Evening star., 1948-05-20
The Political Mill
Gov. Dewey Called Victor
In Debate With Stussen
1t Helped New Yorker Over Nation
Despite Outcome in Oreson

II Helped New Yorker Over Nation
Despite Outcome in Oreson
By Gould Lincoln
Millions of voters all over the country heard
the ewey-Stassen debate on the subject
"Shal the Communist Party Be Outlawed?'
It was contest between two leading candi-
dates for the Republican presidential nomi-
nation, contest in which opponents should
be eyaluated on knowledge of the subject,
preparation. presentation and adroitness
On every count Gov Dewey Of New York
was the victor. No amount of Stassen claims
would change that one iota. Most Of those
who listened in were convinced, too, by Gov.
Dewey that the better way of dealing with the
Communists and their party was the Ameri-
can way-not the totaltarian method Of
SUPPRESSION This is said advisedly, after
canvassing the opinions Of many who had
no particular prediction. Even some OF
those who supported Mr.. Stassen's candidacy
were somewhat crestfallen over the showing
made by their man. Decidedly 1t, did not help
Mr.. StaSsen.
Climax Of Campaign.
The debate was, in measure, the climax
of the strenuous campaign which both men
have been conducting for Oregon's II dele.
gates to the Republican National Conven.
ton. What effect it actually had on the
vote there may be difficult to estimate, but
that it had some seems reasonable. Appar-
emily it shook the confidence of the Stassen
camp-for within "a hours Mr.. Stassen was
out with claim that Gov. Dewey and Sen
ator Taft of Ohio had ganged-up to defeat
him in the primary race against Gov. Dewey.
Irrespective of the outcome in Oregon the
debate has helped Mr.. Dewey In other parts
of the country.
For long time Mr.. Stassen had been teas
ing Gov. Dewey for a debate. For a long
time, too, he had been accusing the New
Yorker Of being too soft" in his dealings
with Communists and their party in New York
State. For long time he had gone about
demanding that the Communist Party be
outlawed by statute. Whatever happened to
Mr.. stassen last Monday night. in the debate.
therefore, Mr. Stassen brought upon himself.
1t may have been surprise to Gov. Dewey
when the subject of debate had been restricted
to the proposal to outlaw the Communist Party
when Mr.. Stassen began his argument with
poignant recollections of what he has seen dur
ing the war-presumably to emphasize the fact
he was war veteran and Gov. Dewey was not.
The Stassen purpose was evident, In any
event. to his listeners. 1t was scarcely sur.
prising, therefore, that in his concluding re-
marks Gov. Dewey drew in reference to the
work which had been done by his organization.
when he was District Attorney OF New York
County, to smash the racketeers and UNDER
world criminals. Mr.. Dewey was pressing home
the point that great deal can be done by en-.
forcing laws already on the statute books
and he named 81 Federal 1aws-against plotting
to overthrow the Government, espionage, sab
otage, etc:-with which Communists seeking
to undermine this Government can be handled
effectively. -sy
Debating "Trick" Charged.
Mr.. Stassen has demanded in the past the
outlawing of the Communist Party in America,
unequivocally. When during the debate with
Gov. Dewey he sought to bolster his position
on its way to passing the Mundt-Nixon bill.
dealing with Communists and communism,
and that this measure outlawed the Com
munist Party, the New York Governor pounced.
Gov. Dewey declared that Mr.. Stassen had
surrendered" since the Mundt- Nixon bill, by
the testimony of its own authors does not out
law the Communist Party, but provides for the
registration of Communists. Stassen support
ers have referred to this as debating trick"
1t was more than that however, for clearly MIR.
Stassen had modified his position-n he was
content with the Mundt- Nixon BILL ,+
A law to outlaw a political party-no mat
ter how detested and unpopular that party
may be-would be a strange surrender of free
dom in this country. If the Communist Party
should be outlawed today-why would not the
next step be to outlaw Henry Wallace's New
Party" since Mr.. Wallace is accepting the
support of Communists and definitely Is play.
ing Russia's game in this country? It is .
J,r,r lx;,, 80 b. kI,t~
lawing Of political parties. Further, to direct
by law citizens thinking is an impossibility.
This country once found that it was impossible
to prevent drinking by Federal lava much
less difficult task than outlawing thinking