Evening star., 1953-12-13
6. 0. P. 10 Whip Up
Dynamic Program
Al Par|ey This Week
By Gould Lincoln

By Gould Lincoln
With President Eisenhower
presiding. Republican leaders
will seek during three days Of |
White House conferences this |
week, to whip into general shape
the dynamic. progressive pro-
gram" which the Chief Executive |
has said must be developed and
enacted at the coming session Of
Congress.
The conferences. which start
Thursday. will open early In the
morning and run throughout the I
day. The President and his aides
will meet with the Republican
congressional leaders and chair
men of standing committees in |
the Cabinet room. and the con-
fereeS will be seated around the
Cabinet table-with room for Is |
to 18.
Much work already has been
done on this program by the
President, the White House staff,
the Cabinet, congressional COM
mittee chairmen and by special |
commissions appointed by the |
President. These studies and |
proposals will be thoroughly dis
cuSsed. An agenda has been |
worked out for each conference,
covering all the subjects which |
are to be included In the Repub-
lican program.
Not Speaking Lightly.
No bills are expected to be
drafted at the conference. It
has always been President Eisen-
hower's belief and practice that |
the Chief Executive should
recommend and the actual work |
of drafting legislation is the duty
of Congress itself.
The three-day White House
conference is something new in |
scope. planning and execution. |
1t differs from the Roosevelt and |
Truman methods Of having legis-
lation drafted at the White |
House or in the executive depart |
ments and transmitted to Con-
gress or its leaders, with the
blessing of the White House and
a must" sign attached.
However, Gen. Eisenhower. it
is understood, was not speaking
lightly when he said the Re-
publican program must be ready
when Congress meets January 8.
He will outline it in his State
of the Union message, in his
budget message and in several
special messages.
The legislative conference rep
resents an earnest effort on the
part of the President to obtain
a meeting of the minds of the !
Republican governmental leader /
ship. The problems are many and
tough. Compromises may be
necessary on some proposals and ,
a united front on the part of
the Republicans is a chief con-
sideration.
Strategy is Big Question.
One major question is strategy |.
how best to get favorable ac-I
ton on the program. At present /
the Republicans have a razor
edge majority in the House, 219
members to 215 for the Demo-
Gratis and Independent. In !
the Senate, the Republican sit
uation is even less favorable. The |
Democrats have 48 Senators, the
Republicans At, and Senator
Morse of Oregon is an "inde-
pendent" Obviously, the Presi-
dent will peed Democratic sup
port if he is to get his program
enacted. He is relying on such
support, believing that his pro-
gram will be for the welfare of /
the American people as whole. |
1t is essential. however. that !
the Republicans remain in line. |
For that job, he is trusting to
the leadership in the House of
Speaker Martin, Representative
Halleck of Indiana. the Repub-
lican floor leader. and Represen-
tative Arends of Illinois. party
whip. and in the Senate, to Vice
President Nixon. Republican
Floor Leader Knowland of CAL
ifornia, Chairman Millikin Of the
Republican Conference, and
Senator Saltonstall of Massa-.
chusetts. assistant leader and
whip.
The President himself has |
mentioned seven specific sub
jects to be covered by the Re- |
publican program-but he has
also said there may be others.
Those specifically mentioned |
were taxes and expenditures.
agricultural and labor legisla-
ton. foreign trade and aid,
social security and national de-
fense.
Since the conferences are to
discuss a Republican program,
no Democrats have been invited
to take part. This, however,
does not preclude the President !
from later discussion of his pro-
gram with Democratic congress
Sional leaders. Certainly he will |
be expected to confer with the
Democrats on foreign policy,
since he has expressed hope !
that this subject should have
bipartisan consideration and