Evening star., 1952-07-20
Eisenhower Not a Pawn
Of Any Pressure Group
Neither Is He Enemy Of Lobor
As Some Democrats Charge
By Eronk R. Kent

Even before the Democrats have met
In Chicago ScreecheS from their presi-
Dental aSpirants fill the air. The tenor
Of the screaming is that while Gen.
Eisenhower is splendid man personally.
he will be controlled by the forces of
ell" In the Republican Party and the
big special interests" who were behind
his nomination.
Aside from the fact that this makes
no sense. 1t indicates that in the COM
ing campaign the Democrats will 60 to
limits Of demagoguery not heretofore
approached. One of the gentlemen
whose words can be so construed is the
exceedingly SNUG Senator Paul Douglas
of Illinois. who is supporting his COL
league, Senator Kefauver Of the COON
skin hat who sings on the same key.
Another Is the affable Mr.. Averell Har-
riman, whose particular appeal is to the
Negro and labor leaders, with whom he
Is on terms Of personal intimacy not
achieved by any of his nomination rivals.
Both loudly proclaim they "can beat
Ike" The Hartman view Is that the
Republican platform is an insult to
labor" and unsatisfactory" on civil
rights. The deduction is that Mr. EiSen-
mower will not have the support Of the
labor bosses or the Negro bosses.'
That does not have to be pointed out.
The link between these groups and the
Democratic Party Is so strong that there
seems no way to break it. No Republi-
can candidate-if he so desired-could
equal the servility and subservience OBJ
served by all the Democratic aspirants
now surprisingly including Senator
Russell. A basic qualification for the
nomination Of any Democratic aspirant
is approval Of the labor and Negro
bosses. No one disputes these facts, but
Democratic leaders very much dislike
being made to face them. In this de-
grading situation apparently the Demo-
cratic policy will be to assail Ike" as
an ignorant small boy in politics behind
great wealth eager to suppress labor
unions and deny Negroes their constitu-
tional rights.
1t isn't easy to get sillier than that,
but 1t does show the impoverishment
OF Democratic arguments. The truth, of
course, Is that Gen. Eisenhower is one
Of the least obligated men ever nomi-
mated for the presidency. He did not
have to be cleared" through anybody.
He made no deals. no commitments. He
has put out no promiSsory notes either
to individuals or groups. II elected,
he will take over the presidency as free
as man can be. This will be happy
state for him and even happier for the
American people. More than anything
else. this country needs an unfettered
President with no debts to pay and no
bosses to serve. We have not had such
q President in 20 years.
Gen. Eisenhower is no enemy Of labor.
He is friend Of labor and labor unions.
But he does not believe they should run
the country. They will get from him
fair and sympathetic treatment, but
they will not get support for unjustified
strikes during national crisis or prom
iseS such as Mr.. Truman made to Mr..
Murray not to use the law especially
urged by Congress.
There is reason to believe the people
as q whole will be glad to see man
in the White House not bosSed by the
labor bosses. There is reason to believe
they will be glad to see President who
isn't playing politics with the Negro vote.
which Is what Democratic Presidents
have been doing for the last IL years,
openly urging the Fair Employment
Practices Act which they know perfectly
well cannot get through Congress. More
than once since he came home Gen.
Eisenhower unequivocally has declared
himself against any discrimination any
where at any time against any citizen
because Of race, creed or color. He has
added that he does not believe present
Determinations and inequalities can
effectively be removed by q compulsory
Federal law. He thinks the action should
be taken by the States. supported by the
Federal Government and encouraged by
public sentiment. Most thoughtful men
in both parties think this is the only
possible solution Of a very grave problem.