Evening star., 1952-02-03
The Last Bridge Is Burned

If there was any lingering prospect that the
break between James r. Byrnes and the Truman
administration might be repaired, it no longer
exists. In his speech to the Virginia General
Assembly at Williamsburg the Governor Of South
Carolina has burned the last beidge which might
have led back to the party fold in Washington.
Governor Byrnes who lived and moved for
so many years close to the centers OF power in
Washington, emergeS In the Williamsburg address
as the high apostle Of States rights And in ad-
dition, he joins the ranks Of the administrations
severeSt critics on the conduct of the Korean war.
With respect to the latter, Governor Byrnes
told the Virginia legislators that the time has.
come when we should tell the Communists that
If the current peace efforts fail we will use
every weapon at our command" to bring the
conflict quickly to a victorious conclusion And
he went further. Our Air Force, he said should
be directed to seek out the enemy bases and
destroy them. Our Navy should blockade the
ports Of Communist China And we should
accept the aid of Chang Kai-sheks 25O,0Oo
nghting men on Formosa. This goes Just as far,
and maybe a little farther, than General Mac
Arthur has wanted to 60. Certainly 1t puts the
former Secretary of State squarely and fully at
odds with the President on this aspect Of foreign
policy.
The break in the domestic field is hardly
less complete. Governor Byrnes spelled out four
areas of opposition. He is opposed to 'socialized
medicine, whether so-called or masQueradipg
under the name of national health insurance"
It has almost bankrupted Britain he said, and
1t might bankrupt us.
He says we should continue to oppose the
Brannan farm plan because it would regiment
the farmers and cost the taxpayers billions Of
dollars.
He is against Federal aid for education
because he thinks that control of public educa-
ton would follow the congressional purse s
And he believes we should oppose the pro-
posed FEPC law because it would put an end to
our individual liberties Significantly or other
wise, the Governor did not mention the other
features of the civil rights progran-the anti-
poll tax bill, the anti-lynch bill, etc.
These, plus warning against the threat to
our economic survival from excessive Federal
spending, sum up the specific points on which
he took issue with the Truman administration
The question is what does it all add up to?
Is Governor Byrnes speaking just for himself,
or as the leader Of significant Southern revolt
against the policies of the Truman admins
tration?
One paragraph in the talk invites the infer.
ence that Governor Byrnes hopes to, and is
perfectly willing to, lead such revolt. The
time has come" he said, when political labels
should mean little to us, but political principles
should mean much to us. Loyalty is a virtue,
but misplaced loyalty is an evil. Americans,
whether Democrats or Republicans, should place
loyalty to country above loyalty to any political
party or any political candidate"
That is plain appeal to Southern Demo-
Gratis to abandon the Democratic Party unless
its policies meet the specifications drawn up by
Governor Byrnes. The next few months will
reveal whether he is a political general with
or without-an army. -.