Evening star., 1954-06-01
The Political Min y
Democrats No Help
To Eisenhower PIuns
Minority Has Blocked Much
Of Administration Proqrum
By Gould Lincoln

OF Administration Program
By Gould Lincoln
Is the Eisenhower program in danger
from the Democrats In Congress? The
often-repeated assertion that President
Eisenhower would be better OF with q
Democratic-not a Republican-Con-
gress is becoming shopworn. Even some
Of the Democrats who have used it,
presumably with the idea of corraling
votes in the elections next November,
are backing away from 1t, or just for
getting about 1t. A look at the record
made during the present session of
Congress shows that the Democrats do
not hesitate to drive q knife into Ell
senhower program items when the oc-
casion arises. With many important
measures still to be disposed of before
adjournment, better view of the Dem
ocratic attitude toward the Presidents
program Is in prospect.
Senate Democrats blocked the amend
ments to the Taft-Hartley Labor Act.
amendments to improve the law which
Gen. Eisenhower promised when he was
campaigning and since his election.
Senate Democrats have 90 far blocked
another important item in the Presi-
dents program-statehood for Hawaii.
which has been long overdue. Senate
Democrats killed Gen. Eisenhower's
proposal to give the vote to 18-year-
olds. And more recently. q group OF
Senate Democrats is proposing to kill
the Presidents public housing program.
because of the decision of the Supreme
Court against segregation.
Other Measures.
What's to be the attitude Of Demo-
Gratis in the Senate on the omnibus tax
reform bill, one Of the most important
features of the Eisenhower program?
On amendments to the social security
law? On reciprocal trade agreements
extension? On farm legislation? On
foreign aid? And in the House? The
Democrats will have to decide whether
to vote measures designed to improve
the conditions in the country and the
American people-or to engage In o
bit of campaign strategy. Some Of them
apparently would like to 60 to the coun-
try with q charge that the Republican
SD Congress has been q do-nothing
Congress. Former President Truman
used a similar charge against the Re-
publican 80th Congress effectually In
the 1948 presidential campaign. AS q
matter of fact, the 80th Congress did
accomplish q lot-but 1t did not put
through the Fair Deal legislation de-
manded by Mr.. Truman.
AS Senator Knowland Of California.
Republican leader Of the Senate. says:
"The final test for the Democrats on
the Eisenhower program Is still to be
made. Obviously they can defeat much
of the program If they wish. They have
an actual majority over the Republi-
cans in the Senate. In the House, the
hairline division between the parties,
while it favors the Republicans. is SO
close that anything can happen"
Democratic Help.
While the Democrats have defeated
Eisenhower program items, they have
provided the votes necessary for an ad-
ministration victory on number OF
occasions. For example, when the ON
nibus tax bill was before the House. the
Democratic proposal to increase the
personal exemptions from 5000 to $500
was defeated with the aid Of nine
Democratic votes. Ten Republican
members of the House moved over and
voted with the Democrats for the in
creased exemptions, which would have
cut billions of dollars OF the Govern
r1ent's annual revenue. So the Demo-
Gratis saved the day for the President
who strongly opposed this increase in
the personal exemptions. But the fight
over this issue Is still to be made in the
Senate. where the Democrats outnum-
ber the Republicans and Senator George
of Georgia, ranking Democrat on the
Finance Committee. has been support
ing the exemptions increase. Here again
Senate Democrats can save the day for
this item Of the Eisenhower program II
they wish. One important Democrat
says that is just what will happen-that
enough Democratic Senators will sup
port the President on this issue.
There has been entirely too much
two-way talk by Democrats on the ad-
ministration's foreign policy. In one
breath, they shout that unity in this
country on foreign policy Is vital. In
the next five breaths. they denounce
what Gen. Eisenhower and his Secre-
tary of State, John Foster Dulles. have
peen doing. They paint the admins
tration's policy as weak, vacillating. q
bluff or what have you. OF course. they
are entirely right when they say that
unity Of purpose and Of action in for
eign affairs Is essential, especially in
this critical time in the world. Here
is where the Democrats can show their
good will II they wish-and not play
politics.