Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-14
Stevenson Is Criticized
AS d Double 7uIker'
Writer Soys Few Democrats
Believe His Orwell
By Fronk z. Kent

By Frank R. Kent
Perhaps it is not too late to say q
few words about the speech OF Adlai
Stevenson, with which he climaxed six
days or so Of anti Eisenhower drum
beating, arranged by that glib young
fellow, Stephen Mitchell, chairman Of
the Democratic National Committee.
First. it is fair to point out that for
gentleman who speaks so highly Of
himself, Mr.. Stevenson always main
tanning smiling air Of piety and q
sweet nonpartisan posture) can exude
more partisan poison than any other
Democratic spokesman now loose. To
be sure. he has the advantage of vari-
Gus intellectual eggheads Of the Arthur
SchleSinger, jr., type in the preparation
OF his scholarly addresses, but it must
be confessed that to start with he has
great natural gifts OF his own as a
double-talker.
For example, we are told that it was
his own idea not directly to accuse
President Eisenhower of the high
crimes and misdemeanors which he
laid at his door. But. he did everything
else. He painted the blacklist picture
OF the administration yet. He accused
1t OF having deceived and betrayed the
American people; Of having broken its
solemn promise; of feebleness in deal
ing with foreign affairs; of embracing
"McCarthyiSm";; Of vacillation and
timidity in handling domestic prob
lens; Of turning the Republican Party
over to the demagogues: of pursuing
a course the inevitable end of which is
"a malign and fatal totalitarianism''
ETC., etc. In the entire 80 minutes of
his discourse there was not a single
word that could remotely be construed
as giving the Eisenhower administra-
ton credit for either good intentions
or ordinary common sense. He even
cited the charges made by Senator
LANCER. the wild man from North Da-
kota, against Chief Justice Earl Warren
as part of the Eisenhower administra-
ton record, though it was General Ike
who appointed him and his nomination
was unanimously confirmed. It would
be interesting to know how you can get
more partisan than that.
X
Mr.. Stevenson is too intelligent to
believe much of this tripe himself and
he certainly does not believe the "an-
swer" which he gave as to the cause
of so great a debacle. to wit. that "a
group of political plungers has per-
suaded the President that Mccarthy
ism is the best Republican formula
for political success" The clear impli-
cation here is that President Eisen-
hover, for sordid political reasons, has
entered into rather Infamous deal
with Senator Mccarthy. That is the
implication, but Mr.. Stevenson did not
have the CUTS to say so himself. For
one thing. he knows it is not true: for
another, he thinks-and rightly-that
a direct attack upon the personal in
tegrity of General Ike would react
unfavorably upon himself So, the
dirty end of the attack he is leaving
to his chairman. Mr.. Mitchell, who
already is evincing eagerness to en-
gage therein. 1--WE intend" the chair
man said at press conference follow
ing the Stevenson address. ito make it
clear that Eisenhower is identified with
the people as the leader of his party
and as the person responsible for what
happens in his administration" In
this campaign against the President.
Mr.. Mitchell said Mr.. Stevenson's
speech was the opening gun"
Obviously, the Mitchell plan is to
treat the President and Mccarthy as
one though he well knows they are
anything but one and that the Presi-
dent has done everything he could with
out degrading his Office to make that
plain. Actually. the real yardstick by
which to measure Mr.. Stevenson is Mr..
Mitchell, who is not only his closest
political friend but one of his closest
personal friends. 1t is inconceivable
that Mr.. Mitchell, as chairman, would
adopt strategy not Endorsed by Mr..
Stevenson. The one upon which they
have apparently settled may pay divi-
dends. On the other hand, it easily
may be that such strategy, as carried
out by the cocky Mr.. Mitchell. might
have very different reaction than the
one they expect. It will not be exactly
easy to persuade the American people
that General Ike is a spinelesS boob
who has permitted a few low politicians
to tie him up hand and foot with Nc
Carthy just because it seemed good
politics." Not many Democratic poll
ticians. themselves, will believe that
sort of drivel and the intelligent ones
recognize the risk of putting it out.
However. according to the Messrs. Ste
venson and Mitchell. that is the gospel
the Democrats intend to spread from
now on. Perhaps that kind Of charge
answers itself. There are even those
who take the view that Tin different
ways, of course) both Mr.. Stevenson
and Senator Mccarthy are "overrated
little guys" and once the headlines
sort taken from them each would shrivel.
Tanner better known as "Cnrnnraln