Danger--Politics Ahead!

Much more is at Senate battle over David E. Lilienthal than the mere confirmation or rejection of another nominee for an administrative post. In most of the opposition to the President's choice as chairman of the new U. S. Atomic Energy Commission, the irresponsible name-calling and the disturbing display of political opportunism threaten the very development and management of atomic power in this country. Moreover, the rapidly-growing tendency to impugn a man's qualifications for a position, simply because he holds opinions either to the political left or right of the accuser, is an instrument as dangerous in itself as the resultant loss of Lilienthal.

Senator MeKellar's attempt to label Lilienthal as a dangerous radical failed. In this latest move in his bitter fight with the ex-TVA head over the latter's failure to bow to the Senator's patronage pressures, McKellar bias was too much even for his anti-Lilienthal associates. But, the more recent statements of Republican Senators Bridges, Wherry and Moore are all the more dangerous for their pious disavowal of McKellar's prejudiced position while, in the same breath, they say that they will oppose Lilienthal because it would be unwise to approve a man on whose character and ability doubt has been east. They would evidently like the country to think that their stand is one of studied fair-mindedness rather than what it obviously is: a more subtle denunciation of the nominee than their Tennessean colleague's. but on identical grounds. Where McKellar shouts "Communist." Bridges, Wherry and Moore are content to cry "New Dealer," while all are united in their opposition because he is a "leftist."

If serious doubts exist on Lilienthal's integrity, they should be dispelled by the unequivocal support given him by Secretary of War Patterson, a Republican, and Under-Secretary of State Acheson, as well as by numerous other respected Americans, many of staunch conservative leanings. Furthermore, his statement on democracy, which he links directly with the meaning of religion, was commended nationally by leading newspapers and executives as a laudable definition, one worthy of every American.

On the issue of atomic energy itself, Lilenthal's opposition to domestic military control is well-known, having been shown clearly in his famous report to the President last spring which was made the basis for the Baruch proposals. Therefore, refusal by the Senate to confirm him in his new office might well give the military another energy developments in this country. Although they lost when the McMahon Bill was passed last summer, although public opinion polls of the past year have demonstrated a steadily increasing majority of the American people in favor of civilian control, the military and their congressional supporters have not given up hope. And when it is considered that most of the opposition to Lilieuthal's confirmation stems from those Senators who fought the McMahon Bill openly and by amendment last year it is not surprising that many onlookers are disturbed.

Should the Republicans combine with McKellar-type Democrats in rejecting Liliethal, they will far from throwing doubts on his ability and sinccrity, only serve to cast doubts on their own ability to discard blind partisanship on matters of crucial importance to the nation.