Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-11
Senator Mccarthy Loses Ground

All in all, the week which ended with the
Presidents latest press conference has been
bad one for WisconSin's rambunctious Senator
Mccarthy
It would be going too far to say that the
Senator has been brought under control by the
Republican leadership. But 1t certainly is true
that the leaders, with the President in the fore
front. have moved effectively to prevent Senator
Mccarthy from selling control Of the Republ-
can Party. And this is good and healthy
thing-for the country as well as the party.
The first move of the week came on March
3. when the President issued his statement call
ing for decent treatment Of witnesses appearing
before congressional committees. There was an
underlying frmness in the statement, but its
tone was almost one OF Cancellation. Senator
Mccarthy responded in language that was rude
and snarling.
The net result however. was to leave the
next move up to the Senator, il there was to be
a real showdown, and he did not see At during
the week to force the issue with the President
On the other hand, after Adlai Stevenson had
contributed his bit of fuel to the fire, the Presi
dent and his party aides moved in quickly. SEN
ator Mccarthy was demanding time to answer
the Stevenson attack. But the President met
with his advisers and the time for reply was
allotted to Vice President Nixon through the
Republican National Committee. In other words,
Senator Mccarthy was shunted aside as spokes-
man for the Republican Party. And he has
rather meekly accepted that party decision; his
fight now on this point is with the broadcasting
companies.
There were few other Straws in the wind
Senator Mccarthy, who had been making hor-
rendous noises about Communist penetration of
the Army, had a luncheon session with Defense
Secretary Wilson. Earlier, Mr.. Wilson had de-
nounced Senator McCarthy's charge that the
Army was "coddling" Communists He said the
charge was damn tommyrot." When the lunch
con meeting broke up, everybody Senator Nc
earthly incuded-seemed to be happy. Senator
Saltonstall chairman of the Senate Armed
Services Committee, announced without elabo-
ration that his committee has scheduled hear
ings, beginning March Is. on the matter of han
ding Subversives in the armed forces Two
days ago Republican Senator Flanders, who was
later commended by Republican Senator Cooper,
made vigorous one-man attack on Senator
McCarthy's disruptive tactics. And the PreSi-
dent yesterday said that he approved the key
part Of Senator Flanders speech.
Finally, and most heartening OF all, the
President has refused to yield an inch. Yester-
days press conference brought no threats, no
DOtAOdot, 4lOtLuIIS tIIdt SudChcu VI al ulCIIIld"
tum These things are not in the Presidents
character, and that is good in this struggle.
But it seems abundantly clear that the Presi-
dent has made up his mind. If he can prevent
it, he is not going to permit the Mccarthy circus
to destroy the serious job that he, as President,
is trying to do.
Senator Mccarthy Is an unpredictable man,
and he may yet decide to gamble on show
down with the President. But the portents Of
the week which has just passed argue against
it. Senator Mccarthy, whatever else one may
think of him. is not stupid. He knows he will
lose in a finish fight with the President, and
because he knows this, the chances are that the
fight will not come to pass.