Show 1 l l What People Think I Poll a ReVe Reveals ls bli Vague on Lobbies 1 t By Elmo Roper u t pur Ours has been called called and and with some reason reason reason-a a pressure democracy In Washington there arc are many hundreds of ot 10 b trying to influence legislation in behalf of every every interest fand t f tand from rom and nut to cranberry producers do these various How many voters voter organizations organizations' r re How representative of the people themselves are the various pr groups How much support is the public willing 10 to give t to organizations current Fortune survey obtained a barometer The of Pu Pua opinion on some of the better known organizations when It Ita ita a section cross of the voters Have you ever happened to hear of an organization cau cai called t Political Action Committee of the C CIO I Q 7 Of an organization cal the Progressive Citizens ns of or America merica Americans for Action The National Assa of Manufacturers or N NAM A AM 11 Wo W- Federalists v fr II Have o a Have Not NI N H Heard Hard ard of Heard of ot Aja C CIO do I 0 Political Action committee C CIO ClO J 0 J P PAC A C 5 jH Progressive Citizens of America P C A 88 B a Americans for Democratic Action 94 9 National MD Asan of Manufacturers NAM I i World Federalists loA If the respondent had heard of any of these organizations Th was then asked about it rif How do you feel about what the Political Action Committee N the C CIO I 0 the Progressive Citizens of America Americans for Dea fl cratic Action etc is doing On the whole would you sa say you youw w generally favorable or unfavorable toward it y Favor Favor- Unfavorable or- or No Noi a able le able 0 C CIO I 0 Political al Action Committee 1 Progressive Citizens of America 80 91 i IU is Americans for Democratic Action 60 68 1 National Man of Manufacturers l l' l World Federalists 5 40 3 36 t Most interesting perhaps is the fact that not more than h hall r the public has heard of any anyone one group Best known are the Action Committee of the C q CIO I 0 and the National of M The C CI I P O-P A C tIle the political arm of oC the C CI I 10 O 0 was wu ao ea a issue In the 1944 election campaign The N NAM A M Id ch cil spokesman for tor manufacturers in the country ha has been particular active over the past few years as the leading exponent of ot l tU tW prices seek their own level without government interference 1 More people like the N NAM A M t than dislike it It is liked nore J small towns than in the big cities Republicans are more favo W inclined toward the organization than Democrats Labor union jj ma mabers me bers are split in their opinion of ot the N A M Mt with a surprisingly ai i majority unfavorable toward it l Pattern Opposite I IThe 1 l. l The pattern of support for the C b CI I P O-P A AC C Is almost opposite that of the N A M. M More people dislike it than like ilke it members rs are arc the Political Action Committees Committee's strongest backers wM people who live In small towns dislike it most Since the e P A C M supported the Democrats in past elections it can be r readily a. a ny md nd stood why Democratic voters rally to its support more a Republicans j The other three organizations are less well known The Prop sive Citizens of America is the organization which placed the nan of Henry Wallace Into nomination for the presidency o on on A th thin uw party ticket Americans for tor Democratic Action on the other othey I ii vigorously opposes Mr Wallaces Wallace's candidacy Both groups make 1 appeal to the liberal voters who in t the e past largely supported support New Deal Among those who have heard of oC these two there is almost an even division n between favor and di disfavor favot Sup for both groups comes from big citi cities s labor union members and M independent voters A ADA D A does better in rural areas but L receives more backing from those ose who wh said aid they were yere eJ for r Ti when the survey was conducted ed t Least Known Group Least known among among the organizations in the the W Wo Federalists whose program calls for tor world government Past P 1 tune surveys have ave shown a marked increase in sentiment forwe government in this country over the last few years More than fl of ot the public today thinks we should go beyond the United Na Nails NUs and set et up a government of the world Yet the World Fed evoked a favorable response from only 8 of those who want government Clearly the World Federalists has its work cut o rt for itself t tAs As the results indicate no one of the five organizations organization In II survey has the support of the majority of the people Nor No d does I seem likely that the time will soon come when any of the fi five e wi have majority backing But taken together these organization workers businessmen and citizens of all shades of ot opinion add up an important part of o our r nations nation's political life They and the many organizations like them will continue have a good deal of influence in the democratic process as we k kit it today in America It would seem to be healthier for that d Gen deia cratic process however if the people and their congressmen a organizations themselves know Just how much public support t M of them has Copyright 1948 New York Herald Tribune jl |