Evening star., 1948-11-22
Good and Bad Aspects
OF Truman's Election
Count { on Each Side
Results Seen Reossurinq
Nations Abroad, But Need
For Reform Continues
By David Laurence

tNQttVuS 01tSASg S@A ~
For Reform Continues
By David Laurence
Enough time now has elapsed to
appraise some of the effects of the
presidential election. The saving
grace of America is that there are
lots of elections ahead, that public
opinion is still sovereign in Ameri-
e. and that the people can express
their will If they take the trouble
TO 60 to the polls.
The advantages and disadvan-
tases Of the recent election may be
summarized as follows:
ADVANTAGES.
I. Continuity of administration in
foreign affairs is important to the
world. The fact that Mr.. Truman
won is accepted as an endorsement
Of his international policy whereas
his defeat would have been seized
upon abroad as evidence Of repudia-
ton by the American people.
2. Continuity of domestic admin
istration avoids the interim period
between election and Inauguration
day that might have brought con-
siderable uncertainty If a new
President had been elected.
3. President Truman achieved a
personal triumph with a minimum
Of political obligations to individ-
uals, 50 he can appoint. If he wishes,
competent persons without thought
Of political debts.
4. The experience gained by ad-
ministrators and ofdcials generally
In the administration will not be
lost but will be preserved in the
operations of the Government. While
necessarily there will be some
changes at the top level, they need
not be made abruptly, and the gov
ernmental operation will not be in
jured by any such rapid exodus
of personnel as might have occurred
II there had been a change In ad-
ministration in January.
S. Both houses of Congress will
be of the same political party as
that Of the President, 80 that full
responsibility will be placed upon
one political party insted Of divided
between two, as was the case during
the last two years.
Tea p~ACf@Art TVVyNN n
will probably not be a candidate to
succeed himself in 1852. he will have
full opportunity to exercise his in
dependent judgment on political
matters and to make the kind Of
chief executive who Is President Of
all the people instead Of champion
Of O particular group or party or
faction.
DISADVANTAGES.
I. Because there Is no system
Of measuring Just what were the
various factors that combined to
elect the winning candidates. there
is no way of knowing exactly what
mandate was expressed by the peo-
pie ut the polls. This gives pres
sure groups and special-priWlege
groups an opportunity to claim that
they alone won the election for Mr..
Truman and to bring a bigger lobby
here than Washington has ever
seen.
2. The "housecleaning" which Is
long overdue in Washington after
IS years of one political party will
probably not be undertaken by the
Democratic administration. This
means q continuance OF many in
competent persons in governmental
office and o larger opportunity than
heretofore to exploit the use OF pub
lie authority.
3. The election means the rise of
O radical minority which is bent on
confiscating the savings Of the peo-
pie and which has little respect fol
private property This is perhaps
the most dangerous consequence OF
the election. It could lead to state
socialism because, if depression
comes, the radicals will insist on
the Governments taking over the
principal industries and providing
employment. The combined South
ern Democratic vote and Northern
Republican vote constituted an over
whelming nonradical majority, but
the radicals already are denying
the existence of such majority.
Strikes Expected.
4. A series of strikes and work
stoppages Is likely when a fourth
round Of wage increases Is demand
cd. While unquestionably some OF
the larger companies can pay the
higher wages. many marginal COM
panies will be put out of the COM
petition-which will benefit the
larger companies at the expense of
the smaller ones.
S. Increased taxation will mean
increased prices. Most Of the COM
panies viii pass along the increase
to the consumer, and this could
lead to q buyers strike and even
tually unemployment.
6. One consequence Of the elecA
ton will be the perpetuation of a
one-sided judiciary. Practically all
the Federal judges in the United
States are Democrats or have been
appointed by Democratic Presidents.
The sserious consequences of a one
sided judiciary, largely appointed
for political reasons, will not appear
at once, but In the long run 1t can
hurt the whole cause Of democracy.
For If the umpire who enforces
the rules is partisan, democracy is
seriously injured.
The hopes of the American peo-
pie 60 with Mr.. Truman that he
will exercise the common sense
which has always been attributed
to him by his closest friends but
which he has sometimes allowed
himself to abandon under pressure
He could make such q remarkable
record in the next four years as to
reverse completely the impression
created on many millions Of voters
by his first administration.
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