Milford chronicle., 1953-09-18
IKE MUST TAKE OVER LEADERSHIP
DUTIES OF SENATOR TAFT

DUTIES OF SENATOR TAFT
There is little doubt that Senator Taft
will live in history as one of the great Amer
lean statesmen. His tragic death was follow
ed by official hOnOrs which are generally
reserved for the most respected and beloved
Presidents. 1t is one measure of Robert Taft
that some of the most unstinted tributes to
his ability and character and integrity came
from men, John l.. Lewis among them, who
had often disagreed violently with his views
on what government should and should not
do.
The loss of Senator Taft was a national
loss in the fullest sense-tO a far greater ex-
tent than any other man he SymbOliZed the
hopes and faiths and PHILOSOPHERS of mil
lions Of American citizens. And, of immedi-
ate concern, the extent of this loss to the
Eisenhower Administration is difficult to
eXaggerate. The Senator knew this he
said to friend, after his doctors had told
him how serious his condition was, that he
prayed to be given a few months more of
life Because Ike needs me So"
What Senator Taft gave the Admins
tratiOn was a leadership that for various
reasons, one undoubtedly being inexperi-
ence the President and other top men have
not been able to provide so far. He threw
himself whOleheartedly into the task of try
ing to make this Administration a success,
and in the process he often Subjugated his
own ideas. Without his work, the Eisen-
hover legislative program would have re-
ceived many more reVerses than has actual
ly been the case.
This is why practically all the cOmmen-
tatOrS have said that no one in the Senate
can possibly replace Taft as leader. That
view is not criticism Of the abilities of the
new leader, Senator KnOWland. 1t simply
recognizes the fact that no one has Taft'S
talent for getting things done, in recOnciling
divergent views, and in bringing order out
Of potential chaos. And certainly no other
Senator has anything resembling the stand
ing Taft had with the Democratic bloc
which is enormously important in an evenly
divided Senate.
Thus, there exists vacuum in govern
ment. And more and more students are
saying that only the President can fill that
vacuum, by showing a degree of leadership
ne has not yet demonstrated. Right or
wrong, this is the attitude of the present
1t is no secret that the Democrats are hope
full about next years Congressional cleo
tiOns, and the Republicans are worried.
In the meantime, the President is going
about the job of re-stating his philosophy of
government His speech before the Cover
nOrs' Conference at Seattle was informal,
but IN many ways it was an excellent reve-
ioC4OlI VI Ills CIllHhluB. Inc governors ana
other local officers, he said in effect, have
duties going beyond proposing legislative
programs and signing bills. They also have
the duty to explain, from the special in
formation they often possess, issues and
problems to the peOple-iSSueS going all the
way from taxation to the battle for IndO-
china.
Then Mr.. Eisenhower touched on a theme
he has often emphasized in the past-the
theme that federal-state relationships must
be clarified, that there must be less central
izatiOn in government and more local re-
spOnsibility. He said, and it is a statement
that the late Senator Taft certainly would
have approved: "The closer we leave gov
ernment and every kind of governmental re-
spOnsibility to the people, calling in the fed
erral government where there is a clear SER
vice to be performed which could not be
performed adequately without its coOpera-
tion and its partnership, then l will say we
will be headed in the right direction"
That sounds as if Ike has his feet on the
ground. Given time, he should learn through
experience.