Evening star., 1952-06-28
|SpeakersDebate
Seizure Of Steel
And Socialism
Charges by Byrd and
Toft Are Discussed
At Charlottesville
By W. H. Shippen
Stor Staff Correspondent

S4A1A4V4S>4 l. l. LIN v 44A4x1, v 61.e
|28.-Unqualified denunciationS of
the Democratic administration by
Senators Byrd and Taft evoked
spirited reactions in the forum
here devoted to less partisan dis
|cussionS.
Much Of the debate on the
duties of the President. now in
progress at the University of Vir-
ginia's Institute of Public Affairs,
centered on the issue raised by
President Truman when he seized
the big steel mills in April.
Another point was whether or
not a continuance of the Demo-
cratic policies of the last 20 years
will result in an all-out socialism,
as claimed by Senators Byrd and
Taft. In other words, the ultimate
destruction of free enterprise.
Yet the heat of controversy sur
rounding the Office of the Presi-
dent in an election year should
be measured in terms of the past
as well as the future, in the opin-
ion of DR.. T. v. Smith, professor
of citizenship and philosophy at
Syracuse University.
Proper Perspective Stressed.
Speaking on a program at the
institute last night with Senator
Taft, DR.. Smith, a veteran of both
World Wars, declared:
1--WE stand in the presence of
an excited. perhaps an awakened
Nation. Every four years the
presidency becomes the operative
symbol of our whole American
Nation" In such circumstances,
the professor cautioned his audi
|ence, the public should strive to
maintain a proper perspective "in
IA season of exaggeration."
Another speaker at the insti-
tute'S sessions yesterday was Irv-
ing Brant, veteran newspaper ed
itor and author, who said:
THE seizure of the steel mills
by President Truman was not a
deliberate attempt to usurp
power"
While Mr.. Brant believed the
action unconstitutional. he added
it grew out of the Illustrations
inherent in American Govern
ment," or Government by dead
lock between the President and
Congress-"
First Thought Was Output.
GAS an executive guardian of
national security" Mr.. Brant de-
clared, "Mr. Truman's first
thought was to keep the steel
mills open for the sake of the
defense program. Congress dis
played no kindred sense of respon-
sibility."
The speaker admitted, however,
that "the President was more
anxious to maintain the good will
of the steelworkers than the
profits of the steel companies. I"
Yet an act prompted by such a
motive still "coincided with the
national welfare" he added, since
"steel wages are unduly low,
profits are inordinately high, and
the price demands Of the steel
companies would set off another
wave of initiation"
AS to the country's alleged move
toward socialism, DR.. James Hart,
professor of political science at
the university. gave the opinion
that steps in this direction so far
are merely to attain the ends of
liberty, justice and security" un-
der conditions far different from
our early agricultural society.
DR.. Hart said that "all-out
socialism" undoubtedly would
stifle free elections and civil lib
critics "for Government would be
the sole employer, the sole center
of economic power" =
Nevertheless, socialism in lin
tied areas he declared, cannot be
construed as steps toward all-out
socialism on the road to dictator
ship.