Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-08-07
Republicans Lectured

To the Editor of The Star:
There has been encouraging confirmation of
late of the partial passing of the plan, enter
tanned by some Republicans in Congress, to
make the present session of Congress failure
in order. among other political purposes, to
prove that the President was not justified in
having called it. This would not only have
been a choice bit of non sequitur but would
have been damaging to the Republican party
and harmful to the public welfare.
The converting of the special session afforded
the Republicans a definite party opportunity.
They could, if wise, strengthen the strong
points in the party record and greatly repair
the weak points; or they could elect to stand
upon the theory that the Presidents summons
was merely political move play politics them
selves and choose, after making their record
much worse, to stand upon it in November.
The former course would not only be sound
craftsmanship. 1t would be sound practical
politics. Edmund Burke in his plea for Con-
Citation with America, said: "Magnanimity in
politics is not seldom the truest wisdom. If
that was true in eighteenth century England,
it is more notably true in America with its con-
stantly increasing proportion of independent
voters, in the twentieth century.
The Republican managers are availing them
selves of their opportunity only in part.
There are two chief weaknesses in their
record which they were given free chance to
strengthen.
Much has been done by Chairmen Vanden-
berg and Eaton to remove the stigma OF isola-
tionism from the party. But it will be thrown
up to Republican candidates that these leaders
secured only partial Republican support for
necessary measures of cooperation abroad and
only under great difficulties, and that numer-
Gus party members have displayed isolationist
views.
Voters viii Not Forget.
Voters will not be permitted to forget that the
little group of willful men," who were response
BILE for keeping America out of the League of
Nations and, though unintentionally, for caus-
ing the Nazis to believe that this Nation would
not fight or would go in too late, were chiefly
Republican Senators. Voters will be reminded
that some Republican leaders now supporting
our foreign policy are but late and hard-won
converts
The party has been afforded a fine chance to
prove that its members really believe in a CO.
operative foreign policy, and to give proof OF
their practical adherence to the foreign policy
plank in the Philadelphia platform. To the ex-
tent that the Republicans use this opportunity
they will improve party strength at home and
national prestige abroad.
secondly, hepupncan members OF congress
might well seize an opportunity to improve
their record as to vital domestic issues es-
pecially imitation and housing. The record now
shows too great Republican complaisance to-
ward imitation, the special interests and the
class of activities that led to the latest and
longest depression, when prosperity hesitated
"just around the corner for SO many months.
Whether Mr.. Truman was Influenced, when
he reconvened Congress, primarily by desire to
improve his election chances will not seem to
the voters every material, if it appears that
the party in control of Congress was at least
equally swayed by politics in making the session
largely abcrtive. And this will be particularly
the case If the moves of the President seem
to the people to have been in the public In
terest while the moves of the Republican ma
jority seem obstructive of that interest.
The most cogent reason, however, Tor Re-