Evening star., 1949-08-14
Defeat of Senator Taft
Called Top Labor Aim
Sees End of Integrity in Politics
if Union Bosses Gust Ohioan
BY Frank X. Kent

By Frank X. Kent
Although the election is more than a year
off, in about two more weeks Robert A. Taft
will actively begin his campaign in Ohio for
third term as United States Senator. His
purpose is to speak at least once in every one
of the States 113 counties. This, his initial
tour. will take three months.
When one considers what and whom Mr..
Taft is fighting his start seems none too soon.
His opponents, who include the CIO, the AFL.
tie Railroad BrotherhoodS, John L. Lewis.
President Truman and all the Roosevelt
liberals and left-Wingers throughout the
country, have already started. Their propa-
ganda mills are steadily grinding out anti
Taft material and their financial plans, de-
signed to provide unlimited money for Mr..
Taft's defeat, are in full operation. All of
which lifts this contest high above the local
level.
So far as the issue is concerned, it could
hardly be more clear. Very simply it is this:
Have the combined bosses of the labor unions
the power to destroy a man who dareS vote
in favor OF legislation they oppose? That is
what this fight is about and all it is about.
There is no other issue and there is no way
to escape this one. Every citizen in every
State ought to be concerned because to a
considerable extent the outcome will deter
mine the kind of country in which he and
his family are going to live.
For example it is clear that if Senator Taft
is beaten the prestige and power of the labor
bosses will be immensely enhanced. Con-
vincing demonstration will have been given
that no man can stay in elective Office who
incurs the hostility of these arrogant and
swollen men. If they can beat Taft in Ohio
they can beat any one anywhere. Certainly
that is the view of the labor bosses them
selves. 1t is constantly proclaimed in their
propaganda. This" they say, lis the great
est test to which labor has ever been sub
jected. Upon it hinges the whole future OF
the labor movement. Either we triumphantly
go forward to our destiny or we 60 back
generation"
These are the battle cries already being
sounded. They are echoed and elaborated by
the lf-styled liberals" of the so-called
Americans for Democratic Action. headed by
Senator Hubert Humphrey Of Minnesota.
Joseph Alsop. himself strongly pro-C1O and
very liberal" indeed, goes even further. Re
Gently, after glowipgly dwelling upon the
divduals managing "labor's campaign"
against Mr. Taft, Mr. Alsop wrote that his
defeat might see the emergence here OF an
American Labor party similar to the Brit
ish Labor Party. In other words, once they
have beaten Senator Taft there is no reason
they should not take the country over.
This is exactly what the labor bosses re-
gard as their destiny" So far as the results
of Taft defeat are concerned, 1t Is Slgnifi-
cant that MI. Tafts friends, in and out OF
his State. and all others everywhere. who
want that pregnant question posed above
answered in the negative. are in complete
accord with the labor boss view. They agree
that if they can beat Faft they can beat
any one They agree that If they beat Taft
the labor bosses will have moved forward to
their destiny" easily may be the taking over
of the country either through the "emer-
gence of an American labor party similar to
the British Labor Party or by the domina-
ton of the Democratic Party to an even
greater degree than now.
One thing only do advocates Of the mega
tive answer stress which the labor bosses
ignore This is the effect Of Taft defeat
upon the quality of future candidates. Mr..
Tafts friends assert that there would be an
insuperable barrier against the presence In
public life of men of character and courage.
The penalty for failure to obey the labor
bosses will have been made 80 plain that
no self-respecting man would want to go to
or stay in Congress. A premium would be
placed upon servility All inducement for
men of principle would disappear. In brief.
candidates could not be elected without
labor boss support; equally, none could be
reelected unless on the approved labor list.
Any citizen can figure out what sort Of Con-
gress and what sort Of country ultimately
this would give u.s.
Obviously, the stakes for which the labor
bosses will play next year in Ohio are bigger
than they have played for before. Under the
circumstances, there is something genuinely
gallant in the spectacle of Senator Taft
starting out alone in his Unconditional. logical
somewhat pedantic way, to explain his po-
sition" to the people. One of the least
demagogic men in Congress today, he does
not beat his breast nor proclaim the purity
of his heart. He utters no words in which
he does not believe, not even his opponents
question his sincerity or his courage. All the
big guns Of the great unions are trained on
him as he starts. II he wins, it will be with
out gloating If he loses it will be without
crirlRing or compromise.