Evening star., 1953-08-23
National Issues Move
Judged Nothing New
Writer Regards Outs Group
As Likely to Be Futile
n, E.~~LD K..2
RY Eronk r. Kent

HS 6tNSty " OS utuS
By Fronk R. Kent
Because the radio and televiSion have
made it possible to reach a vastly
greater number of people than ever
before the Importance of propaganda
in political campaigns has grown ainaz-
ingly in the last few years. So has
the cost. But the potentialities are
so great that the politicians seem to
disregard that.
Before this period the Democratic
Party, under its multimillionaire chair
man, the late John j. Raskob, was the
first to grasp the fact that big money
spent on publicity produced results un-
obtainable in any other way. This was
back in 1929 before the great depres-
sion hit us. Employing the talented
Charles Nicholson at $4,000 a year.
Mr.. Raskob launched a three-year--
and, up to that time, unprecedently
expenSive-publicity campaign against
the then President. Herbert Hoover.
It probably had more to do with the
election of Franklin Roosevelt than any
other single thing.
After 1892, under Roosevelt and Tru-
man, the Democrats developed political
publicity to its highest degree. Not
only did the astute Nicholson continue
as publicity director of the national
committee, but countless young writers
were brought to Washington and put
on the Government pay rolls. The
city was thickly cluttered up with
speech and article writer's, idea men,
poets, playwrights, commentators. coll
umnists and literary lights of various
kinds. In addition, Mr.. and Mrs.
Roosevelt originated very effective
strategy of flattery and entertainment
of the Washington correspondents and
their wives at the White House.
The result of all this was to create
an enormous propaganda brigade.
partly official and partly unofficial.
but all devoted to the promotion OF
the New Deal and it's blithe leaders.
The effectiveness of this was undeni-
able. OF course. it was greatly en-
hanced by the ineptitude and stupidity
of the Republicans. Practically. they
gave the New Dealers no competition
so little, in fact that the Demo-
cratic propagandists, though OCCASION
ally forced to face some hard facts.
mostly came to believe their own stuff.
The blithe leaders all believed it. Com
bine this with the political minoritieS
to which the New Deal catered, plus
the wide opening of the Treasury
spigots, and it is not surprising they
held on so long. 1t was not until last
year when the smell of corruption
had permeated the country and the
Republicans had gotten themselves a
really glamorous candidate, that they
were dislodged. '~f'
Naturally, they. yearn to get back.
Naturally. too. they turn to the meth
ods that got them into wit, intensive
propaganda. Recent attention had
been called to this by the so-eaAed
National Issues Committee" of which
Mrs. Roosevelt is the head and whose
membership is studded with the names
of former Roosevelt Truman cabinet
officers, smaller jobholders and literary
aides 1t is explained that the MIC
has no connection with the Americans
for Democratic Action though the du-
plication of names is striking. With
Mrs. Roosevelt at its head the pretense
of nonpartisanShip is, of course, absurd
and the conclusion Is inevitable that
the MIC is just another publicity agency
with the same noble, nonpartisan OBJ
jectives as the ADA, the CIO, the
Democratic Digest and others-namely
to bring the New-Fair Dealers back to
the jobs, perquisites and powers they
so long and happily held. &c. rather
constant barrage from these agencies
may be expected until the 1854 elec-
tions. Though they generally recognize
the facts. the Republicans and Eisen-
hover Democrats are not too discour-
aged at the prospect.
The chief reason is their awareneSs
that Mrs. Roosevelt, Mr.. Biddle. Mr..
Schlesinger, Mr.. Reuther, Mr. Meany
and other leaders of the MIC, the
ADA, CIO. AFL and all those whom
they can influence or control were
solidly lined up against the Eisen-
hower-Nixon ticket last year and were
most Overwhelmingly beaten. At that
time they also had the advantage OF
being the Gins" instead of the outs"
Also the belief is that their propaganda
has become repetitious and boring. OF
course, there are many persons who
greatly admire Mrs. Roosevelt but cer-
tainly there are many millions-pef-
haps more than half the voters-who
heartily dislike what they regard as
her SNUG Self-righteousneSS and are
tired of her voice, picture and writing.
On the whole there seems some reason
for Republican SkepticiSm concerning
her new organization-some reason for
belief that she, her aides. allies and
agencies will be as Intellectual in the
next election as in the last. There is
nothing new about them. They were
all together last time. They have not
gained in either strength or numbers.
Their game is publicity. But they can't
win at it unless the Republicans again
break the record for stupidity or Ike"
makes fool of himself. Both of these
things are possible but at this time
they seem unlikely.