Evening star., 1953-05-26
The Political Mill
Blast at Wilson Is Really
An Attack on President
Democrats Haven't Courage
To Denounce Eisenhower
The Political Mill

OSWOCIOtS T1uNeH courage
To Denounce Eisenhower
By Gould Lincoln
The Democrats, in their current bitter
attacks upon Secretary of Defense Will
son, are camouf1aging an assault upon
President Eisenhower. They are calling
for Mr.. Wilson's official head-on the
theory he is scuttling national defense
IN the program Of appropriations and
expenditures for the fiscal year 1854.
and for the following year. They
haven't quite the courage yet to de-
nounce the President himself.
The President is fully cognizant. how
ever, of the details and effect of the de-
tense program which Mr.. Wilson has
submitted to Congress. 1t is unthink-
able that the program has been laid
before that body without his approval.
AS trained military man and as Com
mander in Chief. it is equally unthink-
able that President Eisenhower would
put his seal of approval on a program
that threatens the national defense. If
the American people cannot trust Gen.
Eisenhower in military decisions such as
tnese, Whom can they trust?
Astronomical Sum.
The spearhead of the Democratic
attack upon Secretary Wilson is the
proposed cut in appropriations for the
Air Force. The revised budget request
for the Air Force for fiscal year 1854 is
$11.69 billion. The estimated carryover
from previous appropriations for the Air
Force is $28.48 billion. This means a
total OF $40.17 billion available for the
Air Force in fiscal year 1854, an astron-
omical sum which the Air Force could
not possibly spend in that period. The
revised budget request, however, cut IS
billion from the Truman budget for that
branch OF the service. Looking into the
future, Mr.. Wilson's critics charge that
this cut threatens the eventual strength
OF the Air Force in a disastrous manner.
Mr.. Wilson to the contrary notwith-
standing.
Senator Millikin Of Colorado. chair
man OF the Republican Conference
Committee Of the Senate. has dared the
Democrats to make a political issue Of
the proposed Air Force money cuts, in
siSting the country will support the
judgment Of President Eisenhower as
to the air strength we should have. The
Colorado Senator, when he issued his
challenge, may have had in mind an
investigation which is about to be
launched into spending by the Air Force
in recent years. A subcommittee of
the Senate Armed Forces Committee,
headed by Senator Bridges of New
Hampshire, will begin this investigation
June 2. If reports are true, the waste
of funds that will be turned up will
shock the American people. In one
quarter it is said that large sums might
as well have been dumped in the At
lantic ocean, The other members of
this subcommittee are Senator Flanders
of Vermont and Duff of Pennsylvania,
Republicans, and Senators Byrd of Vir.
ginia and Symington of Missouri, Dem
ocrats. The word is going out that it
would be better to go slow on demands
for greater appropriations for the Air
Force until all the facts are known.
Gloves Come OFF.
The Democrats in Congress-or some
Of them-are beginning to take the
gloves off, in preparation for bare
fist fight with the Republican oppose
ton. Senator Lyndon johnson of Texas,
the minority leader of the Senate, adj
dressing the Women'S National Demo-
cratic Club here, asked:
Does our Defense Department think
that fewer ships, fewer guns, and fewer
planes mean greater strength to de.
fend our country against Communism
The American people are proud people.
IN fhniS
firm in their determination to defend
their country. They did not vote lin
1882 for weakness and confusion. They
did not call for a reduction in their
fighting power"
There was much more to the john
son speech, criticizing the Eisenhower
administration. In it the Democratic
leader said the people are seeking firm
direction, and he added: IF the con-
Stitutional leader does not lead, there
follows first diSenchantment, then dis
illusionment, and finally complete de-
spair." Here is the suggestion. if Moth
ing more, that President Eisenhower is
not providing that leadership.
A demand will be made that Presi-
dent Eisenhower himself defend the de-
tails Of the national defense program.
In his recent address to the Nation on
taxes and defense, the President did
give his approval in general way to
the defense budget. Members of Con-
gress. including some Of those who are
strongly favorable to the President, will
wish to hear from him more Specifi-
cally in regard to items of the program
before they vote for it. Nor does it
tate. On the contrary, it may be exc
pected the President will express him.
self firmly.