Evening star., 1953-01-22
The Political Min
The Political Min
Conservative Thinkers
Control New Congress
Trend Toward Increasing
Federal Power Reversed
By Gould Lincoln

bISuU tVWOIO tlSISuSIU9
Federal Power Reversed
By Gould Lincoln
The pattern Of division in the new
83d Congress has lost no time in de-
veloping. On domestic legislative mat
ters, as between the New Deal-Fair
Deal Democrats on the one hand-plus
the independents, one in each house
and the Republicans and conservative
Democrats on the other, the weight of
strength is heavy in favor of the latter
coalition. This has been true in re-
cent Congresses, though in somewhat
less degree. The great difference now is
there is no New Deal-Fair Deal Pres
ident in the White House, either to adj
vocate and throw his influence in sup
port Of so-called socialistic measures or
to block the will of the majority in
Congress by the presidential veto. 1t
appears that the trend toward increased
Federal powers which had been checked,
has now been reversed.
The New Deal-Fair Deal bloc in the
: Senate wasted not minute when Con-
gress began its session January 3. It
demanded that the Senate rules be
amended at the outset. so as to put an
end to the flibuster-and so threw the
Southern Democrats more strongly
than ever into coalition with the Re-
publicanS. The same bloc took quick
stand, too. in favor of increase of
Federal authority over water power and
electric power, when the nomination Of
former Gov. Mckay of Oregon to be
Secretary Of the Interior was laid be-
fore the Senate: and in favor of Fed
eral control and ownership Of the oil
tidelands. Here. again, the New Deal
Fair Deal bloc found immediate oppo-
sition from Southern Democrats.
Success Probable.
All Of this augurs well for President
EiSenhower's success in dealing with
domestic legislation. The razor-edge
control Of the Republicans-when mere
political party divisions in both houses
are considered under the conditions now
revealed-vanishes. Eisenhower should
have good working majorities In sup
port of his proposals.
The new Presidents legislative pro-
gram will not be disclosed until he sends
it to Congress in his expected message
on the state of the Union. This pro-
gram will not be reactionary-although
it may be so called by the New Deal
Fair Dealers. At the same time it will
certainly not contain many of the New
Deal-Fair Deal proposals of the Truman
administration. There is no reason to
believe, however, that the Eisenhower
program will not include progressive
measures. looking to the betterment of
IavHk to- ,1atn l. -
clamp more firmly Federal control
over their activities.
When it comes to foreign policy--so
strongly emphasized in President Eisen-
hower's inaugural address-the admin
istration's proposals should have more
than fair going. Indeed, the general
tenor of the Eisenhower address was
strongly approved by both Republicans
and Democrats in Congress. What
Republican support the President may
lose will be more than made up by
Democratic votes. Certainly his address
will give no hope to those who wish the
United States to draw in its horns and
retreat from world leadership and inter-
national cooperation.
Hazardous Predictions.
These are the hard facts of the situa-
ton on Capitol Hill. Predictions that
the so-called honeymoon" of the new
administration will continue one month
or six months-and then blow up-are
hazardous. Where they are expressed,
they are the expressions of hope on
the part Of disappointed New Deal-Fair
Dealers. Even the prospect of fire.
works over the nomination Of Charles
E. Wilson, former head of General Mo-
tors, to be Secretary of Defense, end
the nominations of some of his as
siStants, give no real color to sug-
gestions that Gen. Ike and Congress
will soon be at loggerheads. These
nominations have little bearing. any
way, on the legislative program.
While some Republicans have ex-
pressed disappointment over the fact
that about 239 900 more votes were cast
for Democratic candidates for Congress
in the November elections than for Re-
publican candidates, and some Of the
New Deal-Fair Dealers have taken sat
isfaction from those figures, the vote
totals do not give the real picture. In
the first place, 78 or 80 of the Demo-
CLdGAC Cd1lu4OdCCS 4OL OIlC x1OUSC WCAU
unopposed and still others in the South
had little more than perfunctory Re-
publican opposition. This accounts for
the lead the Democratic candidates
had, in votes, over the Republicans as
whole. When all unoppoSed Demo-
cratic candidates and all unopposed
Republican candidates are eliminated
in figuring totals, the Republican adj
vantage was about million votes.
The Republicans. perforce. must work
hard to retain their majority control
of both houses in the 1854 elections,
and to increase it. If the Eisenhower
administration proves successful in the
next year and a half, however, the
congressional elections two years hence
viii take care Of themselves.