Evening star., 1952-08-26
Take the Low Road

Take the Low Road
General Eisenhower's address to the Ameri-
can Legion presumably will be the last of his
n-political" speeches. On the whole, it was
quite good speech.
1t is possible, Of course, to pick flaws in it.
For instance, it Is not very meaningful to say
that the people of the Baltic countries, Poland,
Czechoslovakia and the others must be restored
to the society of free men, and that nothing will
put an end to our search for the peaceful
instruments OF their liberation" It is not very
meaningful because the prospects of nberating
these people with peaceful instruments" are
exceedingly slim and remote. In time, perhaps,
the Soviet tyranny will wither and die. But
not many people in the enslaved lands will live
to see the day of liberation if that is to be
brought about with peaceful instruments.
On the other hand, the simple fact is that
no one is willing to 60 to war with Russia to
free the conquered peoples They may achieve
freedom, for what it would be worth, as by
product of World War III, but that war, if it
comes to pass, will not originate in any such
purpose. If General Eisenhower believes in a
war of liberation, which he assuredly does not
it would be politically fatal for him to advocate
that course. This being so it would be better
not to seem to raise false hopes by talking about
peaceful instruments. But this at worst, is
nothing more than pious expression Of an
Immediately futile hope.
The main burden of the speech was once
again to spell out as he sees it, the danger which
confrontS us. He did this very well, in language
that was both eloquent and forceful. His pro-
gram for meeting the danger was also presented
persuasively. In the main, it was not new. He
wants an America strong enough to retaliate
with devastating force If the Russians strike, and
he wants to cultivate the support of all nations
willing to stand with us against the Communists.
This is neither new nor exceptionable. His third
point-that we should tell the Kremlin with
"cold fnality" that we will never recognize the
slightest permanence in Russia's position in
Eastern Europe and Asia-also seems somewhat
on the wishful side. At least, the fact is that
the Russians are there, and they do not seem to
care very much whether we recognize their posi-
ton or not. Still, such notification to the
Kremlin could hardly do any immediate harm,
and might serve some useful purpose in the years
to come.
With all it's virtues, however, the Legion
speech is not apt to strike very responsive
chord. In its substance, the people have heard
it before Furthermore there are unrnistakable
signs that this kind of high-level campaigning
is wearing thin
The time is here when General Eisenhower
to the voters at their level It is easier of course
to generaze about this than it is to particularze.
Any one can say that the people want General
Eisenhower to tear into the opposition. But it is
more difficult to decide just where and against
what the attack should be made.
Nevertheless, the need for such campaign
is real. Support is slipping away from the Repub-
hcan candidate because an increasing number
of people are beginning to feel there is no real
choice between what he offers and what Governor
Stevenson offers. This is tough nut to crack
for a man who is above demagoguery. The
questions which plague us today cannot be
settled in terms of simple black and white. The
answers must be found in gray, middle area;
and it is extremely difficult to campaign on this
middle ground and not expose ones self to the
charge of me-tooism.
It is essential however, that the Republicans
find way of doing this if they are to win.
General Eisenhower ought to get away from
set speeches and formal appearances. He ought
to be himself. He ought to go down to the low
road, where the people travel, and talk to them
there In his own way. 1t is in this role that he
is most effective, and his aides have been saying
that this is the way he will perform when he
really begins to campaign But it is getting late.