Evening star., 1952-06-29
Voters to Get Choice
Of Domestic Policies
Line Between Conservatives
And Liberals Sharply Drown
By Eronk R. Kent

In the last four presidential elections
the charge has been made that there
was no real issue between the two
parties; that the Republicans stood for
the same things as the Democrats; that.
they did not really present q choice
between liberals and conservatives: that
they had become "me-too party"
Prospects are there will be no basis
for such complaints in the coming cam
paign. Whether Gen. "Ike" or Senator
Taft is the Republican nominee, by
contrast with his Democratic opponent
he win be frankly conservative. On
domestic affairs each is against the
New Deal and the Fair Deal Both are
genuinely opposed to waste. want to
simplify the Federal Government and
reduce its appalling cost. Each favors
the principles Of the Taft-Hartley Act,
is independent of the labor bosses politf-
cally, opposed to "socialized medicine
and in favor of leaving the civil rights
question to the States rather than to
the Federal Government.
X atN r-..
Thus, for the first time in 16 years
a clean-cut line will be drawn between
the two parties. For the first time the
voters will have chance to say whether
they want to continue in the direction
we have been going since 1894. or
whether they want to stop, turn around,
take stock and end the appalling eco
nomic chaos into which we have gotten.
There are a vast number of conserva-
tive Democrats who so strongly desire
to get back to fiscal sanity and sound
ness and who are so firmly convinced
that it is vital to sweep out the present
administration. with its revealed cor
ruption and incompetency, that they
are prepared to vote for any Republican
who offers real promise of those
things.
So far as can be gathered from their
utterances, both Gen. Ike and Senator
Taft are against all of the Truman
domestic policies. including his much
vaunted civil-rights program It is prac-
tically sure that one of these will be
nominated by the Republican conven-
ton and that inSureS a cleavage much
clearer than there has been for a long
time. For the Democratic nomination
is certain to 60 to q man who not only
personally is pro-New Deal and pro-
Fair Deal but will have to- run on a
platform indorsing Mr.. Truman and all
of his policies. -".a va 81. ra.e
The only exception in the list of DEM
ocratic availables Is Senator Russell, Of
Georgia. and his prospects for nomina-
ton (becauSe he is from the South are
so remote as to be hardly worth dis
cussion. For the rest-Kefauver, Bark
ley. Kerr, Harriman-they are all of the
Truman pattern with nothing new to
offer. The same is true of Gov. Steven
son of Illinois. who, though he has de-
clared himself not q presidential as
pirant, seems coyly unable to bring him.
self to the point where he can say he
will not respond to draft" OF course.
Mr.. Hartman is more New Dealish and
Fair Dealish than Mr. Truman himself,
particularly on the civil rights issue. I'm
questionably, his success in the District
OF Columbia primary. where he made an
especial drive for Negro support.
X
This means, it Is agreed, that the
Democratic platform will contain civil
rights plank as strong if not stronger
than that Of 1948, which was so OBJ
noxlouS to the South that most of the
Southern delegates bolted the convention
and Mr.. Truman lost 80 electoral votes
from the South. Also it is agreed that
the Democratic platform will indorse Mr..
Truman, his administration and policies;
Mr.. Roosevelt, his administration and
policies. 1t. Of course, will declare against
corruption, but it will minimize and deny
the graft revelations of the past two
years and favor the new Oscar Ewing
spending schemes for Federal education
and medicine. All Of which makes any
expression of economy in governmental
expenses joke.
In brief, unless. as now seems unlikely.
there is really basic difference between
the two parties on foreign policy, the
prospects are that the line between con-
Servatives and liberals will be far more
clearly drawn than since 1882,
't