Evening star., 1951-11-08
The Political Mill
Clean Government Seen
Top 81 Campaign Issue
Republicans Hope to Make
Corruption Charges Stick
The Political Mill
By Gould Lincoln


By Gould Lincoln
"Clean government promises to be-
come real issue in the 1852 national
campaign, as disclosed by Tuesdays
elections. It is an issue which the Re-
publicans have been urging against the
Truman administration. President Tru-
man, in reply, has upheld the admin
istration and denounced the Republican
charges as smear" tactics and as dia-
bolical political campaigning.
In New York City, Tammany took
licking in the race for president Of the
City Council, losing to Rudolph HALEY.
formerly chief counsel of the Kefauver
Senate Crime Investigating Committee.
who had the backing of the Liberal
Party, the Independents and Fusion.
Representative Latham, Republican, was
the G. o. P. candidate, and he ran third.
Another race involving clean govern
ment was for Mayor Of Philadelphia
won by the Democratic nominee.
When it comes to next years contests.
however, the campaigning to throw the
rascals out" will obviously be by the Re-
publicans, who believe that they have
uncovered enough "dirt" in various
agencies Of the Federal Government to
make their charges of corruption stick.
Wherry Indicates Move.
Republican Floor Leader Of the SEN
ate Kenneth Wherry of Nebraska. in
a symposium prepared on the activities
of the 82d Congress gave clear indication
how the campaign would be pressed. He
mentioned particularly the disclosures
of corruption on the part of some Of
the internal revenue collectors-made in
the course of an investigation by q sub
committee of the House Ways and
Means Committee, and by Senator VIII
llams of Delaware, Republican, who has
conducted one-man investigation Of
his own Senator Wherry said in this
connection that the Internal Revenue
Bureau has been shown to be "the en-.
gine that sucks up billions of tax money.
a Democratic administration instrument,
honeycombed with venal men,"
Senator Wherry also mentioned the
RFC scandals, and the five percenter
scandals, and charged that Government
officials had been so derelict in their
duties that secrets Of the atomic bomb
were stolen by Communist spies. He
described the administration as "a cor
rupt and decadent autocracy"
More and more people appear TO have
become alive to these charges. They are
not, apparently, to be waved aside, and
efforts by the administration to charac-
terize them as mere "smears" are prov
ing ineffective.
Mckinney Warned.
The President himself, in letter to
the new Democratic national chairman.
Frank E. Mckinney, frankly warned Mr..
Mckinney he must be prepared to meet
this kind of attack. Probably not since
the second administration of President
Grant have so many scandals Of one
kind or another been turned up to be-
devil a political party in charge Of the
Federal Government. Although Presi-
dent Grant was not candidate to sue
ceed himself for third term, the Re-
publican nominee. Rutherford B. Hayes,
had to face the resentment Of the voters.
Samuel j. Tilden, the Democratic presi-
dental candidate, obtained a majority
OF the popular vote, and lost the elec-
tion only when a special commission de-
cided in favor of Hayes. President Tru-
man or the Democrat who Is selected
to run in his stead is likely to face the
same treatment at the hands of aroused
voters.
One election result yesterday which
surprised the country was the choice of
a Republican Mayor of Little Rock, the
capital of Arkansas, the first in GA years.
How much significance can be attached
to the victory of Pratt C. Remmel, son
OF the Republican national committee
woman for Arkansas, Mrs. A. c. Remmel.
and OF the late A. c. Remmel, Republic
can State chairman at one time. is a
question. Mr.. Remmel won with q vote
OF 1874 to 1868 for his Democratic
opponent. Mayor Sam Wassell. This is
a light vote for city which boasts
100000 population. Further, Mr.. Was
sell had won denomination after a bitter
night in the Democratic Party. Some
observers count the Republican victory
freak" of politics, without signiti-
canoe. Others, however, see in it an
indication that voters in the solid
South" next year may be ready and
willing to disregard their old party ale
glance should President Truman be re-
nominated Mr.. Remmel, So years old.
has been described as a good mixer''
and "glad-hander" who worked over
time for his victory while Mayor Wassell
1alled to put on an active campaign.