Distraction & Division

In the budding congressional campaign of 1954, many Republican candidates have tried to steer clear of the McCarthy issue. Last week onetime Representative Clifford Case, the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in New Jersey, changed the script: in a 1,250-word statement liberally distributed by his headquarters, he said bluntly that he would vote against continuing McCarthy as chairman, or even as a member of the Committee on Government Operations or any committee like it.

From the time he entered the U.S.

House of Representatives in 1945, able Lawyer Case has been concerned about abuses in congressional investigations. More than five years ago he introduced legislation that would have established a code of "fair procedures." He believes that congressional investigations have performed a valuable service in uncovering Communist infiltration and subversion, and is convinced that Congress must keep on investigating. But "such investigations," he said last week, "will continue effectively under leadership other than that of Senator McCarthy. And I am convinced that our total effort to meet and defeat the menace of Communism will be strengthened when the distracting and divisive effect of his participation is removed . . .

"It is, I think, not open to question that large numbers of our people, including practically all members of many important groups in our national life, have become convinced that congressional investigations under Senator McCarthy are reckless and unfair; that they are not objective, but dominated by the purpose of proving the truth of preconceived ideas; and, what to many people is the most disturbing of all, that they are conducted in a manner calculated to gain support by appealing to the emotions of the people rather than to their reason.

As a result, when our country is faced with its greatest crisis, and unity and confidence in each other and in our Government and its leaders are essential to our survival, Senator McCarthy has become a deeply divisive force. * New Jersey Republicans were divided on what effect Case's declaration would have on his chances in the doubtful state of New Jersey. Some G.O.P. county chairmen thought it helped him, others thought it hurt him. Nevertheless, it was a statement Case felt he had to make. Said he: "No honest candidate can straddle the McCarthy issue."

*For another estimate of Senator McCarthy, see PRESS.

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