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Show National Politics: (3) Democratic Radicalism The Republican party seems to be basing this year's attempt to dethrone a Democratic Congress Con-gress on charges of radicalism. On two issues all good Republicans Republi-cans are especially sensitive: deficit spending and creeping Socialism. Republicans are claiming, with a great deal of foresight, that deficit spending the practice prac-tice of the government spending more mony than it earns during a fiscal year will eventually bankrupt the nation's economy. The Democrats concede the dangers dan-gers of deficit spending, but insist it must be continued until un-til present international commitments com-mitments are met. The Administration says deficit def-icit spending is necessary so long as tax income remains stationary sta-tionary while the federal government gov-ernment spends approximately $20 billions a year on defense and European aid. If deficit spending were ended now, the government believes defensive machinery would have to be slowed down, and European aid halted, the lack of which might destroy the economies of Western West-ern European nations and leave them easy prey for Communist aggression. Liberal Republicans and middle-of-the-roaders, but not the isolationists, admitting this to be the case, decry the additional expense involved in carrying out such programs as increased social security, unemployment compensation, crop supports, and other socialized legislation of the type. Even worse they contend is threatened socialistic legislation in the fields of public health, housing, electric power, civil rights, etc., the fear of which has led conservative GOP party leaders to coin their campaign phrase, "Liberty vs. Socialism." Like the Democrats, Repub lican policy-makers are hopelessly hope-lessly divided as to aims. Many liberals tag along with the Fair Deal program, "while the rank-and-file party members generally general-ly look on any Trumanized legislation leg-islation as inherently dangerous. But most Republicans now seem to realize that unless they are to remain permanently out of office, they must develop a new and constructive program. A sad past proves that neither "me-tooism" or indiscriminate blasting of Democratic ideals will convince the majority of voters. The Democrats, especially especial-ly the Fair-Dealers, can always say that in carrying put a program pro-gram which the GOP denounces as socialistic, they are merely accepting the mandate of the people as expressed in the 1948 Democratic platform. The GOP must counteract this strategy by taking a firm stand against Administration policies the party considers dangerous, but lend support to those which are, on the whole, basically sound. The GOP can expect to get nowhere by damning every Democratic social welfare plan as socialistic, because, to the voting masses, such legislation is in their interest. The titular head of the party, Thomas E. Dewey, recently stated that politicians pol-iticians determined to fight social so-cial legislation are living in the middle ages. But a campaign against federal advancement into in-to the power field might prove fruitful. The best campaign course for the Republicans would seem to be somewhere between left and right. (The Democrats are exploiting ex-ploiting this philosophy successfully.) success-fully.) Exactly where that course should be steered GOP leaders must decide, and in a hurry, before the fall elections. GWH |