Evening star., 1951-11-02
A Welcome Reformer

The role of reformer within his own party is
not usually associated with the party chairman.
BY tradition his duties call for very practical
approach to the seamier side of politics, with
close attention to the details of patronage and
its dispensation among the faithful But the
reformers role. at this particular time, is most
becoming to Mr.. Mckinney, the new Democratic
national chairman
On the heels of his fortnight announcement,
invoking the new-broom technique at Demo-
cratic national headquarters and laying down the
law on future acceptance of "favors, gifts, fees,
emolumentS or remuneration of any kind" in
return for "intercession, influence or services
rendered." the new chairman has worked a
miracle on his boss-the President Just few
days ago the President was dubious about placing
internal revenue collectors under civil service,
thus removing these jobs from the category of
political plums But now, following the sugges-
ton of his new chairman, the President has said
that he would recommend that very step to
Congress. Truly wonders do not cease.
Judging from these curtain raisers, Mr.. Nc
Kinney must be smart man. He is smart
enough to know that great many people are
sick and disgusted, not merely with the exposures
of sleazy morality and downright crookedness in
and emanating from Washington. but with the
tendency of highly placed partisan apologists to
condone all the rottenness on the ground that
things are not as bad as they seem. The Presi-
dent himself has been a leading apologist. Even
In his letter to his new chairman the President
was most indignant about the "loathsome polt-
ical technique" of the Republicans; as If Repub-
lican smears rather than misdeedS of Democrats,
were responsible for the Internal Revenue Bu-
reau's scandal and the other scandals that are
shaking confidence in the integrity of govern
ment in Washington.
If Mr.. Mckinney is willing to tell the Presi-
dent something that even his best friends evil
IDENTIFY have refused to tell him, he will say that
the President himself needs to do some house
cleaning, starting on a higher level than the
headquarters of the Democratic National Com
mittee. For the people are not nearly as con-
cerned over what the Republicans are doing
to smear the Democratic Party as what Demo-
Gratis themselves have done to smear their own
party along with certain ethical concepts which
are still treasured in this country.
The White House announcement that the
President Is accepting the recommendation of
Mr.. Mckinney to place internal revenue COL
lectors under civil service was we'll timed It
came on the day that new taxes went into effect,
when the normal reluctance of citizens to make
the additional sacrifice required to pay this
higher tribute is added to bitterness over what
has been uncovered in the tax-collecting agency.
1t IS disgraceful that the supervision of tax
collection remains one of the spois of politics
at time when citizens are being called on to
hand over to these tax collectors larger and
larger portions of what they earn.
Mr.. Mckinney has made his arrival in Wash
ington auspicious He seems to be one of the
things that have been lacking around these parts
for too long &#t