Evening star., 1947-09-26

41lC Cd0OA1C al Z O0N&NIAo. IL 4C AAoS
only that the legislative branch is
controlled by one party and the
executive branch by the other. That
is always an unfortunate state of
affairs in our system. Even under
the happiest circumstances it makes
for governmental impotency and
general futility. But this time 1t
occurs under the worst possible
conditions. For one thing, in six
months from the date of the regu-
lar opening, the national candidates
of the two parties will be placed
in the field and in 10 months the
presidential elections will be held.
Thus, from the date of the open
ing, politics will dominate, per-
meate, saturate practically every
thing in the country.
There is no way to escape that. 1t
is the year of primaries and con-
ventions. 1t is the period when poll
tics climaxes' in the United States
and political propaganda reaches
it's full and frightening growth. In
evitably, from January to Novem-
ber, every speech will have po-
litical favor and every proposal be
viewed from the political angle.
Concededly, this is great obstacle
to clear thinking and adequate per-
formance.
Bad Blood Admitted.
However, what makes the present
situation most depressing is the
admitted bad blood between Presi-
dent Truman and the Republican
leaders in Congress. It's existence
is much too clear to dispute. The
gap between them IS personal as
we'll as political The job of bridg-
ing it will require higher degree
of unselfish patriotism than either
side has shown evidences of having
.- The Republican grievances against
Mr.. Truman are aggravated by the
fact that last January, when they
took over, he started the session out
with the most cordial promises of
cooperation. Instead of co-opera-
ton, the Republicans assert that,
for purely political reasons, he
blocked, so far as he could, a pro-
gram that ought to have been non
political and which clearly was in
the national interests. Their indict-
ment includes his violent veto OF
the Taft Hartley bill, which, they
charge, he deliberately misrepre-
sented; his veto of the tax bill,
which was inconsistent and illogical
as we'll as political, and his deS-
perate fight to frustrate Republican
efforts to cut Gown governmental
costs. The worst phase of this was
his encouragement of the Federal
bureaucracy to extraordinary and
illegal resistance.
Naturally, Mr.. Trumans friends
justify his stand on these questions
and make countercharges against
the Republicans. Silly speeches,
such as the inept temporary Demo-
cratic chairman, Gael Sullivan,
has been making and the hot at
tscks on Mr.. Truman by various
Republican spokesmen, unquestion-
ably have increased the bad blood"
to a point where there is little good
will left on either side. Add all this
up and it is not easy to see how
anything in the nature of bipartisan
Incorporation between the President
and Congress is to be achieved either
in a special session or the regular
cne. Yet, there probably has never
been in period of peace moment
wnen such bipartisan cooperation
on both foreign and. domestic affairs
was more urgently needed.
Necessity for Solidity.
At no time in our history have
foreign affairs seemed more men,
acing or the necessity for American
solidity in dealing with the grave
issues involved more acute. On the
home front there is the vital prob
lem of prices, to solve which df
really ruinous imitation is to be
averteO nonpolitical action seems
essential Yet, as the time for ac-
ton approaches, each side is so busy
blaming the other that neither has
i a solution. 1t is not surprising that
many are appalled, at the outbreak
that those who want Congress toI
meet quickly shudder at what will
happen when it does.
Confronted by so real a crisis, it
does seem that for the good of the
Nation and the world, those in power
mGst put aside politics, personal
grievances, ambitions, hates and
prejudices in order to avert calamity.
Mr.. Truman badly needs the coop
Grafton of the Republican leaders
with whom he is not now on very
good terms. To get this, he not only
should call of the Gael Sullivans
but he should make every personal