Evening star., 1947-02-14

Qdy SpeCIIl VI A A~ >''
Senator Lodge of Massachusetts,,
delivered in Louisville on Wednes-
day.
Though he spoke as a Republican
to Republicans, Senator Lodges
speech was anything but partisan.
It was q sensible, balanced speech
which did not 60 to extremes in
any direction, was entirely un-
sensational and yet expressed clear
and firm convictions on both for
eign and domestic issues. On the
former, Senator Lodge voiced vigor-
Gus support for the building up and
strengthening of the United Nations,
He spoke, too of the indispensability
Of our armed forces to the proper
conduct of foreign affairs.
Not New Theme.
'Tn both cases." he said, "the BIZ
partisan approach must be con-
tinued. Partisanship not only stops
at the waters edge; 1t also must stop
at anything involving the very life of
the citizen"
Before he resigned from the Sen
ate to go into the Army, Senator
Lodge had spoken along similar
lines. Now that he has been returned
to the Senate by large majority
and his party is in control of Con-
gress, it is timely for him to say so
again. Particularly. it is interesting
to have so unequivocal statement
from the grandson of the late Sen
ator Henry Cabot Lodge, whose pref
udices and partisanship contributed
so greatly to keeping us out OF the
League Of Nations, forcing us into
the narrow isolationiSm for which
we have paid so great price.
On domestic policy, the refresh
ing things about Mr.. Lodges re-
marks are: First, that he does not
pretend to know the exact answer
to every question; second, that he
does not talk down to the people
but at them. He takes a common
sense, level-headed view of the facts.
G. o. P. "on Probation"
For example, he said, eve Repub-
licans are on probation. The people
did not vote for 'us' so much as
they voted against the things they
did not like. Primarily they want
us to clean up the mess in Wash
ington, eliminate waste and dupli-
cation, restore effective govern
ment."
Congress, he says, has streamlined
itself but the executive branch has
not been touched and needs stream
lining very badly. The trouble is
that it is difficult to prune out sur
plus deadWood without cutting down
a valuable tree. Therefore, he has
presented a bill for commission to
reorganize the executive branch,
reporting with a definite plan be-
fore the next Congress meets.
Aside from cleaning up the mess"
Senator Lodge sees two things that
must be done If the Republicans are
to succeed next year-O the Fed
eral finances must be restored to
health; (2) the people must be pro-
tected against lahor-union abuses.
Concerning the first he wants tax
reduction only after a balanced
budget has been achieved, not be-
fore. Concerning the second, he
urges against "hate-filled action;
favors honest treatment" of labor
and management, but insists that
the people as a whole must be ade-
quately and effectively protected
from "stoppages in essential indus
tries" which threaten the comfort,
health-and even the life-of the
men, women and children of the
country.
Not Great, But Sound.
It was not an exciting speech
nor even a great one-but it was
sound one There is nothing in it to
please the extreme left-wing ele-
ments, though he advocates Federal
measures in the field of public
health without bringing to the sick
and needy the dangers of so-called
socialized medicine" and agrees that
there is a governmental obligation
toward aged persons without means.
On the other hand, though he wants
effective labor legislation and bal
anced budget before tax reduction,
there is nothing in the speech to
gladden. the hearts of the reaction
aries.
THE voters" said Senator Lodge,
did not vote for reaction. We were
not put in Office to put back the
clock. In my judgment, we were put
in to wind it up, get the crumbs and
rats nests out of the gears and get
it going again"
Here is a man who speaks to a
partisan audience without partisan
ship; who takes a strong position