Evening star., 1952-10-10
Fighting Communists

FIgntIng Communists
There is no reason to doubt that Governor
Stevenson meant exactly what he said when he
told Detroit audience: IF I find in Washing
ton any disloyal Government servant, will
throw him out ruthlessly, regardless of place,
position or party"
The real issue, however, or perhaps 1t would
be more accurate to say the political issue, does
not bear on Governor Stevenson's willingness to
deal firmly with Communists who have wormed
their way into this Government. Senator Nc
Carthy, to be sure has announced that he will
attack the Governor on this score. But most
people will have no misgivings about the loyalty
OF the Democratic candidate, and If past per-
formance is guide, Senator Mccarthy will not
produce any evidence that would change
reasonable mind.
The issue that will influence good many
votes in the November election has to do with
the popular appraisal of the Democratic record
in combating Communists in this country. And
that appraisal certainly is not overly favorable
to the Democrats
Governor Stevenson undertook to defend
the Democratic record. 1--WE Of the Democratic
Party" he said, "have fought communism in
America for 20 years-in the Government, in the
union halls, in the farm Grange halls, in the
schools and in our homes We have met and
destroyed this disease as 1t had not been met
or destroyed in any other country in the world"
That is pretty broad statement-a state
ment that Is hardly justified by the record and
which was not convincingy supported by
Governor Stevenson.
He got off to an unfortunate start. In his
prepared text he said: 1T was then Gin the depth
of the depression prior to President Roosevelt's
election) that so many intellectuals, witnessing
the devastation of capitalism and the menacing
rise Of Hitler, became entangled in the Com
muniSt conspiracy" Then, for some curious
reason he departed from his prepared text to
include Alger Hiss and Elizabeth Bentley in this
category of disillusioned intellectuals.
Now 1t is undoubtedly true that many bright
young men and women were attracted to COM
muniSm when the depression seemed to have
diScredited and doomed the capitalist system.
For most Of them, however, 1t was a brief flirta-
ton. Closer acquaintance with communism and
the beginning Of economic revival in this
country opened their eyes. Not so with Alger
Hiss Judging from the evidence produced at
his trial, he was more than an intellectual
briefly entangled in the Communist conspiracy.
He was confirmed Communist and traitor
intellectual who was still betraying his country
some five years after President Roosevelt's first
election.
Governor Stevenson did not do much better
In his attempt to defend the Democratic record.
There is a great deal in that record which sup
ports the contention that the Truman admins
tration has led the fight against the Communist
conspiracy throughout the world, and that it
has set up reasonably adequate loyalty program
within the Government. But there Is also much
in the record which shows that the Democratic
administrations were slow to awaken to the fact
Of Communist penetration Of our own Govern
ment. Mrs Roosevelt lent her presence to
ridicule of the old Dies Committee when that
House group began the first crude counterattack
against the Communists. Mr.. Truman certainly
never gave any help to the House Committee
on Un-Amercan Activities, and he was still
crying "red herring" after that groups exposure
of facts in the Hiss case should have startled
him into vigorous action.
Governor Stevensons error was in not
acknowledging at least some Of the major fail
ures of the Democrats in their fight against
communism. He may have been Influenced by
the old maxim that the best defense is good
offense But in claiming all credit and con-
ceding no mistakes, he assuredly left doubt
in the minds Of some people-not doubt az
to his own individual integrity, but doubt as
to his capacity to deal with problem which,
as Senator McCarthy's surprising primary vote
total shows, is very real in the minds Of millions
Of voters.