Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-03-31
The Political Min
Clean Campaign Urged
By Men in Both Parties
Eisenhower. Smuthers,
Carlson Hit Low Tactics
BY GOULD LINCOLN

BY GOULD LINCOLN
We have never had national politi-
cal campaign entirely free of mud
Singing" President Eisenhower, Sena-
tor Carlson of Kansas. Republican, and
Senator Smathers of Florida, Democrat,
have made praiseworthy contribution
to the burgeoning 1856 campaign. All
three have denounced mudslinging for
political gain. The Senators have
pointed to the serious problems which
confront the Nation as particular
reason for clean campaign, cam
paign not designed to break down the
confidence of the American people. It's
early, much too early. however, to pre-
diet they will be effective in their de-
mands for clean campaigns.
1t is true the presidential candidates
of the major political parties may go
through campaign without attempting
to smear" one another. That does not
necessarily halt their neutenants or
other party leaders from casting mud.
Indeed, it will be an amazing thing if
the mudslingers don't have their in
nings during the next 10 months. Mud"
means attacks on the motives actuating
candidates, attacks on their patriotism,
and attacks on their personal honesty.
Candidates may make mistakes, may be
wrong in positions they take, may sup
port unwiSe programS-and very prop
erly be subject to criticism and attack.
What's mud" to one side may be justi-
fable criticism to the other However,
the man in the street can, and does as
a rule, distinguish mud" when it is
thrown.
President Deplores Tactics
The President has made it entirely
clear he will not engage in mudslinging
If he becomes candidate for re-elec-
ton. He has over the months since he
entered the White House turned his
back on that kind of thing. He has
attacked in strong terms criticisms of
the Democrats and the Democratic
Party as disloyal or unpatriotic.
Recently. he has said he will have no
truck with digging into the Yalta papers
to smear the Democrats, who were in
power when the Yalta agreements were
made. He has said emphatically he will
never engage in mudslinging at the
Democratic Party, which contains Sena-
tor Walter George of Georgia, chairman
of the Senate Foreign Relations Com
mittee. The President has not hesitated
to praise the Georgia veteran-to eulo-
gize him-for the manner in which
Senator George has laid aside political
partisanship to bring about united
front for the United States in its for
eign policies. The country is greatly
fortunate in these times of strain, filled
with dynamite, to have an Eisenhower
in the White House and George at
the head of the Foreign Relations Com
mittee.
Tension is already building up, how
ever. along the political front The
snipers are at work. Democratic snip
ing is designed to injure the President
personally with the people The word
seems to have gone out that if he is to
be beaten, Mr.. Eisenhower must be
made to look ridiculous, to be hypo-
critic, to have unworthy motives. to lac'.
force and the qualities of a leader. N
other words, the effort is to tear him
down in the estimation of the American
people. It's the way of his opponents 20
offset and overcome the Presidents
personal popularity. Put the blame on
the President for everything untoward
that happens, for any mistakes wherever
they occur.
Hard-Fought Campaign
The campaign next year will be hard
fought. There's nothing wrong with
that, if it's clean fighting. The New
Deal Democrats have philosophy Of
government of their own, which is
vastly unlike that of Mr. Eisenhower.
Because they believe in big govern
ment. they charge Mr.. Eisenhower with
selling out to the big private interests
when he demands that the affairs of
the people be left to them and their
private initiative, and if governmental
assistance in handling these affairs be-
comes necessary. it be State and local
government rather than Federal. The
issue here is legitimate.
An unfortunate side issue, however,
is the effort of the Democrats and their
allies, the labor bosses, to make the
struggle clash of the so-called classes
in this country.
The latest Democratic sniping comes
from Senator Nicely of West Virginia.
The Senator charges the President goes
to church only for publicity. What does
he want the President to do? Stay away
from church,? Presumably the voters
would rather have the President go to
church than stay away