Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1955-11-04
POLITICS BOILS IN WASHINGTON

laDelS on the PfeSlQenL1al candidates ana oil
viding them into heroes and Williams. This
labelling operation is part of the storytelling
and myth-making industry in Washington
a vast enterprise-and is a great cOnven-
fence because it enables the voter to avoid
thinking or dealing with the facts.
Of course, this method of evaluating can
didateS has very serious drawbacks. For one
thing, even Presidential candidates are hui
man beings-which means that they aren't
all hero or all villain, but a mixture of di-
verse and complex elements. And for an
other, they, like other people, can and often
do change. This is one of the most interest
! ing aspects of the 1856 campaign: that while
the cast Of characters is familiar, it cannot
be assumed that the men themselves are pre-
cisely the same, or that they conform to their
political regulations.
We recall Woodrow Wilson's famous re-
mark, to the effect that some men grow and
some merely swell. The history of American
politics is full of men who seemed shallow
and inadequate at one period in their lives
/ but who changed out of all recognition later
on. We should deal with possible major
transformations that have taken place with
some of the potential candidates. It's inter-
esting to note that many believe that changes
for the better have occurred in two men who
stand high in the political armament at this
time-Richard Nixon and Adlai Stevenson.
This matter of change maturity,
judgment, understanding of isSues-is GER
tainly an important one and deserves heavy
emphasis. The two national committees will
attempt to white-wash their own people and
apply the tar-brush to the opposition. They
will try to make emotion the master of logic.
And the uncritical voter must inevitably be
sadly misled.
Coming to specific matters, the political
fires are burning bright these days. The
Presidents illness and the generally held be-
lief that this will preclude his running again
have changed the picture draStically On the
Democratic side, particularly, there is a fever
of activity. Stevenson is still the best bet
but by no means sure bet. Senator Kefau-
yer has proven himself power in past pri-
marles, and ne is in the running again. Gov
ernor Hartman seems to be looked on favor
ably by Mr. Truman And Mr.. Truman is the
greatest single force in his party.
On the Republican side, a Gallup poll
made after the Presidents illness indicates
the prevailing winds. The five top-runners
were as follows: Nixon, favored by % per
cent of those pOlled; Warren, by "a per cent
Dewey, by 10 per cent; Stassen, by 10 per
cent; Dulles, by nine per cent. Thus only
Justice Warren gave the Vice President
close race in public favor. And the Justice
has shown no inclination to alter his attitude
OF two years ago, when he said that he would
not be candidate under any circumstances.
1t is time for the heart of America to
be revealed. 1t is a time to speak with one
accord to the other peoples of the world and
TO tell them that the American people-no
matter who is chosen as a successor in the
PreSldency--eXpect to continue to seek peace
in the self-same spirit of human love so
simply expressed by Dwight Eisenhower.
~S1O&G
SOCIALIZED MEDICINE TODAY
Clarence Winchester, the San Francisco
ArgOnaut'S London correspondent, recently
described how Britains system of socialized
medicine is faring
Over the years, experience has forced
some changes in the system-as an example,
''free" wigs are no longer given to the bald,
as was done at one time! An honest effort
has been made to get rid of other extrava-
ganceS and to improve the workings of the
plan. But trouble still abOundS. Mr. Win
chester writes: "NOt every one bothers about
national health benefits, but those who do
would appear to call on them for any minor
physical inconvenience. i. The result is
that most doctors are OVerWOrked and can
not give the rightful attendance to more ser
iOus cases. Day in and night out, instances
are given of doctors having been called to
families only to discover case of slight chill
or mild attack of indigestion. The govern
ment and the medical profession are serious
ly concerned but don't quite know what to
do about it."
Other observers have commented on this
problem, and have pointed to additional ones.
Under socialized medicine there has been a
grave let-dOwn in research and in preventive
medicine-there just isn't sufficient time
And there is no doubt that many promising
men have turned their backs on careers in
medicine because they didn't want to become
part of system in which the bureaucrat
IS the boss and the doctor the man who takes
his orders.
The point is that in medicine, as in other
professions and enterprises, government
domination, even though it may stop short
of specialization, destroys progress and Gre
ateS problems more dangerous and more diff
ficult than those it was supposed to solve.
OS00G
PLENTY OF ROOM
Leaders in retailing point out that this