Evening star., 1948-02-07
The Political Mill
COP. Chiefs to Address
700 Lincoln Day Fetes
Dewey to Speak in Boston, Stassen in
Philadelphia, Taft in St. Paul
By Gould Lincoln

y
Republican candidates for President, and
near-candidates, will be among the speakers
who will address the TOO Lincoln Day banquets
which are slated to take place in A States.
They will speak, Of course, for the Republican
Party and victory next November. At the
same time, opportunity will be given for the
individual candidates to leave their impress
on the voters.
Gov. Dewey Of New York is to make an inn
portant address in Boston, Mass. his first out.
State appearance since he became an avowed
candidate for the nomination. Senator Taft
of Ohio is to speak Lincoln Day, February
II, in st. Paul, the home of former Gov. Stas-
sen, who has entered the Ohio primary for
delegates to the Republican National Conven.
ton. Incidentally, Mr.. Taft was assigned" to
the ST. Paul speaking date with the full ap-
proval of Mr.. Stassen. Gov. Warren of Cali
fornia, third announced candidate is to de-
liver an address in Los Angeles. Mr. Stassen
will speak in Philadelphia and in Winchester,
Va.
Other topnotchers who are to be Republican
circuit speakers include Speaker Martin, in
St. Louis, Des Moines and New York City;
Representative Halleck Of Indiana, majority
leader of the House, in Albuquerque and Las
Vegas, N. Mex, and Detroit; Senator Wherry Of
Nashville and Huntington; Senator Saltonstall
of Massachusetts, in Grand Rapids. Portland,
Greg, and Seattle, and Senator Baldwin Of
Connecticut in Minneapolis and Pittsburgh.
Vandenberg Too Busy.
These are but samples of the congressional
and gubernatorial speakers who will address
these Lincoln Day meetings from one end Of
the country to the other. One principal Re-
publican figure will be absent however-Sena-
tor Vandenberg of Michigan. The chairman
of the Senate Foreign Relations COMMITTEES
will be too busy during the coming weeks
with the draft of legislation for the Marshall
European Recovery Program to permit his &C
cepting speaking engagements outside OF WASH
ington Further Mr.. Vandenberg's present
and patriotic role is to spearhead in Congress
the drive for nonpartisan American foreign
policy, with no place for bitter and pointed
political attacks on the Democratic President.
Across the continent will be heard Republic
can denuncation Of Mr.. Truman and his legis-
lative program, his spending program and his
appeals for the return of controls over prices
and wages, his opposition to income tax reduce
tion and his continued disapproval of the Taft
Hartley labor law. These will be precampaign
speeches. but they will deal with the issues that
are to be fought out next fall, including high
prices.
The split in Democratic ranks in Congress
over the Truman opposition to tax reduction
and to the Taft-Hartley Act is one of the
pleasanter things which the Republicans can
call to mind Mr. Truman and the Democratic
National Convention which is to renominate
him next July will have to determine whether
to place in the party platform demand for
the repeal of the Taft-Hartley Act
Must Recall House Vote
They will have to remember, however, that
In the House LOG Democrats voted to override
the Truman veto of the labor bill and only
II to sustain it, and that in the Senate the
Democrats divided 20 for overriding and % for
sustaining the Veto A party platform demand
ing repeal would be like blow in the face for
the Democrats who supported this legislation
It was noticeable that in his message to Con-
gress on It's reopening last month Mr.. Truman
said he still felt the same way about the Taft
Hartley Act-but that he did not voice de-
mand for its repeal.
Such demand would be, indeed, another
smash in the face of the Democracy of the
South which is even now smarting under the
Presidents proposal-and demand-that Con-
gress pass antiynching, antipoll tax and
FEPC bills.
So far as tax reduction is concerned, it now
seems clear that the Republicans will put
through bill which will eventually become
law either with or without the Presidents
signature The House passed the bill by more
than the necessary two-thirds vote to over
ride veto In the Senate, the measure will
be whipped into such shape as will make it
acceptable to two-thirds of the members OF
that body. Indeed Mr.. Truman will be in better
political health when election day arrives II
enough Democrats vote with the Republicans
to override veto-provided Mr.. Truman finally
determines to write third veto of tax reduce
ton. Should his veto be sustained-he will
have effectually killed tax reduction for 1948.