Evening star., 1952-01-13
'Eisenhower's S Views
Held Amply Known
Dark Horse Nominee Seen
Enough to Defect 6. O. P.
By Fronk R. Kent

The comment. commendation and
criticism that have followed Gen.
ElSenhower'S admirable statement Of
Monday have created situations in both
parties practically unique and certainly
interesting. Also. certain significant facts
have been more clearly revealed by his
opponents than by his advocates.
Take first the Republican reaction.
Almost every dissenting opinion has
been preceded by tribute to his char.
acter and ability. The tune which the
dissenters sing. practically without ex-
ception, is on one key-"Nobody knows
what he stands for" He is" they
chant. 1.-The mysterious man."
This query, Where does he stand?"
Is. OF course. utter nonsense. Take. for
example. his position on foreign policy.
II that had not been proclaimed by his
acts and utterances it Is certainly made
clear by the fact that his strongest and
most violent opponent Is Col. Robert
Mccormick, owner of the Chicago
Tribune and leading American isola-
zionist. Considering this, one must be
very stupid not to know where Ike"
stands on foreign policy. AS Repub-
lican he stands on foreign policy where
the late Senator Arthur Vandenberg
stood and the Senator's son is one Of
his strongest supporters.
Take next his position on domestic
issues. It is ridiculous to ask where
he stands on corruption in Government,
reduced taxation, economy, a balanced
budget and the preservation Of the
American way of life" What aspirant
for Office from President down, any
where. anytime, has not given lip serv.
ice to these things? The difference
is not in what they say about them, but
in their known attitude. Well, what
do we know of the Eisenhower attitude?
First, we know-from his own lips now
that he is Republican; that in 1948
he voted for Dewey; that Senator Lodge
correctly described his position when
he made 1t clear that he was only avail
able for the Republican nomination.
Does 1t strain anybody's reason to
deduce from this that he is and always
has been an anti-New Dealer and an
anti-Fair Dealer? And can you be those
things and not aghast at waste, inef.
flciency and corruption in Government?
The real domestic issue the anti -Eisen.
hover critics want to make mysterious
Is his attitude toward labor manage
ment. AS to that the generals friends
know he does not want industry and
management to run the country, but
neither does he want the labor bosses
to run it.
That seems pretty sound position
but better answer lies in the fact
that the labor bosses-particularly some
OF the CIO. next to Col. Mccormick.
are the most violent of Eisenhower
opponents. Apparently they know that
with the general as President the days
OF their White House dominance would
be overland they don't like the idea.
They don't want just fair treatment,
they want favored treatment. Next to
Senator Taft himself they dislike the
idea Of Eisenhower as President.
AS to the situation which his state
ment has created. it is acute in both
parties. Clearly the Republicans must
nominate either Gen. Eisenhower or
Senator Taft. To compromise on a Stas-
sen or q Warren would be to sidetrack
both strong candidates and present one
for whom there is slight public senti-
ment. The great appeal of "Ike" is that
more people. regardless Of party, want
him to be President than they want any
one else. Concededly he Is the surest
winner. With any other nominee, the
Republicans are risking another defeat.
No one appears to dispute that. Under
such circumstances, If the convention
turns down the opportunity to name the
sure winner, the Taft nomination will
seem machine made. dictated by the
politicians In defiance Of public ser1ti.
ment, reactionary, Old Guard and iso.
latlon.st. That is the sort of fight that
would be made against him. This is
tough on Senator Taft, who is an able
man OF high character, but such Is the
fact.