Evening star., 1953-11-05
Defeats Won't Alter
Republican Policies,
President Declares
BY Joseph A. Fox

is developing a foreign and do
mestic program that eventually
will satisfy the American people
and he is not planning any
back-tracking as the result of
Tuesdays election reverses.
Declining either to give his
own opinion as to the causes
of scattered Republican defeats,
or to challenge the views ex-
pressed by some party leaders
on that subject, Gen. Eisenhower
told a news conference late yes
terday:
"I have lost skirmishes be-
fore"
In a departure from usual
conference procedure he per-
mitted direct quotation.
Does that mean you expect
to win the ware" he was asked.
Silent on Issues.
Chuckling, the President re-
sponded that he had never gone
into one to lose it.
Reporters tried unsuccesSfully
to have the President say if he
thought that G. o. P. losses
stemmed from dissatisfaction
with administration policy or
turned on local issues.
He simply said he was unable
to answer.
Told that Representative
Brown. Republican, of Ohio,
long time Taft supporter, as
cribed what had happened in the
election to the fact that last year
'the people voted for a change,
and they don't believe they got
it."
Gen. Eisenhower said every
one is entitled to his own opin-
ion. His own idea, he added, is
that the people wanted an or
derly and progressive change,
and that is what they are get
ting.
CILeS Neeu IOr Help.
Queried on the statement by
National Committee Chairman
Leonard w. Hall that "as of to-
day, we are in trouble polit-
ically," the President said that
he would give his own ideas on
that point, without passing
judgment on the Hall statement.
For many years, he continued,
the Republicans have been
minority party, and they must
look for success to independents,
or like-minded Democrats.
That means, he amplified, that
rather than depending solely on
party machinery, the Republi-
cans must offer something solid
and real to the voters.
Gen. Eisenhower asserted that
he believes the administration is
following the right line in at
tempting to produce a program,
and intends to stick to that
course.
Similarly, when asked if he
thought his program would have
to be reviewed in the light of
Tuesdays returns, the President
said he is trying to shape a pro-
gram that is for the welfare of
the country, and some vicissi-
tudes of politics here and there
will have no effect on it what
ever.
The conference did not get
into the criticism of Represen-
tative Reed, Republican, New
York, that the Tuesday vote re-
f1ected Republican failure to cut
taxes.
The chairman of the tax
writing House Ways and Means
Committee had a Commute
breakfast conference this morn
ing with President Eisenhower
but declined to discuss it with
reporters.
Mr.. Reed, who unsuccessfully
battled the White House for a
tax reduction in the last session
of Congress, would say only that
he had "a very enjoyable chat"
He said their conversation did
not get into taxes, politics or
reciprocal trade, major issues
that will figure in the next
Congress.
White House Press Secretary
James c. Hagerty said today's
breakfast was arranged before
Tuesdays elections.
Sees Ultimate Victory.
Conceding that he was neither
pleased nor happy with some of
the election results, Gen. Eisen-
hover told his news confer
ence he believes the admin
lStration job is to provide a
dynamic and forward looking
program, and that this goal will
be maintained.
In the long run, he continued,
he believes it will win.
AS the reporters laughed, the
President continued more seri-
ously that he believes that the
programs involving such items as
agriculture, taxes, foreign aid,
lowered expenditures. and clean
and efficient government are
going ahead - if slowly - and
that when they are fully exposed
in their full performance to the
American people, the public will
approve.
Other conference points were:
l. The President said he would
go back to Columbia University
in June. if he lives. to participate
in the bicentennial celebratiCn.
2. He described Gen. George C.
Marshall as one of the great
patriots he has known, wnen
asked for comment on an attack
on Gen. Marshall by Senator
Jenner. Republican, of Indiana.
3. He expects to give a broad
outline of his new farm orogram
In the State of the Union message.
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