Professor Beer Praises Stevenson as 'More Appealing Now Than in 1952'

"Vote for Eisenhower, if you are a conservative," said Samuel H. Beer, Chairman of the Department of Government, last night. "As for myself, Eisenhower is too conservative. I find Stevenson even more appealing now than in 1952."

The philosophies behind the candidates, said Beer, are the basic issues in this campaign. Eisenhower represents "the typical Whig candidate who firmly believes that the role of the President is to be an executive and no more."

Beer believes that Stevenson represents the Democratic view of the Presidency. "The Democratic President realizes that he must not only point out the major problems, but he must do his utmost to get the proper solution."

As a result of his Republican concept of the Presidency, Beer claimed, "Eisenhower has failed to use the immense possibilities of his office." Beer pointed to the two years during which McCarthy was the dominant force in American politics--"Eisenhower bears the responsibility," said Beer.

Another example of this Republican philosophy in action cited by Beer was the handling of the Salk vaccine. Here again, according to Beer, the Republicans upheld their concept of the best government being the one which does the least.

Stevenson, on the other hand, earned Beer's praise for pointing to the problems and actively supporting the solution. The raising of the H-bomb issue is an excellent example of this philosophy in action," he said. Beer credits Stevenson with a "superb sensitivity to the problems and possibilities of this nation."

Stevenson's present behavior was lauded by Beer. "I am a little irritated by the eggheads who claim he is not on the same lofty platform he was on in 1952. He is just as imaginative and forceful. The only difference is that he is a better campaigner."

This is the first in a series of articles in which various professors will express their political views on the coming election.