Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-11
THE NEW CONGRESS
President Moy Find
Goodness at Capitol

when. has been no enemy Of Mr..
Eisenhower
Friends Of Senator johnson say
his attitude toward the administra-
lions legislative program most
likely will carry over into the new
Congress. Senator johnson has
been one of the most efficient floor
leaders the Senate ever had, pre-
ferring to expedite things as much
as possible by working out differ
enceS behind closed doors rather
than letting them erupt on the
Senate floor. This usually leads to
more legislation and earlier adj
journments.
Both Senator johnson and
Speaker Rayburn said the Demo-
cratic program would evolve" as
the session wears on and they have
seen what Mr.. Eisenhower has to
offer. Senator johnson added the
Democrats would go along with
legislative recommendations Of the
President they regard as good for
the country and modify or discard
the ones they don't like.
There are some danger signs for
the President, however.
He is losing the best friend on
foreign policy he has on the Hill
in Senator George. It is considered
unlikely he will get the George
brand of cooperation from Sem
ator Green who, while an inter-
nationalist, is much more a parti-
san Democrat than Senator George
was. Then. too. with the Georgian's
departure Senator Fulbright Of
Arkansas will have a more power
full voice in foreign relations, and
he is one Of the severest critics in
the Senate of the Eisenhower
Dulles policies.
Building q Record
1t is likely also that the Demo-
Gratis. knowing that Mr.. Eisenhower
under the Constitution cannot run
for another term, will play things
more and more on strict party lines,
particularly in the field of domestic
legislation.
They will wish to build a record,
looking toward the congressional
election two years hence and the
general election of 1860. 1t is be-
lieved they will try to push liberal
legislation of a type to have the
most appeal to the most voters.
And it is likely they will try to
go much further in that direction
than the President will like.
Mr.. Eisenhower had been COM
paratively free from partisan or
personal attack until the recent
campaign. But during the cam
,paign. particularly toward the end,
Democratic speakers from Adlai
Stevenson down. began to rip into
the President as never before. 1t
is expected the new Congress will
see continuation of this tactic, as
well as stepped-up attacks on Vice
President Nixon. favorite whipping
boy of the Democrats and widely
considered the Republican presi-
dental choice for 1860.
One of the first things the DEM
ocrats are expected to push for is
the lowering of income taxes, aimed
at giving relief to people in lower
income groups. They failed in a
similar effort in 1855. but possibly
could be more successful next time.
This could lead to a head-on clash
with the Eisenhower administra-
ton.
Many people expect civil rights to
become hot issue in the 85th Con-
gress. Whether it does depends
largely on Attorney General Brow
nell, who drafts rights legislation,
and the White House. If they really
press for militant civil rights law.
it is most probable that much of
the Senate's time in 1857 will be
taken up by filibuster. Many South
ern Democrats are determined that
no rights law will get through Con-
gress as long as their breath lasts,
and that can be very long.
Along this line it is interesting
to note that Senator Kennedy of
Massachusetts predicts mounting
bitterness between Northern liberals
and Southern conservative Demo-
Gratis on civil rights.
Senator Kennedy forecast that
only moderate advances" will be
made in social legislation because
Of the Senate's seniority rule which
keeps Southern conservatives in
charge of many committees.