The Daily Alaska empire., 1949-12-15
THESE DAYS.
GEORGE E. SOKOLSKY
REPUBLICAN PROBLEMS

The NepuDllCdIlS ldCc IiiSC PioO'
 lens.
 1. The election of Robert 4. Taf
 as United States Senator from Ohio
 in 1850;
 2. The formulation of a nation
 al policy that can be implementec
 in Congress and at the same tint
 attract new party adherents who
 are young enough to be politically
 vital;
 3. To win the 1852 national cleo tion.
 These are. of course tough tasks
 for party which, to use the vul-
 earism of Governor Folsom of Al
 abama, has no plums to hand out
 Even within the party, there are
 many who do not grasp the signifi- canoe of Senator Taft. His defeat would confirm beyond doubt the acceptance of the Welfare State by the people; it would recognize the AFL-CIO dominance of the gov ernment; it would smash the Re- publican Southern Democratic resls- tance to Socialism and catch all One Party system.
 Taft is the symbol of opposition to these trends. Although some Republicans would much prefer that he should not be the symbol of their party, he is. One Of the fac- tors that contributed to Dewey's defeat in 1948 was his failure to recognize that fact. It is a cur ious position for any man to hold, particularly one who had twice heen defeated for the Presidential nomination; yet, in the eyes of the public, Taft holds that position and will continue to hold it.
 That is why the AFL and the CIO and ADA are devoting them selves, and have for nearly a year, to his defeat, and are spending a fortune in Ohio to bring it about The Socialists and the Welfare Staters regard his defeat as more important than the election of Truman in 1948 and are acting &C., cordingly.
 Should Robert A. Taft be re- elected to the Senate in 1850, it will not only strengthen the Republi- can Party but also those Demo- crats who re,.d the Welfare State, the responsiveness and the expen- siveness of Truman. Out of it will surely come a stronger anti-T -Tru- man coalition. With unerring Truman realized this in 1948 and he devoted himself then and since to the elimination of Taft. He was more emphatic in 1948 in his assaults on Taft than on Dewey and since then his oppo- sition has grown increasingly bit ter.
 q Should Taft be defeated in 1850, little can save the Republican party in 1852. One, reason is that this or ka1iization, while still holding a huge body of loyal adherents. has little to say to those under 40. It must be noted that anyone who was 21, a first voter, in 1892, will be Al in 1852. Those even young CT, those who will be first voters in 1852, have little recollection of the Party in national auth ority, and they have been reading years of distressing falshoods con- corning the Party and it's history.
 Yet, young people are dissat- isfied with what they see and with the limitations of their op- pcrtunities. Those who have not been captured by the Left are looking for a program and a leadership which can have some meaning to their generation. An old mans part, which is devotediy for an era and way of lie that can never return, mas no meaning for them. Either the Re- publican Party can meet their de- mands for program and for Am erican leadership in living world or it will decrease as each old man dies.
 The leadership of the Party today, like its program, is uniformed, mixed and confused. Taft, in the Senate, holds the Congressional strength and through day-hy-day acts gives the Party facade from which no candidate can, in reality, retreat Dewey still possesses measure of strength which he will hold as long as he remains Governor of New e