The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-10-14
Administration
Farm Policies
Suffer Blow
~ JACK BELL

by JACK BELL
WASHINGTON R-President Eli
senhower had tangible notice to-
day that his farm policies may not
now be satisfactory TO a vital seq
ment of voters in the agricultural
Midwest.
This notice, which came on the
eve Of the Presidents departure
tonight for a seven-day political
fence-testing tour in farm state
areas, was q Democratic victory
in a special congressional election
In Wisconsin.
Republicans had made support
OF Eisenhower the chief campaign
issue in q district Eever carried
before by the Democrats.
Democrat Lester johnson swept
to a surprising victory with a 81
margin over Republican Arthur
Padrutt in Wisconsin's 9Th District
primarily a farm area. In con-
ceding defeat, Padrutt said he had
stood "foursquare behind Presi-
dent Eisenhower, and / still stand
there" He added:
"The results show very clearly
that the farmer and laboring man
do not like the present administra-
tons policies and took this oppor-
tunity to show their displeasure."
Sen. Kefauver (D-Tenn), who
campaigned for Johnson, said the
result showed "a general dissatis-
faction with the farm, power and
money policies Of the administra-
ton"
Eisenhower is taking Secretary
Of Agriculture Benson along with
him to meet with farm groups and
drought state governors in Kansas
City Friday. Some new light on
the still-developing administration
farm policies may be forthcoming
In those conferences.
Leading Democrats like Sen.
Russell Of Georgia have contended
the farmers are confused" about
the Eisenhower administrators
to the problem Of con-
present crop price supports
or offering q substitute program.
Russell has predicted this will re-
suit in election Of q Democratic
House next year.
While some Republicans were
inclined to regard the Wisconsin
result as only q snowflake which
might not yet be the forerunner
Of wintry weather for the admin
istration, other COP members
viewed the outcome as serious.
Rep. Richard NJ. Simpson (R-
Pal, chairman Of the COP Con-
gressional Campaign Committee
whose job it is to try to elect
enough Republicans to retain con-
troll of the House next year, said
the result was not indicative Of
what will happen then.
Simpson, in Harrisburg, Pa,
said, II can't disagree that the
people of this particular district
were displeased with the price lev
Ell minimums." He added:
"But they haven't recognized
that the present price levels are
the result of Democratic party pol
icies, and they have failed to give
the President 4 reasonable time
to correct matters which led to
the price collapse. am convinced
this win be taken care of In the
next session Of Congress-"
Rep. Clarence Brown (R-Ohio)
termed the result can amazing and
reversal Of public po-
litical opinion" lie said it indi-
Gates the COP has q lot of work to
do before the 1854 congressional
elections.
James Doyle Of Madison, state
Democratic chairman, said the
election result constituted a "sting.
ing rebuke" to Eisenhower and
Republican Gov. Waiter ]. Kohler,
who campaigned for Padrutt.
Doyle said Kohler ''insisted on
making Eisenhower an issue and
he got an answer loud and clear"
It was the fifth special election
since Eisenhower's landslide vic.
tory In the presidential race last
year, but the first in which there
was 4 reversal Of party control.
The lineup in the House Of Rep
resentatives, counting Johnson's
victory. is: 21S Republicans, ia
Democrats, / Independent and z
vacancies, both previously held by
Republicans.