Tabor City Tribune

PEACEFUL REVOLUTION
The American people have reversed the political trend they had followed since 1930. With ballots instead of bullets they have set in motion a peaceful revolution. No lesser term adequately measures the Republican victory.
A tide which had begun to turn even before the war quietly rose higher even than most Republican leaders had hoped, swept that party into power in both houses of Congress, and engulfed most of the State governments outside of the still solid South.
At a time when most of the world States has turned sharply right. In a period when nations all over the globe has been swinging leftward, the United States have shown a disposition to experiment with various forms of regimentation the American people have revolted against governmental controls.
How far-reaching and permanent is this revolution likely to be? One answer is sure to be found in the success with which present prosperity is stabilized. It is unlikely that there will be a real economic "bust" in the next year or two. But neither in this election or in any other recent development has there been evidence that the American people have learned how to prevent economic depression and widespread unemployment. Neither is there much indication that politicians-of either party-are prepared to resist the continuing pressures of special interests which push the Nation toward socialism.
The result has been due plainly to an inchoate demand for change. The election was remarkable for the lack of clearly defined alternative programs. The vote was against the "Ins" without requiring specifications of what the "Outs" had to offer. Yet there were sound instincts in the public's action. There was a sense that a long term in office had either achieved the ends or removed the meaning of the New Deal. The Republican-conservative Democrat coalition in Congress had blocked the Truman program but was not carrying through any of its own. The President had banked on repairing the Roosevelt laxity in administration, but even there the signs of confusion, fumbling and office-holding deadwood multiplied.
Thus, while accumulated discontents, particularly with controls and strikes, accounted for much of the desire for change, this election was not the result of mere irritations over a shortage of meat. It expressed some disillusionment with the results of the war, but was by no means a mandate to reverse recent foreign policy and return to isolationism, for foreign policy has been very clearly on a non-partisan basis.
The next two years will present a challenging test of the American system of representative government. For it will be definitely a period of Congressional dominance. A President of the opposition party will remain in the White House until 1949, but Congress will have the real mandate and power for positive action.
There can be a period of sitting still waiting for things to settle down. There can be a time of stalemate, with Congress and President battling on partisan lines. But the public will hardly be satisfied with such a result. The mandate was conservative, but it was not negative.
In recent years the Republican leaders in Congress have had less of a program than the Republican presidential nominees. But now it has the chief responsibility. With the conservative Democrats-and there were more conservative than New Deal Democrats returned-they can override the President on basic questions. This puts the challenge of a difficult period directly up to them-and to the good sense of the American people. For citizens did not abdicate their influence when they pushed this revolution through the polling booths. They still have a big share in carrying it out in effective government.
— Christian Science Monitor.