Evening star., 1952-08-19
The Political Mil
The Political Mill
Eisenhower Would Face
Tough Task in Congress
Generals Ability to Settle
Conflicts Is in His Favor
By Gould Lincoln

By Gould Lincoln
II the Republicans elect Gen. Eisen-
hover President and win control of tho
Senate as well as Of the House. how may
the new President be expected to fare
In his dealings with Congress? At the
outset. it should be said that Gen.
Eisenhower has been remarkably sue
cessful. during his career in the Army
and as Supreme Commander Of the
Allied Forces during the Second World
War and of the NATO forces more
recently. His ability to get conflicting
elements to work together has been re-
markable.
Presumably. Gen. Eisenhower's great
est difficulty will lie in the Senate
though this is by no means certain.
Senator Taft Of Ohio. present chairman
OF the Republican Policy Committee of
the upper House. has been the dominant
ngure on the Republican side of the
Senate chamber for a number of years.
particularly on domestic affairs. He
found himself in the minority, how
ever. when he clashed with the late
Senator Vandenberg of Michigan on
foreign policy. Senator Vandenberg, who
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front OF the bipartisan foreign policy
group on the Republican side, was able
to carry the Republicans of the Senate
along with him on such Important
measures as the NATO treaty and on
tne lend-lease and Marshall plans for
1orelgn AID. Senator Taft fought in vain
against some of the important laws.
Clash With Senator Taft Possible.
Senator Taft, who was Gen. Eisen.
movers leading opponent for the Re.
publican presidential nomination, has
been frequent critic of the policy for
rearmlng western Europe, a policy in
winch Gen. Eisenhower has been a
ieaolng figure. Senator Taft was willing
70 go part way. but not as far as Gen.
eisenhower believed necessary. It is
over foreign policy. therefore, that
EISENHOWER and Taft may clash, should
the former be elected President. Taft's
support came from many Midwest Re-
publicans who were. like him. opposed
to the full program for national defense
and foreign arms aid.
It remains to be seen whether Senator
Taft's hold on the Republicans of the
senate Is shaken in the next Congress.
After the death Of Senator Vandenberg.
the Ohio Senator stepped out not only as
leader OF Senate Republicans on domes-
tic issues but also in the matter of for
eign policy. His attitude on foreign pol
ICY lost him much support in the great
States OF the East. But he was able to
maintain his grip on the Republican or
ganization Of the Senate. although he
was challenged by the so-called Young
Turks. headed by Senators Lodge and
Saltonstall Of Massachusetts,, Senator
Ives Of New York and others. Taft's de-
feat for the presidential nomination may
have its effect when the Senate meets in
the SD Congress.
Indeed, there may be another effort to
dislodge Senator Taft from the impor-
tant Craftsmanship Of the Republican
Policy Committee. Senator Brewster of
Maine. staunch supporter Of the Ohio
Senator. has been defeated for renomi-
nation. If the Republicans win con.
troll Of the Senate, there will be a
number Of new faces on the @. o.. p.
side Of the chamber. Should Senator
Lodge be reelected, he may again chal-
lenge the Ohioan, with whom he has
clashed time after time during the last
two Congresses, on legislative matters as
well as on Senate organization.
Could Call for Showdown.
1t may be that the Eisenhower forces
will put their foot down on any effort
to dislodge Taft from his position of
leadership on the Republican side Of
the Senate. They may consider this
wise, certainly until it has been dis
closed whether Eisenhower, in the White
House. can get along with Taft in the
Senate. On the other hand, they may
conclude that showdown at the outset
of the new Congress Is the better tactic,
and attempt to place an Eisenhower
man in this important post. Senator
Taft himself, during the coming cam
paign, may prove himself Of such impor-
tance to the Republican Party and to
Eisenhower in particular that no effort
at all will be made against him. He has
already said that he would Loyalty sup
port the Eisenhower Nixon ticket. That's
as good as q bond.
There will remain in the Senate many
of the Midwest Republican Senators who
strongly supported Taft for the presi-
dental nomination, and II Senator Taft
should elect to fight an Eisenhower for
eign policy program, they might be
expected to rally around the Ohioan.
making 1t difficult for the man in the
White House. The probabilities are.
however, that on national defense and
foreign policy issues, Eisenhower could
hope for support from number OF DEM
ocratic Senators as well as Republicans.
Many Presidents of the United States
have had their troubles with Congress,
from George Washington down. Except
for. his first two terms. even the late
President Franklin D. Roosevelt found
he could not dictate to the legislators.