Evening star., 1953-09-03
The Political Mill
Democrats Hold Fire,
But Muy Open Up Soon
Both Parties Still Agreed
On Eisenhower Popularity
The Political Mil
BY Gould Lincoln

SCaCeS. ASTONISHING as IL may seem,
the Democrats are contesting with the
Republicans for the credit of saving
the Presidents program-or many i'm
portant items in the program-during
the first session of the SD Congress-
now concluded. It looks as though all
parties were trying to ride his popular
coattails to victory in the congressional
elections of 1854. That is the play as
of today. What it will be in September
of next year remains to be seen. There
is another session of Congress coming
up before that time.
Who will save the Eisenhower pro-
gram in this second session? That
will be. the acid test-for many i'm
portant issues are to be considered and
acted upon. Presumably Gen. Eisen-
hover will receive support from both
sides-Republican and Democratic-on
some of the issues. But the Demo-
cratic supporters of the President may
not always be the same. On the con-
trary, If the President presses for civil
rights legislation, he will have support
from the Humphreys and the Lehmans,
among the Democrats; and if he con-
tinues to bear down for economy in
Government, he will have the aid of the
ByrdS, the Georges and the Hollands.
All of which reveals the division in the
Democratic Party between the so-called
liberals and the So-called Jeffersonian
Democrats.
Johnson and Ferguson Differ.
In his statement on the legislative
results of the first session of the SD
Congress, Senate Democratic Leader
Lyndon johnson of Texas fatty de-
clared that the Democrats in the Sen
ate and House had rescued President
Eisenhower from the vicious claws of
certain Old Guard Republicans. He vir-
tually told the country that if the voters
still wanted Gen. Eisenhower to sue
ceed in his program, they had better
elect Democrats to Congress next year,
in place of Republicans.
This, in the opinion of Senator Fer
guSon of Michigan, chairman of the
Republican Policy Committee of the
Senate, is "the bund." The Michigan
Senator warned the voters against
this Trojan horse approach of the
Democrats. He said in effect that if
the Democrats once got within the
bers, they would Immediately start
tearing down Gen. Eisenhower in an
effort to have a Democrat elected in
his place in 1856. And obviously, this
is just what should be expected.
This is the first time in the memory
of this correspondent that the leaders
of an opposition party ever sought
to curry favor with the voters by show
ing how they had supported Chief
Executive who was member of the
other party. Usually, by the close of
the first six or seven months of a
presidential term, leaders of the oppo-
Sitlon party are giving the occupant
of the White House unshirted hell.
But not so with President Eisenhower.
His name is mentioned with respect
by emocrats-although the party
jumping Senator Morse of Oregon
seems to have no difficulty finding hard
things to say about Gen. Eisenhower.
So President Eisenhower is, to date. a
lucky man. Recall what the Demo-
Gratis did to Herbert Hoover in 1929,
practically from the time he took
Office. And recall, too, the epithets
which the Republicans hurled at the
late Franklin D. Roosevelt and at his
successor, Harry S. Truman.
Predictions Prove Wrong.
Six months ago much was written
about what would happen to Eisen-
hover at the close of the honeymoon"
period-the early days of his occupancy
OF the White House. Dire predictions
were made. First, the President was
to be torn wide open by the late Sena-
tor Bob Taft, Ohio Republican and
Senate leader. according to the predic-
tions. Second, he would be shot full of
holes by the Democratic opposition. In
neither case were the predicters right.
Senator Taft proved himself a great
Republican leader of the Upper House
and Staunch friend of the President.
Except for the raucus Mr.. Morse, per-
sonal criticisms from Capitol Hill have
been of the mildest.
OF course, this attitude on the part
of the Democrat leaders might change
in the twinkling of an eye. They are
about to stage a great gathering in
Chicago, at which both former Presi-
dent Truman and former presidential
candidate Adlai Stevenson are to speak.
Either or both of them may raise their
sights and pour hot shot into the
President. Both advocated giving him
a chance to show what he could 10
when he first went into the White
House-and they have stuck to that
attitude-up to date. But if they con-
tinue to hold their fire, they may be
regarded as acquiescing in, if not ap-
the Eisenhower program and
the Eisenhower administration. It
seems unlikely they will permit them
selves to be placed in any such position.
After all. there is an election coming
up In 1954-and another in 1856.