Evening star., 1948-04-14
Green Seen Unaware
Why Liberals Boost
Gen. Eisenhower
Ieft-Wingers' Trying to
Ditch Truman for Own
Fovorite, Says Writer
BY Dapid Laurence

President william Green Of the
AFL Is either naive or frankly puz-
Fled when he asks why the CIO and
many so-called liberals" are boost
ing Gen. Eisenhower for the Demo-
cratic Party nomination for the
presidency.
Mr.. Green rightly says that the
"alleged representatives Of labor"
who want to draft the general dc
not know the latter's views on labor
questions, and whether he is for or
against the Taft-Hartley law or
anything else.
Evidently the head Of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor isn't aware
of Just what is behind the drive of
the "left-wingers" to draft Gen.
Eisenhower. These radicals haven't
any more real interest in Gen.
Eisenhower than they have in Gen.
Macarthur or any other general
for they know that military men
aren't supposed to be too friendly
to labor. What the "left-wingers"
are really trying to do is to ditch
President Truman.
Want Own Favorite.
The idea is to build up sentiment
throughout the Democratic Party to
assure the elimination of Mr.. Tru-
man and then center attention on
one Of their own "left-wing" favor
ties, Justice William O. Douglas OF
the Supreme Court of the United
States-who, in the minds OF many
so-called liberals" Is better rad-
cal than Henry Wallace.
The theory evidently is that, II
Mr.. Truman is forced out of the
race by withdrawal or defeat, the
Democratic Party will be casting
about for some one who could cut
into the Wallace strength or who
could persuade him to withdraw in
favor Of such radical.
In none OF these calculations does
the South figure except as a con-
venient ally in the process OF dump
ing the Truman candidacy.
The plot is apparent to any one
who has followed "left-wing' adven-
lures in American politics. 1t will
not succeed because, at some not
far-distant date. Gen. Eisenhower
will take occasion to repudiate any
such spurious efforts in his behalf.
Labor" says William Green,
"does not know the economic, social
or industrial views Of Gen. Eisen-
hover, who has been a military man
all his life"
The foregoing is the true senti-
ment of most Democrats and lots
of other people who aren't Demo-
Gratis. Even if the general had said
yes" to the Republicans, who few
months ago were trying to nomi-
nate him, he would have been sub
1ected to the same kind Of criticism
as is intimated in the comment by
Mr.. Green.
The suggestion that man who
was a few weeks ago acceptable to
the conservative Republicans now
should be the principal candidate
Of the 1eft-wing" Democrats is
rather fantastic, and political OBJ
servers Of experience have known
all along that there isn't any real
substance to the so-called Eisen-
hover boom for the Democratic
nomination.
Significance Of Move.
Y1,e NJ t1,i,,r l., that fha
"left-wingers," who have been given
plenty of support for their theology
by Mr.. Truman's messages and
vetoes, should now turn on the
very man who leaned so strongly
to the left" 1t rather proves that
Mr. Truman might have won re-
election easily if he had striven to
gain the support of the middle
groups in America, who are closer
to the conservative than the radical
side on domestic questions.
Mr.. Truman is going to be nomi-
mated. Any President can get him.
self nominated because his own Of
flceholders. in effect, select the dele
gates. The President probably has
majority Of the delegates assured
already. II he turned against the
cleft wing" which isn't for him
anyhow, and really followed public
opinion in America, especially on
the prosecution of 1abor-union
abuses, he would win many of the
independent voters.
Mr.. Truman's popularity curve
has undergone many fluctuations.
II war emergency became acute
and If Mr.. Truman cracked down on
q few of the individuals who are
defying the law, he might find him.
self more popular than he has been
in recent months. 1t isn't good
idea to write off any one who is
President In uncertain or critical
times.
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