Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-01-31
The Political Mill
Eisenhower Must
Assume Leadership
ShiIIy-ShuIIying Endoneers
Program in Congress
By Gould Lincoln

The country looks to President EiSen-
hover for leaderShip-not to the Repub-
icanS in Congress, or the Congress as
a whole. This is true in much the same
way the country looked to Franklin D.
Roosevelt for leadership in 1888, imme-
diately after his election to the White
House. Roosevelt put his program
through. He had, it is true, large Dem
ocratic majorities in both houses Of
Congress-and the Republican edge in
Congress is razor thin. But-and this
is mportant-many of the Democrats
in Congress have been and still are
willing to give Gen. Eisenhower support
on legislation which he believes is in the
interest of the people.
The Eisenhower program will be laid
before the country Monday, when the
president delivers his State-of-
Union message in person. Unless there
Is tremendous miSmanagement,h he can
get his program, in great part, through
Congress But there will be danger if
the White House engages in shilly-
shallying, as it did in the recent Incl
dent over the powers of the President
and CongresS-in the matter of reor-
ganizing the executive department of
the Government.
Leaders Surprised.
Republican leaders who had attended
conference with President Eisenhower
on the legislative program were sur
prlsed, first, by the speed with which
the House and Senate committees acted
on bill to extend the life of the re-
organization act, amending existing law
to make it easier for Congress to veto
Eisenhower proposals for reorganiza-
ton. Second. they we're surprised that
the White House should rush out a
statement saying that Eisenhower had
agreed to this amendment-which per-
mlts either house to veto presidential
reorganization order by a mere major
ity, instead of by constitutional ma
jority," or one more than one-half of
the total membership. An important
Republican leader said that the situa-
ton with regard to the reorganization
bill had been brought to the attention
OF President EiSenhower-and the SEN
ate opposition to the constitutional ma
1orlty provision-but that he had come
away with the idea that the existing
law should be re-enacted He did not
recall Eisenhower'S agreeing to any
thing else.
Another Republican Senator felt so
strongly in the matter that he called
one OF President EiSenhower's aides at
the White House and urged him to
advise the President to permit the re-
organization act to expire on March
31-Which 1t will do unless extended
rather than accept the simple-rr jority
amendment. This Senator's attitude was
that the amendment would render the
reorganization power of the President
utterly valueless. Also, he took the posi-
ton the President should lead, not
follow, in such matters.
The Whits House statement that the
President was willing to have Congress
increase its veto power over reorganiza-
ton orders seemed all the more strange
in view of the fact the Presidents di-
rector OF the budget. Joseph M. Dodge,
appeared before the House committee.
when the reorganization bill was up,
and strongly urged that the conStitu-
tional majority provision be retained.
Mr.. Dodge, presumably, was stating the
Presidents attitude. He had come be-
fore the committee to do just that.
Gen. Eisenhower quite understand
ably wants to get along with Congress.
1t looks as though some one at the
White House had sought to avoid a
battle over what the President may
have considered a minor matter. Also,
the White House statement may have
been intended to pull the rug from
under the feet of the Democrats in
Congress, who had rallied strongly to
the constitutional majority" provision
Of the Reorganization Act-and were
seeking to show the Republicans in
Congress in opposition to their Presi-
dent. But Surrendering to the Repub-
licans in Congress on legislative mat
tiers does not look like a good begin
ming, even on issues of less grave
importance.
Taft May Take Lead.
If there is group Of Republicans in
Congress who are planning to cut Ike
down to size"-as one prominent Demo-
crat proposed that former President
Herbert Hoover be cut, when Hoover
entered the White House twenty-four
years ago-this may be one of their
moves. Senator Taft of Ohio, Republic
can leader of the Senate, however, is
not going along as of today, in any such
effort. The Ohio Senator not only is
the author of bill to extend the same
reorganization powers to President
Eisenhower as were given to former
President Truman. but he has said he
believes President Eisenhower wants
the same notwithstanding the
White House statement. Mr.. Taft may
yet take the lead in seeing that Eisen-
hover gets them, and If not, the House
may take the bit in it's teeth and
override the Republicans in the COM
mittee who voted for simple majority
veto poverty Congress-to override
a presidential reorganization plan. It
was the House, in the last Congress,
that insisted upon restricting the veto
power Of Congress over reorganization
plans.
The fact that the country looks to
Eisenhower for leadership does not
mean, necessarily, a knockdown fight
between the President and Congress.
On the contrary, it should mean a
willingness on the part Of Congress to
work with Eisenhower.