Evening star., 1950-11-30
The Political Mill
Inquiry on Smear Tactics
Likely to Get Nowhere
Gillette Subcommittee Seen
Trying HercuIeon Tosk
By Gould Lincoln

IIyiuS ItSfSutSuU USk
By Gould Lincoln
The Gillette Subcommittee of the Sem
ate Rules Committee is entering on q
Herculean task-the investigation Of
smear" tactics in political campaigns
with the announced purpose of recon-
mending remedial legislation The par
ticular angle which the committee is
tackling is the use of what Senator Gil
lette, Democrat, of Iowa, chairman of
the subcommittee, calls "scurrilouS and
defamatory literature" Complaints of
the use of such literature have reached
the committee from Maryland, Ohio and
Utah. Chairman Gillette, however, says
that the committee will not confine its
inquiries to the recent senatorial cam
paigns in those three States, but will
extend it into every locality where there
is evidence that defamatory literature
was used. That, indeed, will cover lot
Of territory.
According to Democratic sources,
smear campaigns. including the use Of
defamatory and scurrilous literature,
were conducted against their candidates
all across the United States-from Con-
necticut to California. The complaints
reaching the committee, however, were
not solely of the use of smear tactics by
Republicans. In Ohio, for example, a
smear campaign of huge proportions was
undertaken by the opponents of Senator
Robert A. Taft. and pamphlets and
leaflets by the hundreds Of thousands,
scurrilous in nature, according to the
Republicans, were put in circulation by
the Democratic organization and the
labor committees fighting Taft's re-elec-
ton.
Taft "Smear" Fell Flat.
The smear" of Senator Taft, who was
held up to ridicule by the political
action committees of the AFI, the CIO,
the United Mine Workers, the Railroad
Brotherhoods and others, fell fiat on its
face. Mr.. Taft won reelection by up
wards Of 100000 votes. In the cases Of
Senator Tydings of Maryland and Sena-
tor Thomas Of Utah, however, whether
because of the smear tactics and htera-
ture or not. both these Democratic Sena-
tors went down to defeat. In the Mary
land case, Senator Tydings was accused
Of having white-washed the charges Of
Communism and Red affection brought
against the State Department by Senator
Mccarthy, Republican, of Wisconsin.
The charge was effective. The COM
plants before the committee include the
use of photograph purportedly Of Sen
ator Tydings and Earl Browder, former
head Of the Communist Party In this
country.
In Utah, pamphlets were circulated by
a so-called "Anti-Communist League
Of America" asserting that Senator
Thomas had taken part in or helped
to sponsor an affair staged by the New
Masses. Communist publication.
in New York. There was used, too. a
photograph of Paul Robson, Negro
singer and left winger. who like Senator
Thomas. was said to have had some
thing to do with the affair.
The S64 Question.
Just how the committeeman Con-
gress-could reach and prohibit the use
of smear political campaigns, the use
of smear literature, Is the $64 question.
How the committee can draw the line
between what may be considered sour
rilous or defamatory and what is not Is
tough nut to crack. "Scurrilous" cam
paigns and campaign literature are
nothing new in this country. So far the
only means Of defeating them has been
through the voters themselves. when
they go to the polls. There are also the
libel laws. which may be invoked, and
have been invoked by candidates when
they have been attacked grossly. When
it comes to limiting by law the kind
and character of attacks which may bs
made in political campaigns, the right
of free speech and free press rears its
head.
To supporters of Senator Taft. ntera-
ture which depicts Taft as rich wastrel
in his youth and hater of the labor
ing man and the poor in his maturity
may appear scurrilouS, but not to Taft
haters in the labor unions. To the sup
porters Of Senator Tydings the charges
that the Marylander was too soft on the
Communists in this country will also
appear scurrilous. In both Senate con-
tests literature were circulated attempt
ing to prove these charges.
If there is any desire to head of
further investigation Of the Mccarthy
charges against the State Department
and Secretary AcheSon on the part Of
the Senate subcommittee none
now seems apparent-this inquiry into
smear tactics. which charge the Demo.
cratic administration with softness to-
ward Reds in this country, used in the
recent political campaign, is not likely
to get anywhere. Senator Mccarthy is
bent on having his charges ventilated.