Evening star., 1951-05-26
fhe Political Mil
Democrats Confident
Tables Now Turned
Leaders Revive Party Spirit
By offensive in Denver
By Gould Lincoln

DENVER, Colo, May 26.-For three
days Denver was sounding board for
the Truman administration and it's for
eign and domestic policies. Believing
that if the Democratic Party is to have
a real chance for victory in 1852, it must
get away from the defensive position it
has occupied-due to Republican attack
and assume the offensive the admin
istration threw the book at its oppo-
nents.
1t sent to the meetings of the Demo-
cratic National Committee and of the
Midwestern and Western Democratic
Conferences embracing "a States
three members of the cabinet. Secretary
Of the Interior Chapman. Secretary of
Agriculture Brannan and Secretary Of
Labor Tobin, and w. Averell Hartman,
special assistant to the President and
former ambassador, to preach the doc
trine OF the Truman foreign policy and
Of the Truman Fair Deal. And as kind
of keynoter for these meetings it called
on Senator Kerr of Oklahoma for the
first major speech. He lived up to his
reputation as hard-hitting and sar-
castle campaigner. Vice President Bark
ley was scheduled to appear here, too.
Illness in his family, however, prevented
his coming to Denver. Several of the
speeches were nationally broadcast
Party Spirits Revived.
In considerable measure, the Denver
meetings marked the beginning of the
Democratic campaign for continued con-
troll OF the National Government after
the elections next yeal
Due to the tremendous hammerings
OF the Republicans in the last half year.
with charges OF lack Of morality in gov
ernment, softnesS towards Communists
in this country as we'll as abroad, and a
lack OF definite foreign policy, par
tlcularly in the Far East. Democrats had
become discouraged. Public opinion ap-
peared to have turned definitely against
the Truman administration; it was COM
mon talk that If an election were held
now. the Democrats would be swamped.
The Democrats are leaving mere, how
ever, with spirits revived. They believe
they have done great deal to inspire
hard work by the party organizations
throughout the country which will be
needed to win the election under ad-
mlnistration leadership; they believe they
have diSsipated the idea that the party
has a wobbling foreign policy and that
the country can be made to understand
that President Truman has steered wise
course, which will help to halt Commu-
mist aggression and at the same time
avoid third world war
In fact, the Democrats are confident
they have turned the tables completely
against the Republican enemy on the
foreign policy issue, and on that issue
they feel they have their best chance
OF victory at the polls. Much they ad-
NIT, will depend on how the war in
Korea goes from now on. But they are
looking with more and more confidence
to the outcome there. They have issued
challenge to the Republicans to come
forward with an adequate foreign pol
ICY OF their own. And they have pic
tuled, with considerable justice the
Republican Party with no foreign policy,
as party. but with many varieties,
adhered to by groups within the G. o p.
Hope for Fade Out"
The great popular uprising against
President Trumans treatment of Gen.
Douglas Macarthur, removed from his
Far East commands, they hope is sub
siding. In all their speeches defending
the Truman policy in the Far East, the
Democrats avoided mentioning Gen.
Macarthur by name. with one exception,
John Carroll, consultant to the Presi-
dent and former Representative from
Colorado. Their apparent desire is to
give him the silent treatment and so
have him fade OUT
Leaders of organized labor were as
thick as fleas at the conference meet
ings and took the lead in the panel
discussions on the part that labor and
the farmers should play in the present
defense mobilization. In this connec-
ton, some of the leaders of labor,
although declaring their support of
President Truman, undertook to crack
the whip over Democratic shoulders,
warning that if the Democrats in con-
troll of Congress and of the executive
branch. failed to take steps to halt the
rising cost Of living and to otherwise
care for labor, the Democrats need not
expect the wholehearted support of the
organized workers at the polls.
1t might do the Republican Party
some good if, at its regional meetings.
invitations should be extended TO, the
leaders of labor to participate in dis
cussions of public issues. Many years
have passed since the G. o. P. could
rely upon the labor vote.