Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-10-19
Truman 'Tirudes' Held
Allotted by Stevenson
Writer Says President Makes
Campaign q 'BrowI'
By Frank R. Kent

BY fronk K. Kent
Recently many complaints have been
heard that the presidential campaign
is being conducted on very low plane.
That there is sound foundation for these
complaints is generally agreed There
is also general agreement as to whose
fault this is. On both sides RESPONSE
bility is assigned to the President of the
United States, who has been campaign
ing in way no President in memory
ever campaigned before.
No President and no presidential
candidate who can be recalled in Ameri-
can politics ever descended to the
demagogic level upon which Mr.. Truman
operated on his first whistle stop" tour
of the country Nor has any ever
matched him either in the vulgarity Of
his language or the utter recklessneSs
with which he has diSregarded the truth.
UnqueStionably he has aroused disgust
among many citizens in all parts of the
country.
The idea that this reckless mud sling
ing in his behalf was disturbing to Gov.
Stevenson, who has so often proclaimed
his pure purpose to appeal only to reason
and avoid all distortion of fact, has been
discarded since one of his chief journal
istlc friends let it be known that Mr..
Stevenson had telephoned Mr.. Truman
from his train, profusely expressing his
admiration and gratitude, urging him to
continue pouring it on" indicating
that money would be found for another
Such trip on which Mr.. Truman would
De provided national radio hookup.
IhlS Sheds rather new light on Mr..
Stevenson, who, in his virtuous way
and despite his appeal to reason" has
been crlticlzing Gen. Ike for his support
OF all Republican candidates, including
senators Mccarthy, KEN and Jenner:
also alleging (though he must know
petter) that the general had "Surren-
dered" to Senator Taft and was being
dictated to by him. It now seems that
II there has been surrender" 1t is
tnat OF Mr.. Stevenson to Mr., Truman.
A lew weeks ago those who accurately
renect the Governors views were vo.
GENEROUSLY pointing out that he has no
oeslre to run on the Truman record.
was not in full accord with all the Tru-
man policies and was distressed by the
mess" IN Washington, which he pledged
himself to clean up.
Taking note Of these widely p,,b-
llshed statements, Mr.. Truman tr,iccu-
lently let 1t be known at White House
press conference.-the, that he knows
OF no mess" in Washington: second.
that Stevenson and Sparkman have GOT
10 run on the Truman record: third.
that ne is the "key figure" in the CAM
pa1gn. Then. without any enthusiasm
at all from Mr.. Stevenson or the
stevenson management, he started on
MS tour. He finished second one last
night and is preparing for third be-
lore the campaign ends. Now veracious
reporters travelling with Gov. Stevenson
declare that he has not only developed
considerable degree of enthusiasm for
the truman tour and is now pleased
10 run on the Truman record and ac-
cept the Truman policies but, in addi-
ZION, has forgotten all about the mess"
IN washington and is not likely to mem
ton it again.
II from the start Gov. Stevenson had
not assumed position of such mn
mltlgated nobility these contradictions
ana inconsistencies might be ascribed
10 the ordinary exigencies of practical
poltlcS. But in view of his caustic
criticism OF his opponent for exactly
the same sort of thing that he himself
IS doing, 1t does seem that there is a
considerable tinge of hypocrisy about the
stevenson performance and that he is
neither as noble nor as candid as he
asserts. The fact is the virtuous Adlai
mas always seemed little too good to
be true and his apparently complete
surrender" to the President in the
matter of the mess" in Washington
is rather convincing proof.
AS to whether Mr.. Humans travel
TRADES are making or losing votes for
GOV. Stevenson it is impossible to saw.
Certainly he has had large and pleased
crowds wherever he has spoken. Ger
talnly. too, he has changed the CAM
pa1gn from what appeared to be more
than usually dignified debate into
something with all the earmarks of a
braWl. There are two views Of the effect
upon the electorate. One is that the
coarse and undiluted partisanship of the
PRESIDENTS speeches has disguised
many voters who might have gone for
Stevenson but who resent what thew
regard as the degradation of the presi-
dency and feel now that the only way
to get rid of TrumaniSm, with it's
fragrant venality and corruption, is to
elect Eisenhower and Nixon. The other
view is that the American people really
like the way Mr.. Truman dishes it
out" They have no real taste for ZAP
peals to reason" do not want their
politics on high plane, do not want
the truth. Those who think this be-
lieve Mr.. Truman is making votes for
the Governor and that the latter is
wise to come down off his high horse.
ignore the facts, forget the mess" in
Washington and help Mr.. Truman hit
Ike with everything he can put his
hands on.