Evening star., 1948-11-27
The Political Mil
G. O. P. Lawmakers Bitter
At Liberal Suggestions
Ask if American People Really Want
More Government Controls
The Political Mil
Bv Gould Lincoln

~ G0Hfd Lincoln
Republican members of Congress drifting
into Washington since the election are not
taking kindly to suggestions-mostly from New
Deal sources or New Deal fellow travellers
that the COP is sunk unless 1t achieves a new
look" Meaning 1t should become more liberal"
These Republicans see no percentage in. aping
the present radical Democratic Party. Rather
they believe that the Republicans should make
again-as they did in l946-the main issue
between the two parties state socialism with
the Republican Party opposing it.
The Republicans are asking: DO the Ameri-
can people really want more centralized gov
ernment in Washington? Do they want more
Government controls-including price control7
Have they really become corrupted by Govern.
ment handouts?'
And they add-referring to the retention Of
President Truman and the election Of Demo-
cratic Congress-"they (the voters) asked for
it. Let's see how they like what they've got"
To Fight Truman Program.
This does not mean that these Republicans
expect to lie down and support the Truman
program when it is presented to Congress. On
the contrary, they will fight it. But they realize
that with large working majorities in the two
Houses of Congress, the Democrats are in
position to put through that program. The
one chance that it might be stalled lies in
possible opposition by conservative Democrats
from the South. But they do not figure too
much on that. Rather they expect the Demo-
cratic Congress to go back to the rubber
stamp" variety of the early Franklin Delano
Roosevelt days-as a result Of Mr.. Trumans
unexpected victory.
They say quite firmly there is no room in
this country for two radical parties-that IL
the Republican Party should undertake to
become more liberal than the Democratic
Party Gin the sense in which that term is
commonly used then a new conservative party
will arise. They do not believe, however that
any such thing is going to happen. They call
attention to the fact that the only victory
which the Republican Party has won in Is
years against the New Deal Democrats was in
1885, when the Republicans forced the issues
Of bureaucracy and Government controls. big
spending, high taxes and knuckling under to
irresponsible labor leaders on the Democrats.
They are looking forward to doing the same
in 1850.
Turning off the idea that the Republicans
in Congress and out should copy in a more
mild manner the So-called liberalism OF the
New Dealers, one of the COP leaders said:
"You can't expect people grown used to
coffee drinking to accept a synthetic article
in its place" He added. in some disgust,
"We've tried that in the last four presidential
elections
If all the Truman campaign promises are
kept, the Republicans say it won't be long
before the people are disguised. On the other
hand if the promises are not kept, the Truman
administration will be viciously attacked by
the radicals who went to town for the Presi.
dent and by the farmers who decided they'd
better stick with the crew that Seemed more
willing to give them high governmental price
supports for their grains and cattle and other
products.
Won't Take on New Look"
Far from taking on a new look" the Re
publicans in the House will organize with
Speaker Martin as their floor leader and with
Representative Arends of Illinois as their whip
and with Representative Halleck of Illinois.
Majority leader in the present Congress. as
the particular gadny to torment the Demo-
cratic leadership OF the III Republican men,
bers of the new House, only some Is will be
new"
Nor does it appear likely now that the more
liberal element in the Senate will be able to
sidetrack Senator Taft of Ohio as leader in
the Senate-whether he has the title or not.
There is a solid group of Republicans in the
upper house who will go right along with MI.
Taft.
This is about as far over in the book as the
Republicans in Congress have Travelled. On
specific issues-like the Taft ft-Hartley labor law,
socialized medicine, and price controls-they
are waiting until they see what President Tru-
man proposes. Then they will present meas
ures of their own.
Discussing their own party affairs, some OF
the Republicans are particularly bitter over
the character of the Dewey campaign, which
they insist, let the Republican Congress down.