Evening star., 1952-09-11
Wisconsin Landslide


cusions will be drawn from Senator McCarthyis
lopsided victory in Wisconsins Republican pri-
mary. There is not much room for argument,
however, as to a few of the inferences.
One is that General Eisenhower was wise
when he declined to heed the fervent urgngs
of those who wanted him to denounce Senator
Mccarthy and call upon Wisconsin Republicans
to repudiate him. To have done that as the
vote shows would have been futile act of
political stupidity. 1t would have hurt General
EisenhoWers election chances and it would not
have defeated Senator Mccarthy; in fact, it
might even have added to his already over
whelming total in Wisconsin.
Perhaps it will be said that General Eisen-
hover, even knowing the futility of it, should
have attacked Senator Mccarthy. But that is
view which overlooks the realities of politics. 1t
would be absurd for presidential candidate to go
about the country denouncing members OF his
own party. That might make him knight in
shining armor in some eyes, but a surer way Of
losing an election could hardly be devised.
General Eisenhower made clear his disapproval of
what has come to be known as McCarthyism. He
would merely have been playing into the hands
of the political opposition had he gone on to say
that he would refuse to support the Senator if
nominated.
Somewhat the same thing applies to the
Indiana.
This is the man who, from the security of the
Senate floor, denounced General Marshall as
Giving lie" and as front for traitors" If
more scurrilous SANDER has been uttered, 1t does
not come readily to mind General Eisenhower.
f1guratively speaking must have found it neces-
sary to hold his nose in voicing the Jenner
Endorsement, but it is hard to see how he could
have done otherwise
Senator Jenner, to be sure, Is in trouble.
Polls show him running behind in Indiana, so
it is conceivable that an Eisenhower rebuff might
have contributed to his defeat. That, however,
would have left General Eisenhower in the
position of attacking weak Republican candi-
date while being unwilling to attack strong
one. And it is hard to think Of any worse
position he could put himself in.
General Eisenhower summed up the whole
business when he told his Indiana audience:
1.-THE people of each State are the best judges
of the individuals they want to represent their
party" The Republicans of Indiana, or of Wis
consin, may arrive at what outsiders firmly
believe to be faulty judgment In that event,
however the correction of error has to be left
to the people of the State It cannot be cor
rected under our political system by those who
presume to sit in judgment from afar.
In Wisconsin, the Judgment of the Republic
can voters was so emphatic and SO overwhelming
that it would be idle to bubble over it. The
seamy side of the Mccarthy record was fully
publicized throughout the State. Most of the
leading newspapers were vigorously against him.
His principal opponent took to the air with
tireless campaign. Senator Mccarthy made
virtually no campaign of his own. Democratic
voters, as expected crossed over into the Repub-
lican primary. But when they got there most OF
them evidently voted for Senator Mccarthy.
And when the votes were counted the Senator
had big edge over all of the others-both
Republican and Democratic-who were running
in the senatorial primaries
Those who wish to do so may attempt to
rationalize and explain away this result. They
are not to be envied, however, for the Wisconsin
primary has the earmarks of a popular indorse-
ment of Senator Mccarthy and all his works
This may come as a jolt to those who have
deplored many of the Mccarthy methods-The
Star being among them-but it is pontless to try
to soft-peda the fact of the result to belittle
its significance. In wisconsin at least, Senator
Mccarthy is the man of the hour.