Evening star., 1954-01-03
Eisenhower S Program
Assured Of Popularity

assured OF TOPul0rIry
But Writer Says President Must
Fight for Success Of Pluns
By Fronk R. Kent
In few days now, Congress win
convene and the President, in person.
will present his message on the state
OF the Union. But tomorrow night he
Will speak directly to the American
people over television, giving them
review, as he sees it. both Of the foreign
and domestic situation. In few more
days the entire administration program.
as formulated by the President, will bo
laid before Congress and the country.
This Is the climax of great many
months Of work by Gen. Eisenhower, his
aides, advisers and friends. 1t Is the
very best they can do. No one questions
its sincerity. No one disputes the disin-
terested integrity Of purpose behind 1t.
No one thinks-at least no one not
utterly partisan-that there is any per-
sonal or political motive anywhere in
its pattern Ike can, does. has and will
make mistakes. But, so far, even among
his most bitter professional political
opponents and the very hostile and far
to the left columniStS Except few OF
the acknowledged embittered ones), no
one has questioned that what the
President will propose is what he be-
lieves is In the national interest and
that neither his personal nor political
interests are calculatingly concerned.
It is worth noting that this Is the
first time in % years that the opposition
to an administration has made this re-.
markable concession. In brief, 1t Is the
first time in more than a generation IN
which some Of the congressional op-
ponents of q sitting President have not
doubted his personal veracity. good
faith or the sanctity Of his word. This
does not mean that Gen. Ike and his
program are beyond criticism. It does
not mean that he will not 'go wrong"
in number Of ways All 1t does mean
is that, for the first time since 1882, the
American people have at the head OF
their Government q man whose good
faith, whose honor. whose personal dis
intereStedness and intentions cannot bo
impugned. In brief, they have q man
whom they can trust. He may make
mistakes, but he won't "sell them out"
Above all else this Is the great Eisen.
hover asset. II the people Of the Ma
ton believe that this Is the kind Of
man he Is (and there is every indica-
ton that they do SO believe), this 10
the reason his program. to q large ex-
tent, will go through in the coming
session. This is why, despite the fact
that he lacks one of having a Repub-
lican majority in the Senate and his
party majority in the House is so slen-
der that it easily may disappear over
night-through illness or death-this
is why If, when the crises occur. he
follows out his present plans Of taking
his case straight to the people week
after week and week after week, he
will prevail-despite the odds against
him and the poisonous nature Of some
of his opponents.
In brief, he can win If he does not
falter. Until recently constant drum
ming had been maintained by the
Democratic National Committee and by
the more virulent Democratic Senators
such as Mike" Monroney of Okla
homa. Humphrey of Minnesota and
Lyndon johnson of Texas. to the gen.
eral effect that Gen. Ike had supinely
surrendered to one or the other Of
the Republican factions; that he was
failing to assert his leadership; that
he was "timorous" and confused" For
a long time the anti-Ike propagandists
sang on these keys. But they have not
done so recently. They ceased to do so
almost Immediately after the President
made his historic speech before the
United Nations. Most of his critics on
foreign policy fell into line with him
after that.
When he followed through with his
four days Of conferences with Repub-
lican chairmen Of House and Senate
concerning the measures he will SUBJ
nit to Congress, the talk about Ike'S
lack of leadership" just went "out the
window" Undoubtedly. the President
will have to fight to get his program
or even a large part of it-through.
After the Republican conference the
President invited the leading Demo-
Gratis of House and Senate, to 60
over his proposals with them. Notwith-
standing the pain this caused some Of
Iilc AACCOalC1ldUlc NeW Ocdl JOuIIldllSJS,
the Democratic conference promises to
be almost as successful as the Republi-
can. No one expects the Democrats to
throw up their hats and cheer, but even
the most hostile among them concede
it is friendly gesture"
OF two things there now seems no
doubt: First. the Republicans in Con.
gress have got the White House leader
ship for which they have been squall-
ing; second, that for a considerable
part Of the Eisenhower program the
Democratic support essential to put it
through will be forthcoming. For this
there will be two good reasons: %
Most Of the Presidents proposals will
be obviously sound; (2) most of them
will have very great popular support.
and 1t Is fact that can be verified by
many old-timers that farmers from