Evening star., 1954-12-12
Butler. Mccarthy Try
To Teur Down President
Writer Finds Their Endeuvors
Against Eisenhower Futile
By Frank r. Kent

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It Is interesting to note that the sur
prisingly violent personal attack upon
President Eisenhower by Paul L. But
Ter, new chairman of the Democratic
National Committee, made Immediately
after his election at New Orleans,
elected no reply from Mr.. Eisenhower
nor from any administration spokes-
man. except Chairman Hall Of the
Republican committee and Senator
Smith Of New Jersey. Almost no Eisen-
hower-supporting newspaper paid it
any editorial attention whatever.
This was probably good Judgment.
The way the more balanced Republi-
cans here view this unusual assault
from party head Is that it should
be treated with understanding con-
tempt. By that they mean that II one
does not understand what Is behind
Mr.. Butler, this personal assault upon
Gen. Ike as man without capac-
ity" by a third-rate Democratic poll
tician from State (Indianal where
even the first-rate politicians are no.
toriously low grade. would simply be
absurd. However, Mr.. Butler cannot
be considered by himself.
4
Primarily. he was the choice Of the
primarily is the close personal and
political friend of Mr.. Stevenson. who.
in his coy way. primarily is seeking
denomination for President In 1856.
The Butler selection as chairman al
most unanimously has been interpreted
as victory for Mitchell and Steven
son, despite the fact that the good
Adlai publicly declared his neutrality
in the contest. No political observer
on the spot believed that, just as few
fail to believe that the Butler election
increases Mr.. Stevensons advantage
over all other aspirants for the nonii-
nation. Under the circumstances it is
difficult for any one to believe that
the new chairman let loose his blast
against the President without consul
tation with his sponsors - Messrs.
Stevenson and Mitchell. That Gov.
elect Hartman joined in the personal
assault is not surprising.
Be that as it may, the real signifi-
canoe Of the Butler Hartman attack Is
its confirmation of the new strategy
of the Democratic Party to tear down
Gen. Ike's personal popularity in tbs
country, which practically everybody
agrees still remains intact. In this
space last week this strategy was fore
cast. It's base is that just as Mr.. Eisen-
hover has lost extremely few votes he
had two years ago Mr.. Stevenson has
gained no votes he did not then have.
Therefore, another contest between
Eisenhower and Stevenson in 1856 Is
sure to result in another victory for Mr..
Eisenhower-unless somehow his popu.
larity can be destroyed.
This situation is not changed by the
recent blast against the President by
Senator Mccarthy. However much the
Senator and his friends may resent the
Presidents recent congratulations to
Senator Watkins and his obvious dis
taste for Senator Mccarthy (Which
certainly is nothing new to them)
their resentment hardly could take
them to the Democratic candidate In
1856, who in all probability will be Mr..
Stevenson. However deeply the Nc
Carthyites may resent the Eisenhower
attitude, they are bound to resent the
Democrats good deal more. inasmuch
as Stevenson, Mitchell and the entire
Democratic Senate have been 100 per
cent against him from the start.
AS things are, the only out for the
NIcCarthyites is a third-party move
ment. Anti Eisenhower propagandists
have been straining themselves to pro-
mote a movement along this line for
the last few weeks. But, they do not
and will not-get anywhere. Third
party movements in this country are
what B. M. Baruch likes to call the old
"Phonus Bolonus." The only for.
midable one in our time was the Bull
Moose Party of the late Theodore
Roosevelt, which certainly did prevent
the election of Mr. Taft. Since then
the La Toilette third-party candidacy,
the Henry Wallace candidacy, the
Strum Thurmond candidacy have all
fizzled.
An acute fellow politically, Senator
Mccarthy Is one of the least likely men
to head third-party ticket. For one
reason, there would be nothing for
him to gain. He might bring about the
defeat Of Mr.. Eisenhower, but he GER
tainly would end his own political
career in Wisconsin-and In the coun-
try. Certainly. too, he would prefer
Eisenhower to Stevenson. Even more
certainly he would drive to Eisenhower
more Democratic votes than he would
take from his Republican votes. The
plain truth is that the third -party
movement is being largely promoted by
New Deal and Fair Deal publicists.
Some Of the calmer political experts
here contend that by 1856 they will have
realized their futility and that Nc.
Carthy, now at lower point as to
prestige and power than he has been
in five years. will be considerably lower
jim fact politically innpotent