National Affairs: Disappointed

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A voice out of the recent past squealed back into the Republican presidential chorus last week from Philadelphia. For more than a month University of Pennsylvania President Harold Stassen had been uncommonly quiet. The last time he had been heard from, he seemed to be listing about 75 degrees Ikeward, was on record that "on the broad issues I am on the same side as General Eisenhower." Last week, after hearing more from Ike about the issues, he was "disappointed," and he thought other "liberal" Republicans were disappointed too.

Both Taft and Eisenhower are too conservative, said Stassen, and only a Republican like Stassen can win in November. Said he: "Concerning FEPC and civil rights, both Taft and Eisenhower support watered-down laws, leaving control solely to the states and on a voluntary basis . . . On Taft-Hartley and labor legislation, Eisenhower would make no changes. I am in favor of writing a completely new labor law . . . On the budget and taxes, I do not see how anyone can make tax or budget cuts as Taft and Eisenhower have proposed without dropping the bottom out of our effective world leadership . . ."

Both the Eisenhower and Taft forces, said Stassen, have been overstating their strength. "Don't count me out," he advised the pundits. At that, the political surveyors got out their levels, carefully reckoned Stassen's position and decided that he should be counted exactly as before : out.