Evening star., 1953-05-24
No Angles Discovered
In New Administration
Writer Sees Eisenhower
As Welcome 'Chunee'
By Eronk R. Kent


By Fronk R. Kent
The trouble about President Eisen-
hower's political and Journalistic critics
is that they constantly are searching
for something that isn't there. AS
Holmes Alexander wrote in a recent
column, they are always looking for
the angle whats Ikes angle?" they
excitedly ask; whats his angle?" And
then before they have any answer at
all they proceed to explain his "angle"
in the press and over the air according
to their own more or less prejudiced
or partisan viewpoints.
Frequently some of these individuals
find they are wrong; but most of them
still keep up the search, unable to be-
lieve in the non-exiStence of the angle.
The truth is that Mr.. Eisenhower just
has not got any angles, either PERSONAL
ly or politically. He plays the game
straight and on the level. He isn't sinis-
ter and he isn't self-seeking. Simplicity
and sincerity are his outstanding char
acteristics and that is what battles the
overSophiSticated and leftish groups
here who have been more or less trying
to gang up on him since his inaugu-
ration.
The effort perhaps Is natural be-
cause they were undoubtedly deeply
disappointed when the smooth Mr..
Stevenson (of whose success they were
assured was overwhelmingly defeated
last November, and have since mired
themselves pretty badly in dire fore
casts and predictions about the new
T,.a. 80 ~ tol, u
we'll based. Another reason Is because
for more than 20 years we have not
had a President who says what he
means and means what he says, who
does not cut corners, play cute tricks
or trifle with the truth. Under the
circumstances, it isn't surprising that
from a number of quarters there should
be neutrality-suspicious. and misunder-
standing Of the things Mr.. Eisenhower
does and says.
For example. completely ignoring the
fact that during his campaign he re-
peatedly and emphatically declared
himself middle of the roader," when
he gives evidence that that is exactly
what he is the critics do not like it
at all. First. they point out that he
makes an appointment to please the
liberal" Republicans. And the next
day makes a move along conservative
lines. At once they discern the "angle."
He is trying to conciliate both sides.
play both ends against the middle and
is wholly lacking in conviction.
Then there is an element determined
to believe that the President and his
Atop~v Af Gfof AKN H,,11
afraid of Senator Joe Mccarthy and
have practically abdicated in his favor
so far as foreign policy and the State
Department are concerned. There Is
another element which insists that he
covers before Senator Taft and per-
mitted the latter to dictate the new
Joint Chiefs Of staff. In the first place.
Senator Taft denies this emphatically
and categorically. He says the Presi-
dent at no time consulted him, that
Secretary Of Defense Wilson called him
in and told him who had been selected
and he said he thought they were all
good men.
In the second place, it does not make
much sense to say that President Eisen-
hover is afraid of any one. Certainly
he wants peace and cooperation, but
it is q little difficult to regard him as a
man easy for either q Taft or a Nc
Carthy or any one else to push around
on q matter of principle or to picture
him as one who won't fight. That does
seem absurd. Yet that is the way he is
being portrayed by some Of our liberal
writers who appear to find evidence OF
this cowardice not only in his allegedly
craven attitude toward Taft and Nc
Carthy but in his moves to take tho
Government out Of the electric power
business, which is what he said he would
do before election: in his agricultural
policy, which certainly is in accord with
his promises: in his insistence upon
extending the reciprocal trade treaty;
in his attitude toward the Taft-Hartley
Act, and in practically everything else.
The CIO, ardent advocate Of the eight
hour day and 40-hour week. has even
started nagging him about the hours
he spends playing golf. The new AFL
president also seems to miss no oppor-
tunity to snipe.
To sum 1t up. Mr.. Eisenhower just
does not seem able to do anything at
dll 10 please ILIS AIlScIlAouS UdAu VI
literary sharpshooterS who almost daily
assail him, first. for being too leftish.
and then for being too rightish; who
seek to promote the view that he is a
poor. bewildered boob, without courage.
character or conviction. That seems
their general idea and it must be adj
mitted it has been diligently promoted
ard widely presented. 1t does not
appear, however, to have carried con-
viction anywhere. According to reports.
the Eisenhower popularity remains
undiminished-even enhanced. Perhaps
the people are less baffled by simplicity
and sincerity than the critics. Perhaps
they like it-for a change.