Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1950-04-21
COP Confusion
Over Its Platform
Growing Worse
By Bradford V. Carter
For Labor Press Association


w coming nearer, the Republican confusion
over their "sales talk" to the voters grows
more confounded They have b bee n casting
around for winning slogan for long time
now, and thought they had come up with one
they unfurled the Liberty versus Socialism
banner in party policy statement on the eve
of their big shindig in Washington Feb. D.
They had tried "statism, and the voters
refused to get scared
They had tried welfare state" and in the
Lehman Dulles contest in New York, t n a
flopped.
They had been bleating about the "hand-
out state" concentrating their fire on social
welfare programs. Those, they said, were
Handouts" They were silent on the subsidies
to big business, which of course, are not
'handouts" That failed.
So they trotted out Liberty versus Social
ism" That was so absurd that even their own
party members rebelled. Papers by no means
friendly to the Fair Deal pointed to the idiocy
of calling the program or President Truman
socialist.
The critics within the party not only COM
planned about making socialism" the issue,
but complained of the vagueness OF other
planks, the omissions, the pussy footing and OF
the length OF the policy statement.
Senator Margaret Chase Smith, Maine, one
of those dismayed by the original statement
suggested that digest of the platform be pre-
u.
Brewster, Maine chairman of the Republican
Senatorial Committee, and Rep. Leonard W.
Hall, New York, chairman of he House Repub-
slican committee.
The digest approved by the party's ma
tional committee, makes 10 points. And where
Is the Liberty versus Socialism" plank
It's No. TO- II reads Safeguarding liberty
against socialism" No. l is now tax reduction,
and No is balancing the budget
The shift in emphasis did not bring peace
to the COP Although the news release with
the digest said that Republican candidates are
expected to incorporate the digest into their
campaign pamphlets, Senator Robert 1T,
Ohio, Immediately roared that the digest has
no official standing whatsoever" and that
nobody was consulted about this except the
campaign committees" Told that the digest
had been prepared with the cooperation of
COP national chairman Guy Gabrielson, Taft
still said the statement was unofficial and that
no switch in emphasis could be construed.
And Gabrelson, two days later, asserted
socialism" Is still the major issue He still
declared his "deep concern" over the schemes
in Washington which have us drifting down
the road to socialism"
The progressives among the Republicans
are no more pleased by the digest than by the
original statement Said Sen Irving NJ. Ives
New York: ~ still think we should specifically
indorse fair employment practices and other
OF labor management relations act we favor
Said Rep. Jacob X. Javits, New York: ut GER
tsinly should have found room for the Repub-
licsn position on civil rights and FEPC," And
Sen. Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr, Massachusetts
in criticizing the original longer statement
had warned that the Liberty versus Social
ism" slogan would not make many votes for
the Republicans.
But the chief trouble with the original
statement and with the digest, and with all
the various blasts by the Republicans was
pointed out by Rep James G. Fulton, Penn
sylvania, in his criticism of the original state
ment. He said it ignored the fundamental divi-
sion with the party: whether we 60 back to
Methusaleh or offer alternative programs of
social progress within the framework of
balanced budget"
The COP high command despite dissident
voices within its ranks, still wants to go back
to Methusaleh."
The people Of this nation do not.