Evening star., 1954-12-11
The Political Min
Democrats Campaign
Cry Is Without Echoes
They Didn't Truthfully Get
Elected Just to Help Ike
By Gould Lincoln

tHSf 0tuH tIutHtutty 0SI
Elected Just to Help Ike
BY Gould Lincoln
What's become Of the campaign cry:
"Elect Democrats to help Ike?
Judging from recent pronounce
ments by Democrats elected to high
ofice, it's gone with the wind-and the
campaigning. IT'S quite natural 1t
should. The strange thing about the
cry was that 1t should have been
uttered at all. Only the personal pop.
ularity Of the President was respon-
sible. For Democrats, as Democrats,
have no desire to help. Ike or in any
way to build up Republican Presi-
dent who may be candidate for re-
election.
The new s4th Congress does not meet
until January 5-but the Democrats,
who have taken over that body from
the Republicans. already are in full
cry. Among the first to speak out have
been Governor ELECT Averell Hartman
Of New York: the new Democratic Ma
tional Chairman, Paul M. Butler of
Indiana; the Speaker-apparent, Sam
Rayburn Of Texas, and to a certain de-
gree. Adlai Stevenson, the titular head
OF the Democratic Party and likely
presidential nominee in 1856. Chair
man Butler was succinct in his COM
ments. both in New Orleans where he
was chosen for his new post and In
Kansas City where he spoke at another
victory dinner.
Stevenson Critical.
He said he did not think the Presi-
dent had shown himself a capable
leader. Mr. Stevenson feels that the
President has been unable to control
his own party or give the country the
kind OF government it needs. Mr.. Har-.
riman says frankly he thinks the Demo.
Gratis should not hesitate to criticize the
President himself because of Republic
can smear" campaign tactics. or to
criticize him-period.
The President and his administrative
officers are already on notice. that tfx
democrats intend to use the investina.
tive powers Of Congress as soon as they
take over the committees in the 84th
Congress. They intend particularly to
Yates contract to construct q privately
owned and operated power plant in
West Memphis. Ark, to supply power
Tor the Atomic Energy Commission.
These are the defenders, they claim, of
the Tennessee Valley Authority. But
they are more than that. They are the
proponents Of public power, Of Govern
ment ownership and operation. They
are strongly opposed to the Eisenhower
policy. The Democrats. also, will at
tempt to show that the Eisenhower ad-
mtnistration has not really done much
about getting rid Of Communists. Eel.
low travellers and other subversiyes.
Notwithstanding its claims. Here the
Democrats will be taking the same
position as Senator Joe Mccarthy. who
has accused the President of softness
toward the Commies. But not for the
same reason. The Democrats are seek.
ing to show that there were not many
subversives in the Government to be
thrown out when Eisenhower took over
in 1953-and consequently not many
were thrown out.
Nixon Is Target.
Further, some Of the Democratic
leaders are insisting that Gen. Efsen-
a hover Thin1self9 be subject to criticism
and held responsible for the acts of
the Republicans in Congress as well as
for the officers Of the executive de-
partments and agencies.
Particularly is Vice President Nixon
a target for the Democrats-because
OF his attacks upon them during the
ln,a
Nixon with smear" campaign and
seeking to make all Democrats look
like appeasers Of the Reds, or worse.
They are saying that he did so with
the apparent approval of the Presi-
dent himself. particularly as Gen.
Eisenhower has given Mr.. Nixon high
praise for his campaign efforts.
1t is not astonishing the Democrats
will attack Republican President.
when they have control Of Congress.
1t would be astonishing II they didn't.
The Republicans In Congress did not
hesitate to criticize President Truman
harshly when they ran the 80th Con-
greSs. And certainly the Democrats,
when they took over the House ais q
result OF the elections and by-elec-
tions in 1880 and 1881, gave former
President Hoover no aid at all, but
undermined him whenever they could,
Notwithstanding the country was in
the midst Of deep depression. When
the smear campaign against Mr.. Hoover
Is recalled. the cries Of the Democrats
today about smear tactics Of the
Republicans sound mighty hollow.
The Democrats, however, face q per.
sonally popular Republican President
in Gen. Eisenhower. Further, the coun-
try is prosperous. So the Democrats
will find 1t necessary to watch their
step. II they oppose measures advocated
by the President which are regarded
by the people as beneficial, they viii
be helping the President, not them.
selves. The President has declared
himself a "progressive-moderate" and
<he has struck popular note which
the Democrats viii find it dtfdcult to
drown out.