Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-07-31
The Political Mill
Illinois Senate Race
VituI to Both Parties
Letter From Eisenhower
Sends Up Stock Of Meek
By Gould Lincoln

Sends Up Stock OF Meek
By Gould Lincoln
The outcome of the Illinois senatorial
race next November could settle Adlai
Stevenson's political hash and at the
same time determine whether the Re-
publicans or the Democrats will control
the Senate in the next Congress. A
victory for the Republican senatorial
candidate. Joseph T. Meek, over Sena-
tor Paul H. Douglas, Democrat, placing
Illinois still further in the hold Of the
@. o. p, would make the former Illinois
Governor less attractive figure for the
Democratic presidential nomination OF
1856. This is particularly true since Mr..
Stevenson lost his home State in 1852
to President Eisenhower.
Mr.. Meek's stock moved up, in the
opinion Of political observers, as
result of his letter to the President.
pledging his loyalty and support to the
Chief Executive. and the Presidents re-
ply, accepting the pledge and wishing
Mr.. Meek success. The interchanged
letters, made public by the White
House. gives the Republican senatorial
candidate real presidential pat on the
back-which is likely to help Mr.. Meek
where he needs help-in Chicago. The
Democrats in the recent past have tried
to make capital out of reports that
Mr.. Meek. who favored the nomination
OF the late Senator Taft of Ohio for
President in 1852, was lukewarm, at
least, to the President and was hostile
to much Of the Presidents program.
Apparently Mr.. Meek, with the cooper
alton of the President, has now pulled
that rug out from under the feet Of
the Democrats.
Stratton Confident. t
Judging from the statements made
by Gov. Stratton of Illinois, Republican,
at the recent Governors conference at
Lake George, N. Y, the present pledge
OF loyalty and support for the President
was a foregone conclusion. The Gov
ernor denied at that time that Mr..
Meek was in any way opposed to the
Eisenhower administration or to the
President. Gov. Stratton said that he,
Mr.. Meek and the whole Illinois Repub-
lican organization was entirely in the
Eisenhower camp.
Illinois is one of the States in which
the Mccarthy issue poses a real prob
lem for the Democrats. including Sena-
tor Douglas. The Wisconsin Senator, IL
is reported, has large following there,
and not all of the Mccarthy supporters
are Republicans. Any vote by Senator
Douglas in opposition to Senator Nc
Carthy-that is for censure of the
Senator from Wisconsin-would be
likely to lose Senator Douglas votes,
even If 1t gained him few. Further
more, under Gov. STATIONS leadership.
the Republican organization of Illinois
mas been strengthened and revitalized.
The fight in Illinois, however, is by
no means over. Senator Douglas, a
liberal Democrat, has had large fol-
lowing and he still has it. He was
elected over former Senator Brooks.
Republican, in 1948 with plurality OF
almost 408,0O0 voteS-a tremendous
victory. That was the same year that
Adlal Stevenson was elected Governor
by a wide margin, too
Economic Outlook.
1t has been generally conceded that
economic conditions will play a large
part in the Illinois senatorial election
this year. Months ago, Senator Douglas
declared that the country was in a
recession-and that conditions might
grow worse. The Republicans promptly
labeled him prophet of gloom and
DOOM" So far, an upswing in business
and employment has worked in favor
of the Republicans-and If it continues
into the fall, the chances for Mr.. Meek
are expected to improve.
Mr. Meek is said to have strong sup
port in "downstate Illinois, which
means outside of Chicago and Cook
County. This is usually Republican
territory. Gov. Stratton Is confident
that the Republican organization can
roll up considerable vote in Demo-.
cratic Chicago. too. If Gov. Stratton il
correct Mr.. Meek should be a winner.
The Republican senatorial candidate
is widely known throughout the State
but not as political figure. He has
been for nearly 10 years president OF
the Illinois Federation Of Retail Asso-
ciations-which has 10000 member
ship. Senator Douglas attacks Mr. Meek
as lobbyist who has served greedy.
special interests. Mr.. Meek retorts that
Senator Douglas is New Dealer, little
better than Socialist. There you have
it. The governmental philosophy Of the
two men is completely divergent. Mr..
Meek is against Government controls.
He favors trimming Government func-
tions. Senator Douglas supports Fed
eral FEPC, public housing, and Gov
eminent aid to education.
Defeat of Senator Douglas would be
real blow to the New Deal forces.
Douglas victory, on the other hand.
would give those forces a lift and
might mean Democratic control Of the
upper house of Congress.