Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-05-31
Eisenhower Stunds Firm
Against Tax Reduction
Presidents Program Believed
Sure to Go Through
By Frank R, Kent


In the matter Of taxes, it is now per.
fectly clear that, despite the really great
economies which the Eisenhower adj
ministration has made in governmental
costs all down the line, there will be no
reduction in taxes on individuals or
corporations this year. Nor will the
budget be balanced. These things.
along with the reasons therefor, have
been made plain by the President.
1t Is true that in the Republican
platform and in the Eisenhower cam
paign promises Of early tax reduction
and budget balance were held out to
the people. It Is true that II these
promises are not carried out many
persons will be deeply disappointed.
It is also true that no one will be more
disappointed than Mr.. Eisenhower. It
is also true that his enemies will de-
nounce him for failure to make good
on party and personal pledges. We
may be sure they will make the WELL
known welkin ring on this charge. How
ever, there is reason to think that
politically this will not be too effective.
First, because Mr.. Eisenhower has
succeeded in pretty thoroughly getting
the facts to the country: second, be-
cause the facts are such as to Justify
his failure and fortify his program.
They can be summed up as follows:
Cd That the Federal financial mess
which he inherited from the Truman
administration is very much worse
than he or any one else had suspected;
co that it would seriously damage the
national interests to attempt to carry
out his promises this year; 60 that
national security and national solvency
are linked and must come first.
X
Accepting these points as true-and
Except to the professional Democratic
partiSans) they seem indisputable-
there is just one thing that could
weaken the Eisenhower position. That
Is failure to eliminate waste through
out the whole governmental structure
and insist upon the most rigid economy.
If he failed in that it would be i'm
possible to justify his failure to reduce
taxes and balance the budget But
most decidedly he has not failed In
that. On the contrary, the huge sum
Of $8.5 billion has been carved out of
the Truman budget. Three and half
billion of this has come out of domestic
expenditures. Not a single department
or division has escaped a heavy cut.
But $5.1 billion has come out Of de-
tense appropriations.
Most of this comes out OF the Air
Force and there will be deep feeling
and a long and lusty protest. Nor
is the strength Of the proteStants in
Congress to be discounted. Neverthe-
less, in the end it seems likely that
Congress and the country will accept the
Presidents Judgment that this cut will
not lessen our air strength. AS an
acknowledged military expert, he in
sists its scheduled increase will be
maintained and asserts that If this
were not so he would not advocate it.
It would seem worth while to take his
word about both-and most persons
will. That the public sentiment behind
Gen. Ike when he was elected has
not diminished since is generally adj
mitted and certainly fully attested by
the polls. This means that, notwith-
standing opposition to his tax and
economy program by some powerful
members of his own party, it will go
through.
OF course, there will be fight, but
1t is interesting to note that the Presi-
dent has the support not only of Sem
ator Taft, Republican, but Of Senator
Byrd, Democrat. In brief, his program
appeals to the conservatives in both
parties-and the conservatives are in
decided majority in this Congress. 1t
also should be noted that the CLIO.
which violently opposed his election,
has indicated support of his fiscal
plans. This probably will not help the
administration greatly as the CLIO
domination of Senators has diminished
in the past few years. They can't de-
liver as many votes as they once
claimed but their position at this time
is significant in that it Is the first sign
from it of anything except unremitting
Eisenhower hostility.
X
The real opposition will come from
the so-called liberals" plus Old Guard
is lot of nonsense and that the thing
to do is to give the voters a tax reduc-
ton just before an election regardless
of the budget or anything else. To
these must be added regular Demo-
Gratis, like Senator Russell of Georgia.
plus the big-busineSs men who sup
ported Eisenhower but now think the
most vital thing in the world Is to get
rid of the excess-profitS tax. AS to
that Mr.. Eisenhower is not going to
yield-at least at this session.
And to the opponents of the fiscal
program probably also should be added
Mr.. Truman, who has indicated that
soon or late he intends to explode"
When he left the White House, Mr..
Truman gave every indication of be-
lieving he really was very big man
and that those who criticized him were
villains, fools or both. His friends
report that in the past few months this
feeling has not diminished. He is con-
vinced that he has very great follow
ing in the country and so-far as the
Democratic Party is concerned. while
Mr.. Stevenson may be the titular leader
he is the real one. He is further said
to be deeply resentful at the disposition
OF President Eisenhower to blame his
inability to carry out his promises upon
the mess" he inherited. The belief is
pretty general that he will explode" as
advertised, but few think it will be an
atomic explosion.
Gen. John M. Wilson, James Lowndes
and Henry E. Pellew, subsequently Wis