Evening star., 1951-02-22
The Political Mill
The Political Mill
Butler Case Is Unique
Among Vote Contests
First Instance of Loser
Seeking Libel Action
By Gould Lincoln

Seeking Libel Action
By Gould Lincoln
The Butler case is unique among the
many contests over congressional seats
in one respect at least-it is the first
time that a defeated candidate has
sought to have congressional commit
tee inspire criminal libel suit against
his opponents.
That is what former Senator Tydings,
Democrat, of Maryland has just asked
the Senate Rules Committee, inves-
tigating his charges against Senator
Butler Republican, to do. It is too
early to predict what the subcommittee
will do-and even that will be subject
to later action by the full committee.
There is feeling, however. among some
Senators that Mr.. Tydings, who claims
that he was libeled has himself all the
privilege in the world to bring libel suits
against Senator Butler or any of the
persons who aided Mr.. Butler in the
campaign. If the committee is to go
into the question whether candidate has
been libeled in political campaign, a
long vista of complaints seems to stretch
out before it. In hard-fought campaigns.
many of the contestants feel they have
been libeled.
No contest" in the sense that Mr..
Tydings is seeking to oust Senator
Butler and have himself seated in the
Senate, has been brought by Mr..
Tydings. Having been defeated by more
than $4,000 votes in the election, with
no evidence of fraudulent voting, there
is no possible way in which Mr.. Tydings
could claim the seat for himself. What
he is trying to do is get the Senate to
throw out Mr.. Butler on the ground that
Mr. Butler Is not fit to hold seat in
the Senate; that he, Butler, is not At
because of his practices and those Of
his helpers in the campaign: and, in
addition, to have Mr.. Butler prosecuted
for criminal libel.
Tabloid Is Blamed.
1t is this question of fitness that the
Senate subcommittee is now investigat-
ing. Mr.. Tydings has taken as his chief
exhibit four-page tabloid, put out by
an organization called young Demo-
Gratis for Butler" In his statement to
the subcommittee. Mr.. Tydings virtually
said that it was the circulation of half
a million copies of this tabloid that
brought about his defeat at the polls.
The tabloid. he charged, was conceived,
printed and distributed in moral squalor"
by conspirators who knew it was a
tissue of lies" He insisted that Mr..
Butler not only knew about the tabloid
but agreed to pay for it's distribution.
That the tabloid contained a mass OF
derogatory charges and comments di-
rected against Mr.. Tydings is perfectly
true, and that some of them @were un-
true will be disputed with difficulty.
But that the tabloid was responsible
for Mr.. Tydings' overwhelming defeat
is open to doubt. Discussions in the
Democratic Party. plus serious opposi-
ton to Mr.. Tydings himself were the
heavy contributing factors. The hand
writing was on the wall long before
this tabloid was distributed. In the
Democratic senatorial primary on Sep
tember 10, 10000 less Democratic votes
were cast than in the Democratic guber-
material primary on the same day. Tyd-
ings was a candidate for denomination
which he won. In the general election
Republican Gov. McKe1din was elected
by $4,000, and the Republicans elected
three out of six of the members of the
House delegation. 1t was Republican
year in Maryland.
"Whitewash" Charge Effective.
Mr.. Tydings had served as chairman
of the Senate subcommittee investigat-
ing the charges made by Senator Nc
Carthy of Wisconsin Republican, Of
communism in the State Department.
and he was charged in many quarters
with investigating and attempting to
discredit Senator Mccarthy instead OF
1rI if1fn
made by the Wisconsin Republican.
The charges of '"whitewash" by Mr..
Tydings were repeatedly made in the
campaign. They were effective. long be-
fore the tabloid was put out. Mr.. Tydings'
political scalp was lifted, it has fire.
quently been said, by Mccarthy.
So "McCarthyism" by Demo-
Gratis to be synonymous with below the
belt and irresponsible charges-enters
the Butler case. There are Democrats
who would go to great lengths to blast
''McCarthyism" and make 1t impotent
in the election of 1852. In attacking
Senator Butler and supporting Mr.. Tyd-
ings, they feel they are working toward
that end.
Lying campaigns are despicable. But
the Republicans have no monopoly on
living campaigns. Just one example OF
Democratic failings along this line is the
campaign waged with all the bitterness
and mud that could be accumulated
against Senator Taft in Ohio.
The Senate subcommittee has just
begun it's hearings. Mr.. Tydmgs has
neither proved all his charges, nor have
counter charges against Tydings been
heard If the investigation can help
bring about cleaner political campaigns
1T will be all to the good. But II Mr..
Butler is to be made the goat, and others
permitted to go scot free. that Is still
something else.
GEORGE Wushinqton and