Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-09-24
Nixon's Counter Punch

II Senator Nixon told the whole story in his
moving and dramatic appeal to the American
people last night he will unquestionably remain
a. the Republican vice presidential candidate
General Eisenhower is right in arranging
for face-to-face conference with his running
mate. He cannot run the risk that another
bombshell may explode in his face and he ought
to and out exactly what additional "smears"
Senator Nixon anticipates. He must find out
whether there is anything in the Nixon record,
as yet undiSclosed, which may crop up during
the balance Of the campaign to en1barrass the
Republican ticket.
] II the whole story has been told, however,
1t is uncomfortable that Senator Nixon will be
dropped from the ticket. To dump" him new
would be nothing short of political suicide. The
damage resulting from disclosure of the special
Nixon expense fund has been done. The votes
that have been loSt-and undoubtedly votes were
lost-are gone. Certainly there would be no
political wisdom, however, in alternating addi-
tional voters by dropping Senator Nixon at this
late date
Several things have combined to soften the
political impact of the expense fund revelation.
One Is the way in which the administration
has contrived to let it be known that the Depart
ment of Justice is looking into the legality of
the Nixon fund. The zealousness in this instance
In the Hiss and other cases. The announcement
Of the Nixon investigation has all the earmarks
Of cheap politics, and undoubtedly viii be viewed
Is such by the vast majority of the voters. An
other thing that has helped is the disclosure that
Governor Stevenson also had special expense
fund at his disposal. Judging from news ac-
counts, there is no material difference between
the Nixon fund and the Stevenson fund, and
the fact that the kettle seems to be as black as
the pot is bound to lend slightly phony ring
TO the Democratic cries of outrage.
] The big thing, however, is the case that
senator Nixon has made for himself. What he
has said in his own defense does not remove the
fact that the use of an expense fund such as he
had rests on dubious ethical grounds It Is not
GOOD practice for Senator to turn to SO or 100
wealthy individuals for a continuing fund to
carry on political activities beyond the scope OF
his official duties. If such relationship does
not actually put the Senator under special
obligation to the contributors, it at least has the
appearance of doing so. And the second man
in the crusade to clean up Washington ought
to be above the appearance of wrong, as well as
shove wrong itself.
Still Senator Nixon has staged remarkable
comeback If he has revealed all the facts,
there is nothing in this business which reflects
discreditably on him as an individual. He mas
not profited personally, and is, indeed, poor
man by the standards applying to his station
in life. The chances are-stnl assuming that
there are no more dark corners in the Nixon
5eareer-that the Democrats will be happy to
forget the expense fund episode. 1t is beginning
TO look as though it might turn out politically
sneakinR. to have some of the peculiar charac-
feristics Of boomerang.