Evening star., 1948-11-04
The Political Mill
1rumun's Election Poses
Long List Of Questions
Many of His Campaign Promises Are
Certain to Be Fought vigorously
By Gould Lincoln

President Truman's amazing and unexpected
victory over Gov. Thomas Z. Dewey Of New
York, carrying along with him Democratic
control Of both the Senate and the House. poses
. long list Of questions
During the course Of his campaign, Mr..
Truman promised the repeal Of the Taft.
Hartley labor law, the enactment Of his anti.
segregation, civil rights program, the passage
Of q long series of social laws lower prices and,
curtailment of imitation. He also promised o
continuance of prosperity under Democratic
rule: This is diflicult program. Some of thss
legislative proposals will be fought vigorously.
When it was believed that Mr.. Dewey would
become President-and many believed this, in-
cluding q great number of Democrats-ths
prediction was made that the next four years
would be tough years-so tough that the Re.
publicans would undoubtedly be ousted in 1852,
with Democratic House in 1850. The years
would be tough, 1t was believed, because Of
probable economic changes In this country and
the rest Of the world.
Leverage to Push Bills.
Mr.. Truman's sweeping victory in both popu-
lar and electoral votes and the complete over.
turn Of political control of Congress should 90
far toward giving the President the leverage
he needs to step up his drive for new legisla-
tion However, with the greatly increased
costs OF national preparedness some of the
Truman proposals calling for billions of dollars
Of additional expenditures for social improve
ments may have to be sidetracked. Also
there is no reason to believe that the members
OF the House and Senate from Southern
States will be any less firm in their stand
against the Truman civil rights program. The
makeup Of both House and Senate must be
considered before an estimate is made Of the
chances of . Taft-Hartley law repeal bill
So much for the problems of the Democratic
President. The Republicans are confronted
with their own difficulties. They have again
been defeated in a national election-although
the COP won o greater number Of votes
in the electoral college than in any election
since 1928 when Herbert Hoover won over.
whelmingly against Alfred E. Smith. The new
Truman term of Office will extend to 20 years
consecutive Democratic control OF the National
Government. The question arises: Can the
Republican Party come back?" The Demo-
Gratis were out of power for q period of "a
years-lsel to 1885; but four OF these years
the country was engaged in civil war.
Still Has Strong Roots.
Notwithstanding its defeat of Tuesday, the
Republican Party still has strong roots. 1t has
developed large number Of younger men, both
IN ana OUT OF puDlC ONCE. however, curing
the Roosevelt and Truman administrations the
Democrats were able to convince the great
mass Of working men and women that the
Democratic Party was their friend and the
COP their enemy; that the Republican
Party sides with big business against the work.
er. Unless Mr.. Truman fails miserably In the
coming four years-the Republicans must find
some way of making the workers believe it
is just as much their friend as Is the Demo.
cratic Party; or else the Democratic Party viii
retain control indefinitely. .
Who will become the leader Of the Repub-
hcan Party-or its leaders-remains to be seen.I
Gov. Dewey, having been twice defeated for
election, viii not again figure as probable
presidential nominee. The whole picture must
be revised, Probably Messrs. Taft, Warren and
Stassen will make their bids four years hence
for the nomination. Senators Lodge or Sal.
tonstan Of Massachusetts, are others who may
be considered, or some new figure viii emerge.
One thing seems certain-Mr. Truman win
have the cooperation Of Republican leaders,
generally in bipartisan foreign policy, although
expenditures for the European Recovery Prost
gram will be challenged in Republican quartersi
If they appear unwise or wasteful.