The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1955-06-30
THE GREAT
GAME OF
POLITICS
By FRANK R. KENT
Copyright by The Baltimore Sun and re-
vrfnbsd IN The Republican ~ psxminsiOu-
Adlai's Disappointment

FNbldi
Although he is in control of the
National Committee and enough
party leaders, such as Governor
Hartman of New York Governor
"Soapy" Williams of Michigan, eX-
President Truman and various
others have come out for his re-
nomination, Mr. Adlai Stevenson
is not happy He publicly pretends
to be but he isn't
This information comes not from
his opponents but from his personal
and political friends. As one of
these recently said. Mr.. Stevenson
has no real rival for the nomination.
Yet, he is discouraged and one of
his closest advisers offers a rea-
sonable explanation Chiefly, this
is based on the lack of vibrancy
among Democratic leaders in Con-
gress concerning his campaign.
Every time one of these has public
ly declared for him, Mr.. Stevenson
has quickly gotten in touch either
by coming here for a personal talk
or by calling on the telephone.
He has eagerly sought their adj
vice. Should he not now put a
Democratic platform before the
country? Should he not announce
an affirmative policy on this or
that? Should he not now make a
specific attack on the President. In
brief, should he not now assert his
party leadership by denouncing the
Administration and aSsailing the
President? There is no question
that Mr.. Stevenson anticipated af-
firmative answers to these ques-
tons and was disappointed when
he did not get them. Instead of
being urged to "cut loose" and
give 'em hell" in the Truman style,
he was told by these supporters to
take it easy" Keep on making
speeches but leave the business of
formulating tn e platform and
enunciating policies to the Demo-
cratic leaders in Congress; that the
time has not yet arrived for per-
sonal attacks on the President.
1t is easy to see why responses
such as these should dampen the
Stevenson ardor and leave him
distressed. Facile and fluent as he
is he cannot continue making
speeches without something to say.
If he is not to lay down party poll
cy he soon will reach the point
where he will bore the people.
That, of course, is fatal. Already,
some newspapers that regularly
printed everything he said in full
have begun to shorten his output.
Not always does it get on the first
page. In addition, while he again
has the support of the two big la
Dor bosses-Mr. Walter Reuther
and Mr.. George Meany-it is be-
ginning to be realized that in some
ways that support can become a
liability as well as an asset
OF course, the main trouble with
the Democrats is that the country
is not only prosperous but at peace.
The Eisenhower Dulles foreign
policies at least have not failed and
the depression forecast by the
Democratic spokesman has not ma
terialized. Actually, the state of
the nation and the state of the
world are better than in January,
1858, when the twenty years of New
Deal-Fair Deal came to an end.
The new President has not done
all he hoped and planned. But, GER
tainly he has lost neither prestige
nor popularity. Clearly, the Steven
son hope is for a lucky break.
Either the President will make a
great blunder or the depression