The Press SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1952. The Senator Nixon Affair

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26847, 27 September 1952, Page 6

The Press SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1952. The Senator Nixon Affair

The second man on a Presidential ticket—the candidate for the VicePresidency—finds his way there for a variety of reasons. Although the choice of Mr Truman as President Roosevelt’s running mate in 1943 was an exception, little attention is customarily given to the chance that the Vice-Presidential candidate may, during the normal term of office of the team, succeed to the Presidency. Sometimes the choice is made to help the prospective President with the legislature, sometimes to placate factions within the party, sometimes to “ colour ” the ticket—that is, to strengthen a liberal or conservative appearance, or perhaps to give the ticket an impression of youth and virility, or alternatively of wisdom and experience. Sometimes the choice is made to influence votes in a doubtful State. But always the choice is made because it is judged that the running mate will help the principal candidate’s chances. In July the Republican Party believed it had chosen well. Senator Richard Nixon offered the party a variety of advantages. As a Californian he would be expected to influence support in his native State, now the second State of the Union, with 32 votes in the electoral college. Senator Nixon was well known to the nation. He first attracted attention by pressing for an investigation of Alger Hiss; and he has been hot on the scent of crypto-Com-munists ever since. Yet his methods have been different from those of the McCarthys and Jenners working in the same field. In the last two years Senator Nixon has been one of the most fiery crusaders in Washington against corruption in national and local government. A young man—he has not yet turned

40—Senator Nixon had a good war record; and since he first entered national politics in 1946 he has gone from success to success. As a Quaker, Senator Nixon tended to offset the militaristic colour General

Eisenhower gave the Republican Presidential ticket. But in the last week the man who seemed to have so many advantages turned into something of a liability. The man expected to work in the background in support of the principal candidate has himself been the object of unwanted political attention. Trouble was caused when a New York newspaper revealed that an expense account used by Senator Nixon was contributed by business interests in his home State of California. This would not altogether surprise some American liberals, who have drawn attention to the large amounts Senator Nixon was able to spend on advertising in the campaigns when he defeated Mr Voorhis for a seat in the House of Representatives in 1946, and when he won the Senate seat from Mrs Helen Douglas in 1950. However, Senator Nixon has apparently satisfied General Eisenhower that the expense account called into question was used not for Senator Nixon’s personal benefit but for political campaigns that were in the national interest. If the American voters

accept General Eisenhower’s rather fulsomely worded statement about Senator Nixon’s “ complete vindica-

“tion”. Senator Nixon’s potentialities as a vote-winner for the Republican Presidential ticket may not be impaired. On the other hand, there may be many—not necessarily cynics about politics—who will think that, like Senators McCarthy and Jenner, Senator Nixon has been too easily forgiven by General Eisenhower. To outside

observers there is a refreshing aspect to the week’s excitement. It is the indication of the seriousness with which American opinion, when roused, views suggestions of financial malpractice by persons seeking high office.