Page 2 University Daily Kansan Tuesday. Oct. 28, 1852
Washington Mess Is Campaign Issue
Of the many issues of the 1952 presidential campaign, one principal issue held up by the two parties stands out from the others corruption in government.
It presents itself as "principal" mostly because of the great publicity it has received at the hands of the Republicans. It has received this publicity largely through that party's "Crusade-to-Restore-Integrity-to-Washington campaign."
Candidate Dwight D. Eisenhower recently made the statement; "There is only one issue in this campaign—the mess in Washington." Indeed, the "mess" has almost become the battle cry of the Republicans.
Probably the most important in the corruption line-up have been the income tax scandals.
Touched off by John J. Williams, Republican senator from Delaware, the tax affair involved such things as ridiculously low settlement of taxes owed by political favorites and several other persons with influence including some gangsters and gamblers.
Also an occasion for the beating of Republican drums were the notorious RFC scandals. This involved handing-out all types of lavish gifts—mink coats, 12-pound hams, and the like in exchange for widespread favoritism in lending of government money to private agencies and corporations.
agencies and corporations.
Although no officials were indicted for breaking any law, the upshot of the scandal was that President Truman was forced to abolish the offices of five of the RFC's directors and appoint a single officer in their place—that of a clean-up man. It also caused the resignation of William M. Boyle Jr., as Democratic national committeeman because of his implication in one phase of the deal.
The laxness in the Department of Justice also caused "chain reactions" of dismissals, beginning with the ousting of clean-up man Newbald Morris by Attorney General J. Howard McGrath, who later was booted by President Truman and replaced by James P. McGranery.
Many prominent persons were involved. Even Guy George Gabrielson, former Republican national chairman, got involved as result of huge loans to a company he headed. He got off with a mere congressional reprimand.
Also getting a great deal of newspaper space was the 5 Per Center show which starred former Presidential Military Aide Maj. Gen. Harry H. Vaughan and his friend and former bootblack, John Maragon. The whole thing centered around wholesale influence peddling.
Corrupt practices in the Department of Agriculture resulted in thefts of government grain totaling $9 million. Civil or criminal action was brought against 39 warehousing concerns, and several department officials were removed, suspended, or reprimanded.
One employee was convicted for fraud for helping outside firms press claims against the department.
Various other forms of dishonesty in such things as veteran housing and lack of honesty in disposing of surplus property have been uncovered by officials, and some investigations—as in the case of a postal position probe in the South—are still in progress.
Gen. Eisenhower has promised to "end corruption in every phase of office."
of once.
Gov. Stevenson recently admitted that he knows what corruption is. "I know because I cleaned up the Illinois statehouse mess, which was, by the way, a Republican regime." The governor added that "what we want to do is to reduce the number of people who abuse the public confidence."
No matter who is to blame, no one can deny that the "mess in Washington" issue is going to be one of the first in the minds of a good many voters on Nov.4.
-Phil Newman
The Builder
In her heart burns a flame for the man she loves
"Mamie, what a wonderful name is Mamie;
And her family, too; Missus America, through and through is Mamie.
One Man's Opinion
With her style and her grace, she's a lady oh so grand!
Mamie, what a wonderful name for the first lady of our land!"
These words, the words to a new song honoring Mrs. Dwight Eisenhower which was introduced by Fred Waring recently, reflect part two of "Operation Homespun."
by Dick Bibler
In an effort to capitalize on certain strong points and smooth over weaker ones, the Republican party is creating two folksy legends in a campaign to draw attention from the main campaign.
The first legend grew up out of the Nixon scandal. To help smooth over the incident the party initiated a campaign to present Sen. Nixon to the American people as a blueeyed innocent—just a plain boy who had acted unknowingly. This part of the legend was expanded to include the senator's wife and family who were held up as sterling examples of American home life.
amities of America.
The second part of the legend is receiving more play each day. The legend of Mrs. Eisenhower has received space in nearly every American newspaper and magazine.
The general's wife has accompanied him on all of his campaign tours and he always introduces her to the audience at the end of train stop talks.
This legend is following the pattern of the first. It is aimed at the American family, especially the women. Mrs. Ike and her husband are being presented as Mr. and Mrs. America.
The Democrats are offering no competition to this second campaign. For one thing, Gov. Stevenson is divorced. Sen. Sparkman has a wife but few people would recognize her picture if they saw it.
Undoubtedly, the voters are entitled to know the type of families that will accompany a man to office if elected but the thing can be overdone. A recent Newsweek article declared:
Reprinted From the Arkansas Gazette
"After 36 years of marriage, her face still lights up like a bobby-soxer's when she talks about Ike. She sometimes discusses him in a seemingly detached way, as though he were a movie star she had long admired and moonned over from afar."
Further on it quotes her as saying, "God has been saving him for something . . . If this isn't what God's got for him to do, it's something else."
Through all of this stuff, voters must pick their way and see the true values in the men themselves. Families are very important but it is the man and his policies the people must vote for. Secondary campaigns like "Operation Home-spun" must not draw our eyes from the true and important issues of this election.
Roger Yarrington
UNIVERSITY
Daily Hansan
News Room KU 251 Ad Room KU 373
Member of the Kansas Press Assn,
National Editorial Assn., Inland Daily News,
Collegiate Assn.
Represented by the National Advertising
Service, 420 Madison Avenue, N. Y. City.
EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor-in-Chief ... Chuck Zueger
Editorial Assistants ... Bob Stewart,
Roger Yarrington
NEWS STAFF
Managing Editor ... Charles Buch
Asst. Mar. Editors ... Lorena Barlow,
Dot Sarten, Dianne Stonebraker,
Inquiline Jones
City Editor ... Phil Newman
Lady Editor ... Mike Cooper
Sports Editor ... Bob Longstaff
Sports Editors ... Don Nielson
Telegraph Editor ... Clay Kies
Picture Editor ... Mort Thomas
News Advisor ... Don Maser
Victor J. Danilov
BUSINESS STAFF
Business Manager ... Frank Klee
Advertising Man ... David Arthurns
National Man ... Clark Akers
Circulation Man ... Virginia Mackey
Classified Adv. Man ... Patrick Lankford
During the winter season expect Saturdays and Sundays, University holidays and examination periods. Entered second class matter Sat. 17, 1910; at Lawrence, Browntown Post Office under act of March 1, 1879.
Little Man on Campus
Letters
Editor of the Daily Kansan:
The Daily Kansan report of the last ASC meeting mentioned only briefly the FACTS-sponsored bill to make election of class officers nonpartisan. Previous to the meeting the bill had been given much publicity, and the response had been very favorable.
"Well, now, I suppose you guys have never borrowed any of my clothes."
But Pach used its slim majority to defeat the proposal. The Pach-elected ASC president declared that organizational representatives are nonpartisan and should therefore not be allowed to vote on political issues. Why did Pach defeat this bill? Are class officers different in that respect?
Also, was it just a coincidence that two days later Pach offered to support North College and Corbin girls for three of the class offices if the girls would support Pach for the class presidency and ASC representatives?
I believe that these actions betray Pach's true motives. The nonpartisan election bill would take from Pach, the whip which it cracks over the heads of its subordinate women candidates. Let's hope FACTS will not give up this effort to secure nonpartisan class elections, so a candidate may be elected on merit—not on party affiliation.
Gene Rogers engineering junior
However, there are a group of students who didn't get Monday off at O.U. They were members of the "Oklahoma Daily" staff and the law students. It seems that the Law dean wanted his students to attend class.
Short Ones
Noticing the careless manner in which petitions are signed on his campus, a University of Pittsburgh reporter drew up a petition which said, "We the undersigned . . . fully admit to being first class jackasses for not reading this before signing it." Out of 27 asked, 24 signed.
So you better read the next petition that comes floating your way.