Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-11-01
National Significance
Seen by Democrats
In New York Election
Administration Ready
To Claim People Have
Endorsed Welfare Stute'
By David Laurence

By David Laurence
Just year having elapsed since
the Truman-Dewey election, the
administration is awaiting eagerly
the outcome Of the Dulles-Lehman
contest in New York in the belief
that it will show that the Demo-
Gratis have made considerable
Roadway In the last IL months.
1nasmuch as the Republicans
carried New York State in the
Presidential election of 1948, q
Democratic majority in a State
wide election for the United States
Senate will be regarded as having
national rather than local signifi-
canoe.
The President at first was dis
inclined to participate in any
speech-making but now he has
consented to make a broadcast
from here on Saturday night.
Members Of the cabinet have gone
to New York State to speak, pri-
marily to help line up the organi-
nation and the Federal beneflci-
aries in the State.
Argument to Be Made.
If former Governor Lehman
wins, the administration is pre-
pared to claim that the people Of
New York State have Endorsed the
welfare state" idea, that they
favor a heavy Federal spending
program. a repeal Of the Taft
Hartley Act and a return to the
Wagner Labor Relations Act.
The argument will be made in
the event Of q Lehman victory
that President Truman's whole
program has been Endorsed and
that his popularity has increased
considerably since a year ago
when Governor Dewey carried the
State.
The impression here is that,
while the Dulles-Lehman cam
paign has introduced number OF
extraneous issues, basically. it is q
fight between the Democratic and
Republican parties. No one will
be able to say this time that the
Republican nominee didn't make
an aggressive campaign or that
Republicans were kept from vot-
ing by overconf1dence. For the
Republicans know they have an
uphill fight and will endeavor this
year to get their people to the
polls.
If, on the other hand, Senator
Dulles should win, it Is quite likely
the administration would claim
that it wasn't a test Of party
strength at all, but merely an in
dication of the greater emphasis
placed by the voters on Mr.. Dulles
achievements in the field Of for
eign policy.
Thus, the administration is pre-
pared to take credit for the turn
of events irrespective Of the OUT
come though it must be said there
is an absolute confidence in and
around the Federal establishment
that the Governor VIII win.
This Is based largely on the fact
that the non-Republican, vote
that is, the Truman plus Wallace
vote-in 1913 exceeded the Dewey
vote. Also it is reasoned that since
q year ago the Democrats have had
an opportunity to confer large
benefits on veterans and other
groups and that the year 1949
has not been as bad from an
unemployment standpoint in New
York State as it has been in some
other parts Of the country. /
Authorization Issue.
There is one possible after-effect
which may or may not have oc-
Cured to politicians. The admin
istration faces in the January
session Of Congress a resumption
Of the battle for Federal funds for
education. The Barden bill was
sidetracked in the House when
the controversy between Cardinal
Spellman and Mrs. Roosevelt arose.
Many legislators here will look at
the New York result to see how
much attention the voters paid to
the platform Of Senator Dulles.
who unequivocally favors the idea
Of keeping education entirely as a
State function.
# former Gov. Lehman wins.
some members of Congress here
will say that the influence Of the
Catholic Church in the education
controversy has been exagger-
ated and they will press for the
Barden bill. A victory for Senator
Dulles, on the other hand, Is bound
to mean the elimination Of such
proposals as are contained in the
Barden bill and the passage Of a
measure which gives parochial
schools any benefits that are given
to public schools, especially In the
matter Of health and transporta-
ton and non-religious textbooks.
While the Federal-aid-to- educa-
ton issue is not apparently COM
ing to the surface in the campaign
much will be heard about it after
the election no matter which way
1t goes.
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