Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-08-06
The Political Mil
The Political Mil
9. O. P. Acted WISELY
In Naming KnowIond
To Have Delayed Voting
Might Have Brewed Feuds
By Gould Lincoln

by 0ould Lincoln
The prompt organization Of the Re-
publicanS' new team in the Senate
augurs well for accomplishment in the
second session of the SD Congress.
whether that session opens in January
as regularly provided for, or sooner on
call by President Eisenhower.
To have delayed the election of
new party floor leader and new chair
man of the Republican Policy Com
mittee would have been taking long
chances, chances which might have
led to serious feuding between the
more conservative Old Guard Republic
cans and the progressive wing Of the
party. The issue has now been fortu-
nately settled, with the election of
Senator Knowland of California as floor
leader and Senator Ferguson of Michi-
gan as chairman of the policy COM
mittee.
With their Senate organization COM
plete, the Republicans will be able to
turn Immediately to the heavy pro-
grams which must be handled by Con-
gress before the election campaign of
1854. It is in the Senate that legisla-
ton is often endlesSly delayed. 1t is
there that, too often. weeks and months
of new session of Congress are allowed
to slip by with little done. Further, had
the leadership election been allowed to
develop into bitter fight between fac
tons in the Senate Republican camp.
the bitterness might have risen to
plague the Eisenhower administration
again and again on important legisla-
tive proposals.
Valuable Experience.
The new Republican floor leader has
already had valuable experience, serv-
ing as acting leader under designation
by the late Senator Taft, when the
latter became i'll and was unable to
carry on. Senator Knowland demon
strated real ability to get things done
in the weeks of his leadership. The
California Senator is ready in debate,
a clear and informed speaker. and
forceful. The administration Is fortu-
nate in having him as it's spokesman
as the Republican leader necessarily
must be-on the floor of the Senate
The other members of the Republic
can Senate team are not only capable.
but otherwise we'll qualified for their
respective jobs. Senator Millikin of
Colorado. chairman of the Republican
conference of the Senate, is wise in
council and in negotiation and an ex-
cellent speaker. He is widely liked and
respected by his colleagues on both
sides of the aisle. Senator Ferguson,
like Senator Millikin, favored the
nomination of Senator Taft for Presi-
dent in 1852. Both Ferguson and Mill
kin, however, followed Bob Taft into
complete loyalty to the Eisenhower
administration after the election. SEN
ator Saltonstall of Massachusetts, an
Eisenhower man from the start re-
mains the Republican whip and assist
ant leader. He, too. has the high re-
gard of his associates, and with them
constitutes an aggregation which should
serve we'll the G. o. P. in the coming
and final session of the 83d Congress.
Backed by Millikin.
Senator Knowland's insistence that
the leadership issue should be settled
now and not months hence was backed
up by Senator Millikin and the great
majority of the Republican Senators.
Opposition. led by Senator Bridges OF
New Hampshire. senior Republican in
point of service in the Senate, and
backed by some of the ultraconserva-
tives, was short-lived. Senator Bridges
was not angling for the floor leadership
himself. He is president pro tempore
of the Senate and chairman Of the
powerful Appropriations Committee
and satisfied with those positions. It
was believed that the effort to delay
was in support of Senator Dirksen Of
Illinois for the position of leader. The
Illinois Senator waged a bitter fight in
the national convention last year to
defeat Eisenhower and nominate Taft.
To the Eisenhower and more progress
SiVe Republican Senators he would
not have been as acceptable as Senator
Knowland.
The new Republican floor leader il
one Of the younger Republican Sena-
tors in point of years. He is As. How
ever, in point Of Senate service. Know
land ranks 14th. He has been twice
elected to the Senate-after his orig
inal appointment by Gov. Warren Of
California to fill a vacancy caused by
the death of the late Senator Hiram
w. johnson. Last year, Knowland won
both the Republican and Democratic
nominations for the Senate, in the
free-for-all system which the Cali
fornia election laws permit His cleo
ton as floor leader of the Republicans
puts California more than ever into a
position of Importance in the Sen
ate. Vice President Nixon who pre-
sides over the body, was formerly
Knowland's associate as junior Sena-
tor from California.