Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-02-22
Democratic Speakers
Charge 6. 0. P. With
Farm Policy Failure
By Gould Lincoln

put the skidS under the Repub-
lican administration, opened in
New York a week ago by the
party's titular leader, Adlai Ste
venSon, was continued last night
by Democratic speakers at more
Jefferson-Jackson dinners.
Two speakers at widely sepa-
rated dinners, Stephen A. Mitch
ell, chairman of the Democratic
National Committee, and Sena-
tor Hennings of Missouri-both
viewed with alarm falling farm
prices. They suggested the Re-
publicanS either did not want
to do anything about the stu
alton or hadn't the capacity to
do anything. Both used the
same phrase, in their attacks
on Republican leaders, whom
they charged are preaching
freedom" to the farmers-the
freedom to go broke"
Mitchell Talks in Boise.
Mr.. Mitchell, addressing Dem
ocrats in Boise. Idaho, told his
audience of the benefits the
American farmers have received
under Democratic rule during
the last 20 years. He said: Nov,
we find a new fashion in Gov
eminent. When prices fall, the
farmers are lectured about their
moral fibre and told that 'ad-
justments' have to take place.
That word adjustments is a nice
evasive word-what it means is
price declines. Farmers are told
that the most important thing
is that the ShackleS they are
supposed to have been wearing
must be removed. They must
be restored to the freedom they
are supposed to have somehow
lost. Freedom is a fine, patriotic
word-we all believe in the four
freedoms. But the Republicans
seem to be restoring to us a fifth
freedom-the freedom to go
broke"
Senator Hennings' speech in
Topeka, KanS., dealt with the
subject in different words but
came up with the same sug-
geStion. He recalled that Presi-
dent Eisenhower. when discus
sing falling farm prices at his
press conference last Tuesday,
read from the Republican plat
form of 1852 this sentence; "A
prosperous agriculture with free
and independent farmers is
funNamental to the national in
terect."
That" said Senator Hen
nings. "is an idea we can all sup
port. but where does it leave us,
and where does it leave those
farmers whose prices are falling
daily? There are many kinds of
Freedom but the freedom spo-
ken of here sounds to me very
much like the freedom of farmers
to go broke"
Both Hail Stevenson.
Both speakers hailed Adlai
Stevenson as the titular leader
of the Democratic Party, and a
great national figure.
Mr.. Mitchell said Mr.. Steven
son was being accepted by
Democrats. all over the country
as their leader and probable
candidate in 1856.
Il know" said Mr.. Mitchell,
''he (Mr. StevenSon) is in this
fight to stay"
Mr.. Mitchell urged his listen
erS to go to Los Angeles to hear
Mr.. Stevenson speak at another
Jeferson-Jackson dinner there
Thursday night.
The two Democratic leaders
expressed opinions that the
Democratic Party is in a strong
position to stage a comeback in
1854 and 1856. Any slipping on
the part of the Republican ad-
ministration and any downward
slipping of economic conditions
would result, they predicted, in
reputation of the G. o. P. in
the congressional elections next
year, and in the presidential
election two years later.
What difference between
the strength of the Democrats as
we go out of power in 1853 and
the weakness Of the Republicans
when they went out of Office in
1885," commented Chairman
Mitchell. when the Republican
Party lost the presidency 20 years
ago, it was a totally diScredited
party. It had only tiny minoritieS