Evening star., 1948-07-29
Republicans Showed
Restraint in Reply 10
Truman on Initiation
Aid Being Sent to Europe
BosieoIIy Responsible =
For Rising Living Costs
Rr David Laurence

The country owes a vote Of thanks
to the Republicans for their self
restraint. II the Republicans had
chosen to answer in kind President
Truman's political maneuvers in
blaming the high cost of living on
the Republican Congress, the con-
sequences might have been shocking.
For the Republicans have never
made full use of the most potent
piece of political argument they
could use this year-namely, that II
the whole truth were revealed about
the high cost of living, 1t would be
discovered that mopey and ma
terials going to aid Europe are
basically responsible for today's in
ffation.
1t would not be difficult to imagine
the Republican stump speakers
going up and down the country
telling the American people they
could have more autos and mere
housing if the steel and other build
ing materials and manpower were
not being used to supply Europe
under the Marshall Plan.
Due to Abnormal Demand.
Likewise, If Americas exports OF
goods and farm products were not
being subsidized by the American
taxpayers, the Republicans could
point out that the cost Of living
would not be so high. Even wage
levels would not be as high as they
are today If manpower were not
short due to the abnormal demand
created by the European recovery
plan.
On a strictly dog -eat-dog basis In
modern politics.. the Republicans
would have q tremendous argument
in an appeal to nationalism. 1t
worked in the 1920s and it probably
could bring votes today for the
party out of power. President Tru-
man may, of course, goad the Re-
publicans into that kind Of cam
paign. He took a big risk in blam-
ing the Republican Congress for
the high cost of living when every
body who knows the facts is aware
that European demand has pre-
vented a defation this year and
actually increased the imitation. :
This doesn't mean that there is
no basis for some form of Govern
ment controls. On the contrary,
the sound arguments for such con-
trols have been obscured by the
partisan political atmosphere with
which the President has enveloped
the whole problem. 1t Is unlikely
that the Republicans will take lying
down the accusation that they alone
have been responsible for the rise
in living costs.
Bound to Create Shortage.
When q government spends from
sl2,OO0,O00, 900 to $15,000,O00, 900 a
wear for armament, it is bound to-
create a shortage in steel and other
materials. This causes building
costs to go up because, when prod
ucts are in short supply, they usually
rise in price To control prices,
moreover, doesn't always keep away
black markets or encourage in
creased pTOQuCIlOH.
The only way to cure imitation is
to bring a balance between supply
and demand. There would have
been such a balance this year but
for the inflationary action resulting
from the European Recovery Pro-
gram and the increase in the rearm-
ament program.
But these things were necessary.
Both political parties supported the
legislation appropriating money for
European recovery and for an en-
larged armament program. 1t
doesn't behoove the Truman admin
istration now to seek partisan ad-
vantage by charging Republicans
with the blame for these economic
trends.
Maintenance of the bipartisan
policy in foreign affairs is vital to
the Nation because only a unified
country can ward off third world
war. The Republicans have wisely
refrained from telling the whole
story about the administration's
diplomatic blunders in dealing with
Russia. And the Republicans have
not answered the Truman charges
on imitation, as they could, in par
tisan vein. The Republican state
ment of policy about the extra ses-
sion was dignified and restrained.
1t is to be hoped that the Repub-
licans, though given ample provoca-
ton, will not allow themselves to
be dragged into the position of at
tacking European aid as the true
cause of imitation. For that might
appeal to selfishness throughout the
Nation and, in the end, hurt the
whole cause of world peace.
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