Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-09

StevenS0n chooses
McC urthyism as Issue
Politicians Think His Attack
On the Senator Was Unwise
By Gould Lincoln
Adlai Stevenson. titular head Of the
Democratic Party, has elected to make
Senator McCarthy-or "McCarthyism"
"a major issue in the coming con-
gressional campaign. At the same time
he attacked President Eisenhower for
not shutting Mccarthy up. All this
in his Miami speech.
He complained bitterly of the meth
DDS Of Senator Mccarthy. as an in
vestigator. He called Mccarthy a
demagogue. Mr.. Stevenson, however,
did not get down to the real under
lying issue-so far as Mccarthy is con-
cerned-and that is the softness exer-
cised by the last two Democratic adj
ministrations toward Communists and
fellow travellers. softness which Nc
Carthy has charged again and again,
and which has been demonstrated.
Republican National Chairman Leon
ard w. Hall, as head of the party's
national organization, has obtained
free time on radio and televiSion to
answer Mr.. Stevenson, and has made it
clear the party spokesman will not
be Senator Mccarthy who, Stevenson
said, is running the Republican Party.
Senator Mccarthy, however, also wants
time In which to reply to the charges
made by Mr.. Stevenson. Judging from
past performances. McCarthy's reply
would make Mr.. StevenSon'S remarks
look rather pale. Some politicians here
are suggesting that Mr.. Stevenson was
politically unwise to tackle the Wis
consin Senator. instead of letting the
Republicans stew in their juice.
G. o. p. Argument. e.
Republicans on Capitol Hill are say
ing that Mr.. Stevenson and Demo-
cratic National Chairman Mitchell have
seized upon Mccarthy and his methods
to get the New Deal-Fair Deal Demo-
Gratis of the hook Of the red" issue.
They insist the American PEOPLE are not
likely to fall for this tactic. They argue
as follows:
Mccarthy has one issue-anti-com-
munism. The American people are
anti-C Communist. which would seem to
put most Of them and Mccarthy in
the same camp. They are more likely
to pay attention to what Mccarthy has
been trying to do than to the COM
plants against his methods. They do
not want Communists in Government
and they have very good reasons for
their stand on that issue. Nor do they
want in Government men who sympa-
thize with the Communists and their
ends, or even men who have been
stupid enough not to recognize what
the Communists were up to.
All the attacks on Mccarthy that
Mr.. Stevenson and his supporters may
make will not@rub out the facts that
the Communists were encouraged in
Russia, in China and in other countries
by the attitude Of Democratic admin
lstrations here; that the Reds course
in China was made easier-until they
seized all the country; that Russian
spies were able to steal our atomic
secrets and other military secrets be-
cause they had spies where they could
do the most good. The very fact these
Russian spies have operated so effec-
lively in the past is inclined to make
the people sympathize with McCarthy's
continued efforts to discover if more
OF them are around in this country and
Government.
Mr.. Stevenson, in his Miami address.
attacked President Eisenhower because
he has not slapped Mccarthy down.
presumably in TRADE similar to that
delivered by Mr.. Stevenson himself.
He also claimed that Senator Mccarthy
is taking over control of the Republican
Party, but first that Mccarthy is divid-
ing the party. The President, Mr..
Stevenson should realize if he read
Gen. EiSenhower's most recent state
ment on the subject, has not condoned
in any way McCarthy's rough handling
OF Brig. Gen. Ralph w. Zwicker. In
tact, the President has warned Nc
Carthy that unfair treatment of Gov
eminent witnesses would not further
be tolerated.
Mccarthy Was Right.
What Mr.. Stevenson has not mem
toned is that Senator Mccarthy had
a sound right to go into the Mai. Irving
Peress caSe-the case of an alleged
Communist in the Army, and into the
handling OF other alleged Communists
drafted into the Army. BY his inoui-
rles. Senator Mccarthy has brought to
light the need of a system for handling
Communist draftees. The President
himself has said that the Peress case
was not well handled by the Army.
Mr.. Stevenson's charge that Senator
Mccarthy is taking over control of the
republican Party is made for an obvi-
Gus purpose, but it doesn't add I'D.
Republican National Chairman Leonard
w. Hall, coming away from the White
House. said: II can't 60 along with
Joe" on his handling of Gen. Zwicker.
Millions of Republicans don't go along
With Mccarthy on that point - thew
go along with President Eisenhower.
Mccarthy, however, has one creed. anti
communism, which the Republicans do
go Tor. But that fact does not mean
mccarthy is controlling the Republican
Party.
Mr.. Stevenson in his Miami speech
turned from his major target, Nc
Carthy. to attack the Eisenhower pro-
gram for national defense. The new
IooK, ne called it, in national defense.
AS between Mr.. Stevenson and Gen.
Eisenhower. however, the people are
more likely to rely on the Judgment
or Gen. Eisenhower in military mat