Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-14
The Political Min
Eisenhower's Record
Is Reel Accomplishment
President Hos Done Well for
One Who Locks Leadership
The Political AilI
BY Gould Lincoln

Ny 00OhO AtttSVsu
For President who has been widely
pictured, FIRST as an amateur politician.
and second as lacking leadership.
Dwight D. Eisenhower has obtained an
amazing amount Of important legisla-
ton from a Congress almost equally
divided between, Republicans and
Democrats.
Indeed, no Congress in recent years
has given President so much of his
program as has the 83d. That goes for
the late Franklin d. Roosevelt
1887 on. Credit for these accomplish
ments goes to the Republican leader
ship in the House and in the Senate
as well as to the President. Many OF
the major victories for the President
were spanked by the House leadership,
Speaker Joe Martin of Massachusetts,
and Majority Leader Charles A. Halleck
of Indiana, aided by Republican Whip
Leslie c. Arends of Illinois. Keystones
of the Eisenhower program we're the
tax bills and the farm bill. Both were
tackled by the House first. In the case
of both, the administration victories
were nailed down by the House. where
the Democrats sought in vain to add
amendments which would have in
creased personal income tax exemp-
tions to point disastrous for the
Federal budget and to retain the old
rigid 80 per cent farm price supports,
Clouded Crystal BAH.
A few months ago, predictions were
rife that the President would take d
licking on the administration farm bill:
that his proposal for O flexible price
support system would be defeated by
the farm bloc. 1t hasn't worked out
that way. Equally loud in the land
were gloomy predictions that the $50
Congress would wind up a "do-nothing
Congress- The box score, as Congress
gets ready to shake the dust Of WASH
ington from its feet, shows exactly
the opposite. It's legislative accom-
pliShmentS cover wide field, from the
controversial Offshore Oil Lands Act.
and st. Lawrence Seaway Act, to I'M
portant revision Of the whole Federal
tax structure, accompanied by tax re-
auctions. and to the start of farm
program that will reduce the terrific
farm crop SURPRISES and thereby aid
the American farmers.
The President, with the aid Of Con-
gress, has provided better national
defense at less cost. He has been able,
also. with the aid of Congress. to reduce
Government spending by billions 81
dollars and bring the budget within
striking distance Of balance. ALI Of
this has meant tightening the Federal
tax burden for individuals as well as
for industry. Further, since Gen. EiSen-
hover entered the White House the
drive for peace has been materially
strengthened and the slaughter Of
American boys has been stopped in
Korea. The President has held strong
ly to a foreign policy line-a line which
has encouraged cooperation of the free
nations for defense against Communist
aggression in Europe, in the Far East
and in other areas Of the world.
No Minor Accomplishments.
These are not accomplishments
which the Democrats will be able to
laugh off or to cover up in the coming
congressional campaign. Also, the Pres
ident'S philosophy of government--as
opposed to the New Deal-Fair Deal
philosophy of the welfare state, social
list in nature-has made strides in
legislative way. For his program has
I been both progressive and humane. It
has set back the New Deal-Fair Deal
drive for an ever bigger Federal Gov
eminent, with its bureaucratic controls
of the lives of all the people.
Not all of the Presidents program
has been enacted. Enough of it is left
for further consideration by new Con-
gress to make demand for an Eisen-
hover Republican-controlled Congress
logical. The budget, for example, has.
still to be balanced, and taxes must
be still further curtailed. If the country
is to look forward to a sound economic
condition as the years, stretch out.
There remain still improvements in the
Taft-Hartley Labor Act to be dealt with.
The Presidents request for an extern
sion of power in the field Of foreign
trade was sidetracked in the session
soon to close. Statehood for Hawaii
and ultimately for Alaska-and re-
insurance for health programs are
other items that demand attention, but
the record to date speaks eloquently
for itself.