Evening star., 1948-05-15
The Political Mn

Communism to Become
Major Issue in Election
Candidates and Platforms to Outline
Stand to Be Taken by Nation
By Gould Lincoln
What to do about communism in the
United States and out Of it-has become .
No. political problem, invading not only
the pre-convention tight for presidential nom.
nations. but promising to continue problem
In the general election next November.
Gov. Dewey Of New York and former Gov.
Harold E. Stassen Of Minnesota, leading con.
tenders for the Republican presidential nomi.
nation. have fallen out over the issue. They
are both "agin" communism. Their differences
are over what to do about 1t. Mr.. Stassen has
come out strongly in favor Of outlawing the
Communist Party In this country. He has
gone evene further. and proposed that we en-
courage the peoples Of other democratic ma
tions also to outlaw ommunism-before. hs
says, it is too late. Gov. Dewey. on the other
hand, is opposed to outlawing the Communist
merely drive the Communists underground.
more difficult to meet and overcome. Further.
the New Yorker contends that the outlawing
of a political party would be against all
American tradition; that we would be giving
up some Of our own freedom, and aping
totalitarian Communist Russia.
Issue Is Clear Cut.
With an intense and growing sentiment in
this country against communism and Russia,
the position taken by Mr.. Stassen will COM
mand a large following This is one issue
between Mr.. Stassen and Gov. Dewey that Is
clear cut in their race for the Oregon dele
gates to the Republican National Convention.
1t is one issue on which Gov Dewey agreed
to meet Mr.. Stassen in joint debate When
the voters 60 to the polls in Oregon May 81,
they may throw some light on what's to DO
done about communism.
Meanwhile the issue has come up in Con-
gress, where the House has debated the Un-
American Activities Committee bill designed to
curb the Communist Party in this country,
even though 1t does not actually outlaw it.
With feeling running high the House is
expected to put the measure through by
considerable majority, even three or four to
one. The bill makes it illegal to try in any
way to set up foreign controlled "totali-
tartan dictatorship in this country, and pro-
vides heavy penalties. Its supporters claim
that in this way the Communist Party would
be outlawed as a secret conspiratorial Or
ganization. The measure may meet heavier
opposition in the Senate, although in that
body, too, the purpose Of the measure is ap-
proved.
Senator Taft of Ohio has ranged himself
along side of Gov. Dewey in this controversy
with Mr. Stassen over outlawing the Com
-s.l. rki1 -
interest in the matter. 1t is well within the
expectations that the issue will have to be
fought out when the Republican Party in
national assembly undertakes to write its
l948 platform.
Aimed Blow at One Cure.
For all his strong opposition to the infil-
tration of communism and Communists Mr..
Stassen has aimed blow at one cure-the pro-
vision of the Taft-Haruey labor law which
compels officials of labor unions to make aff-
davts they are not Communists. This pro-
vision of law has been effective-it has
driven a considerable number of Communists
out of important positions in labor unions.
Mr. Stassen, who approves the Taft-Hartley
law generally during his campaign against
Senator Taft for Ohio delegates suggested
a number of amendments, and one of them
was to soften this anti Communist provision.
Mr.. Stassen said: "It runs against the Amer
lean grain" urging that the overwhelming ma
jority of union leaders are entirely loyal Well,
why should they have any feeling, under such
circumstances, about signing afidavits they
are not Communists? Mr. Stassen would have
them sign only if accused of being Communists
and so proved. It's tough job proving mans
a Communist.
Henry Wallace and his third party are vio-
lently opposed to Mr. StaSsens proposal to out.
law the Communist Party. AS the presidential
nominee of the new party, Mr.. Wallace will
carry the issue into the national campaign.
President Truman, if he be the nominee Of
the Democratic Party, also will be compelled to
take stand on this communism issue. Mr..
Truman already has aroused the ire Of the
Commies and their fellow travellers by his ex-
ecutive orders on loyalty for Government em-
ployes.
John Foster Dulles, delegate to the United
Nations and a potential Secretary of State If q
Republican President is elected, has advocated
the establishment Of department Of nonnili-
tary defense in this Government. designed to
combat the inf1ltration OF communism.