Evening star., 1950-02-07
The G. O. P. Statement

The Republican Statement of Principles
and Objectives" can hardly be said to be
galvanizing. Taken all In all, it espouses
some good and admirable generalities, but
there Is nothing spectacularly or inspir-
1ngly new in it. Indeed, it has such
familiar ring that Senator Taft's recently
rumored lukeWarmness toward it is easy
to understand. Back in December, when
its drafting was about to begin, he was
represented as being unable to see why
1t was needed or how the party could be
helped very much by it, and a reading of
it today tends rather strongly to support
that view.
In any case, as far as essentials are con-
cerned, the statement contains no sur
prises. Although put forward as Supple
menting" the COP platform of 1s48, the
difference between it and the latter seems
largely matter of emphasis rather than
substance. Thus in the field of foreign
policy, 1t reafflrmS what most of the party
has been standing for all along, including
olpartisanship in coping with the menace
OF Red totalitarianism abroad As for
domestic affairs, declaring that the major
ISSUE in our country is liberty against
socialism," it makes points including a
militant defense of the Taft-Hartley labor
law-that have been made over and over
again by nearly all Republicans and not
few Democrats
Striking hard at things like the Brannan
Plan, socialized medicine, ETC., and endors-
ing civil rights, it argues that the Repub-
lican Party is the true champion of human
liberty and that the Democratic PARTY
as led by Mr.. Truman and "a small but
powerful group of persons who believe in
socialism"-is carrying the Nation, by
means of heavy taxation, deficit spending
and ever-increasing bureaucratic controls,
down the road to- bankruptcy and totali-
tarianism. AS countermeasures, the state
ment therefore calls for action toward such
goals as balanced budget, efficiency
through governmental reorganization, gen.
eral tax reduction as soon as possible, and
"a sensible redistribution" of Federal.
State and local functions for the purpose
of decentralizing much of the power now
concentrated in Washington Further,
accusing the administration of soft
attitude" toward Communists and fellow
travellers in public service, it advocates
complete overhaul" of our loyalty-check-
ing machinery and pledges the party to
constant vigilance against the Red con-
spiracy.
But whatever political gain may be had
from hammerlng away at matters like
loyalty in Government, it seems at least
doubtful that Republican campaigners
in this election year will get very far with
the liberty-versus- socialism line Theo-
retically, there may be merit in the idea.
but practically-in terms of winning votes
1t is not likely to shape up as the major
issue" between now and November There
is nothing really clear-cut about it,
especially in view of the fact that the
COP statement is pretty much in line with
the Truman administration as regard vet
eranS' benefits, farm-price supports, more
generous social security and other under
takings that usually are identified with the
concept OF bureaucratic and responding
welfare state.
In other words, the Republican state-
ment does not raise any issue deep or
fundamental enough to stir the yoting
public into feeling that there is fateful
choice to be made at this particular stage.
between the Fair Deal and the COP. The
document lacks newness; it repeats what
has been said before, and in many respects
-inescapably-it stands for what the ad-
ministration claims to stand for. In the
circumstances although it will not lose
the party any votes, the chances are that
it will have little or no perceptible effect
in determining the outcome of the con-
gressional elections.