Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-04
The Political Mill
The Political Mill
Eisenhower Remuins
Firm on Bricker Plan
Will Not Permit Politics
To, Emusculote Constitution
By Gould Lincoln

To- Emuseulote Constitution
By Gould Lincoln
President Eisenhower has made It
clear he does not intend to preside over
emasculation Of the Presidents powers
to deal with foreign affairs, the nego-
tiation Of treaties, or the making of
executive agreements with foreign ma
tons. With utmost fir1nness he stated
his attitude when discussing the Bricker
amendment and all other proposals to
change the Constitution. including the
George substitute for the Bricker
amendment, at his press conference
yesterday. Taking a long-range view
OF the agitation over the present effort
to limit the presidential powers, Mr..
Eisenhower said he would not compro-
mise one single word which upholds
these powers. He commented that for
1875 years the Constitution, in its present
form and with its powers and checks
and balances distributed among the
three branches of the Government,
legislative. executive and judicial, has
served the American people WELL He
did not uphold all the treaties and
agreements entered into, but he did
uphold the constitutional system.
The Presidents attitude seems to
knock into cooked hat the effort
to obtain a compromise of the pro-
posals made by Senator Bricker of
Ohio. Republican,; the Senate Ju-
dietary Committee, Senator George Of
Georgia, Democrat, and the adminis-
tration leaders. All of which brings
grief to Republican leaders thinking
especially of politics. It is no secret
these last would like very much to see
a Bricker constitutional amendment,
subscribed to by the Ohio Senator and
the President, win its way through
both Senate and House. In their
opinion, such an ending would take the
issue out OF the coming campaign,
would heal any wounds growing out
of the present conflict and the strong
language used by both the President
and Mr.. Bricker.
Will Not Agree.
President Eisenhower is a Republic
can-but he is not willing to see the
presidency stripped of any of its ira
ditional powers for the sake of partisan
politics. He is quite willing to have
a constitutional amendment adopted
that states no treaty shall contravene
the Constitution. The Supreme Courts
opinions have ruled that treaty can
not override the Constitution, How
ever. the President is willing to have
language written into the Constitution
which is specific on this point-and
that's as far as he is wiling to go.
The Republican politicoS are fearful
that If the Bricker amendment issue
is left hanging in the air-by recon-
initial Of the Bricker amendment-or is
fatty defeated, Republican candidates
Tor the Senate and House in the COM
ing campaign will be compelled to go
on record for or against the proposed
amendment. If they stand for the
amendment. they will be in opposition
to the President. If they stand against
1t. they may incur the enmity of the
many groups and organizations which
have declared for the Bricker proposal.
Almost certainly, the issue will go into
the campaign.
Should majority of the Senate now
adopt a substitute for the Bricker
amendment not satisfactory to the
PreSident-or by majority vote stick
to the Bricker amendment itself-the
44CoI0C11G, ~ 40 Sdlu, WALL 20
to the country via the television and
radio to combat it. His contention is
that the whole question should be dealt
with outside of partisan politics. His
appeal. therefore, would be to both
Democrats and Republicans to support
his position. With the President Wig
orously attacking the position of Bricker
and number Of other Republican Sem
ators, it's anybody's guess what effect
it would have on the congressional
campaign. It's one of those things
the party leaders hope may be avoided.
Reasons for Dispute.
Back Of the struggle over the Bricker
amendment lies fear on the part Of
its supporters that unless something
is done the country may some day
have to experience again such agree
mentS as were entered into by the late
President Roosevelt and former Presi-
dent Truman at Yalta nd Potsdam
with the Russians. Another fear is
that treaties of the United Nations
may rob American citizens Of their
freedoms and rights and override State
laws. No constitutional amendment,
as long as the President remains Com
mander In Chief, can stop such agree
mentS as were made at Yalta, during
a war. So far as the United Nations
treaties are concerned, the Senate can
pass them. adopt reservations or reject
them.
The President has said the Bricker
amendment would tie his hands in
dealing with foreign nations-and he
is against it. He will have lot Of
support on that proposition.
Correction: This column recently de-
Scribed an amendment to an agricul-
tural bill in 1948 fixing the tobacco
support price at 80 per cent of parity,
as solely offered by Senator Cooper
of Kentucky, Republican. It was Of
fered jointly by Senator Cooper and
the then senior Senator from Ken
lucky. Senator Alben w. Barley. DEM
ocrat. Senator Barley, like Senator
Cooper, spoke for the amendment, and