and election of Republican
conservative. Senator Taft, Senator
Vandenberg, former Gov. Bricker of
Ohio, respectively, may represent differ
ent brands of conservatism; but, as mat
tiers look today, the Republican conven-
| ton of l948 need not be too particular,
| for if the Truman economic depression
materializes by l948-as seems likely un-
less the administration alters its policy
OF encouraging wage imitation and ir-
responsibility in the use of labor power
1T will not matter much who the Re-
| publicans nominate. The election cam
paign will be merely ratifying process
and the Republican nomination will be
equivalent to election
There's only one way for the Demo-
Gratis to avoid defeat and that is to
| pick out some one else, who can promise
better record than has been made by
the Truman administration.
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