Evening star., 1952-01-10
The Political Mill
Trumon Message Called
Fine Political Document
Party Fight to Retoin Control
To Beur Dollur-Murk Slogan
BY Gould Lincoln

~ UeuI Dotiut-WuTk SIOyuU
r By Gould Lincoln
More and more it is becoming ap.
parent that the Democratic campaign
to retain control of the Federal Govern
ment will bear dollar-mark slogan,
President Truman, in his message on
the state Of the Union." pointed this
up. He told Congress and the country
and he boasted of it-that economic
conditions in the country are good; that
81 million persons are employed; that
wages are good, and farm incomes and
business profits are at high levels. :
This issue Of prosperity, with more
people having more money in their
pockets than ever before, is SO potent
that the Republicans must give heed.
It is not easily kissed off. Added to this
issue is the fact that the Federal Gov
ernment has millions Of civilians on its
payroll. and more employees are being
added all the time. Also the Federal
Government Is continuing its subsidies
to the farmers, and planning better and
bigger subsidies If Mr.. Truman has,
his way. 1t will distribute many billions
OF dollars in contracts to business people
all over the country.
Prosperity Stressed. .
Already Democratic speakers. In add.
tion to the President, have been stress.
ing the fact that the ordinary, everyday
American is living better than ever be-
fore. despite high taxes and high prices.
They produce figures to show that, not
withstanding the high prices and taxes.
the savings Tin dollars) of the American
hoT TTa 1xy 10 Inr -
year, and at the same time they have
had more money than ever before to
spend for the things they wanted.
In reply to these claims by the Demo-
Gratis. the Republicans point to the fall,
ure OF the Truman administration to
deal adequately with the foreign situa-
tion and the Communist aggression. This
failure, the Republicans aSsert-and
with much truths responsible for high
taxes and high prices. The lack Of
stable peace the Republicans attribute
to the fumbling of the Democrats, to
their mistakes, particularly in the Far
East. And here, too, there is much
truth.
The President, in his state-of-the-
Union message, called on Americans,
irrespective Of party, to back up his
defense plans and spending, and his for
eign policy. Indeed, he used the Russian
Communist aggression threat as .
club with which to beat COM
pliance into the citizenry. OF course.
Americans must prepare to defend
themselves in the present interna-
tional situation. But that does not
mean Americans must go on trusting the
Truman administration or the Demo-
cratic Party with control Of the Govern
ment. In fact, the very size of the peril
which the President points out. which
has been growing over the Truman
years, is good reason for putting the
management of the Government and Of
foreign policy in other hands.
Program Could Be Platform.
The President gave no inkling in his
message whether he intends to be q
candidate to- succeed himself. He did.
however, lay down a program which
could easily become his platform for
reelection If he should become a candi-
date. His pledge, Of course, was to fight
on for the "fair DEAL" with its change,
II not, repeal, of the Hartley labor
law, and with its socialized medicine and
,Branl1an farm plan and greater social
security benefits and Federal aid to
education. All sugar to attract the
voters of many groups. @Hs~: 3..-
Mr. Truman took cognizance in his
message Of the corruption in Govern
nnent revelations, brought out In recent
months by congressional investigating
committees. Unworthy public servants,
he said must be weeded out-and he
offered himself as chief weeder. At the
same time he came to the defense Of
the great mass of Government workers
which could certainly do him no harm
with the voting portion of those workers.
The President said frankly at the out
set of his message he realized this Is q.
presidential election year and that poll
tics would play big part. Decidedly, his
message was an excellent political docu-
ment. At the same time he pointed out
the serious issues which confront the
country and called for aid in meeting
them,
He made no mention Of Gen. Dwight
d. Eisenhower by name-as he did in
his message to Congress at this time
year ago. The President did, however,
praise the work that has been done
in building up the defenses Of Western
Europe, and by inference he praised
Gen. Eisenhower. It was too much to
expect he would seek to build up the
man, by name, who may be the next
Republican nominee for President.