Evening star., 1953-06-18
The Political Mill
--
President Is Popular
As Ever, Hall Reports
6. o. P. National Choirmun
Finds Party Well Organized
The Political Mill
By Gould Lincoln

" SVutU AtHSOiU
Republican National Chairman Leon.
ard w. Hall has returned to his WASH
ington headquarters, after trip which
took him to the West Coast and back,
firm in the belief that President Eisen-
hover is more popular throughout the
country than he was when he was
elected Chief Executive last November.
According to Chairman Hall, the Eisen-
hover critics in Washington who won-
der why the President has not cracked
down on Congress hard or removed the
scalp Of Senator Mccarthy of Wiscon-
sin, and who bleat about Gen. Eisen-
hower's foreign policy. are far out Of
step with the people back home. The
people, by the way. who have the votes
to cast.
Chairman Hall travelled to Seattle
and down to Los Angeles. He was in
Rapid City. s.. Dak, when the President
addressed the convention of the Young
Theodore Roosevelt'S old home, when
it was dedicated as a national shrine.
Mr.. Hall said that when the President
went in an automobile from Mitchell
Field to the Roosevelt home-a matter
VA A4AOAC kA4e11 40 An11CS-11C IOUO
all the way standing up in response to
the cheers. In Mr.. Halls mind this
means something. He said the Presi.
dent was given great ovation where
ever he went on his recent trip. The
enthusiasm for Gen. Eisenhower was
intense.
Organizati0nal Vitality.
The Republican chairman's second
comment had to do with the Republic
can organizations in the States he vis-
tied. He said he found them in excellent
shape, with more interest in the coming
congressional elections than he had be-
lieved possible so early. In fact, he
found people generally aware of the
Importance Of these coming contests
and the need Of returning Republican
House and Senate next year. Mr.. Hall.
a speaker at $100-a-plate Republican
dinner In Seattle, said that 1900 persons
out Of city of 100000 had paid for
seats at that dinner-Which manifested
the interest of people in the G. o. p.
He addressed another $100-a-plate din
ner in Los Angeles, where 1,150 turned
out for the affair. In San Francisco,
the Republicans are organizing as rarely
before, he said. Chairman Hall, in his
travels, visited Minneapolis, too; and
took in the Republican State conven-
ton In Wisconsin, attended by 1000
delegates, the largest number in its
history.
The voters, and he talked to many,
Mr.. Hall said, are tremendously inter-
ested IN a truce to end the fighting in
korea-nor do they regard it, If it ma
terializeS, as defeat for the United
States or the United Nations, as some
critics of the administration now pro-
fess. Mr.. Halls comment was that the
United States and the United Nations
had gone to war In Korea to halt Com
munist aggression; that if the Commu-
n1Sts had not attacked the Republic Of
Korea this country would not have
gone to war there, to force uniflcation
OF the whole Of Korea or for any other
purpose. He said he found no persons
who believed otherwise. The United
States and the U. N. successfully re.
pelIed the aggression, he pointed out.
Tax Interest High.
Other matters In which the people
expressed their interest, Mr.. Hall said.
were a reduction Of taxes and a ball
anced budget. Most of them were
entirely willing to go along with the
President in his purpose of having a
balanced budget in sight before taxes
were reduced. Some of the business
men griped about continuing the ex-
cess profits tax on corporations, Mr..
Hall said. but they were in the minority.
Some of the Republican leaders were
disappointed, Mr.. Hall said, because
patronage had been slow coming their
way. The people, for their part, are
anxious to have the Fair Dealers, who
have been running the Government in
Washington, cleaned out without delay.
This is the Republican picture, as
Mr.. Hall sees it.. He said, however.
that the Republican organization work.
ers are taking nothing for granted,
that they are running scared" so far
as the elections next year are con-
cerned. They realize they have fight
on their hands, and they are not MAX
ing claims Of victory at this stage Of
the game. They naturally count on
the Eisenhower popularity to help the
Republican congressional candidates.
Any candidates who decline to sup
port Gen. Eisenhower and his pro-
gram now may have q problem on their
hands later.