The Glacier reporter. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1953-current, 1962-02-22

1874
WASHINGTON, DC. - Presi.
dent Kennedy has been assured
that his popularity is higher than
ever and that the Republicans
are in serious trouble. Both con-
illusions seem justified from the
facts at hand.
The public opinion polls and pri-
waite polls, some of which the
President has sponsored, all show
that the Presidents stock with
the American people is high. Not
only Is this bad news for the Re
publicans but the polls also show
that COP. stock with the public
Is low.
The m o d crate Republicans,
moreover, fear that IL the party
swings behind a conservative like
Senator Barry Goldwater, the
rock bottom of 1886 may again
be reached before things take a
turn for the better.
President Kennedy is helping
the Republican Party along the
conservative skids. from nation
al political standpoint. When all
Republican members of a House
committee voted against an urban
affairs department, the President
was ready. He denounced the
party and many Republicans ad-
mitted this was an effective blow
with city voters in the metropoli-
tan areas which cast more than
half the presidential vote.
The hearings which were threat
ening to get out of hand late last
year-on the question of censor
ship of speeches by military men
has been controlled fairly well.
Former President Dwight Eisen-
hower's about-face, in which he
expressed the view that there had
been too much muzzling of the
military, was sensational, and
other events have been full of
drama but the slam-bang expose
and sensationalism of the Army
Mccarthy hearings has so far
been circumvented.
For one thing, the Senate COM
mittee chairman, Senator John
Stennis D-Miss.) is an ex-judge.
Also, he was put on notice that
the Kennel Administration
would appreciate his firm con-
troll of the hearings. president
Kennedy did not neglect to praise
Senator Stennis in his news con-
ference on January Is, in this
connecticut
The fear of many had been that
South Carolina Democrat Strom
Thurmond would shoot the De-
Tense Departments and State De-
partment's censorship policies so
full of holes that a political issue
would be handed the Republi-
cans. Senator Thurmond did cite
examples of censorship which
were difficult to understand, and
even more difficult to justify.
And charges will almost surely
result. But the underlying fear
of the Administration. that a
major scandal and sensation
would explode at the hearings,
didn't develop - largely due to
postponement and the careful
handling of the hearings by Stem.
mis-.
The race in California between
Governor Ed Brown and former
Vice President Dick Nixon is the
developing lulu of all the state
races on the political horizon.
Brown is hitting out fiercely at
Nixon and says openly he will
nail the Nixon political coffin
shut In the upcoming guberna-
torial race. The former Vice Pres
ident has been running longer
than some people realize and
knows this will be his critical
test. He is stronger than some as
sumo already, and is probably
the favorite right now, even
though he hasn't yet won the
G. o. p. nomination.
This explains the violence OF
Browns attacks. He is trying to
connect Nixon to the John Birch.
ers. He Is trying TO imply the
Vice President Is using the state
as stepping off stone to nation
al office. He Is calling on the
White House for help-and get
ting some.
Nixon hasn't opened up on the
Governor yet-all the way. He
must win nomination first. But
he knows a November victory is
must" If he is to be the party's
hope in 1864 or 1868. There are
indications he would prefer 1868,
but he might be the only top con-
tender around in 1864, and il so.
he could suffer the same fate as
Adlai Stevenson who was to
campaign against very popular
presidential image twice in sue
cession, without hope of success.
n