The Old Republican

We were kibbitzing about conservatism in the offices of the Atlantic yesterday, and Dwight Eisenhower came up. His shrewd handling of the exit from Korea was described as an example of conservative leadership in foreign affairs. No one could accuse Ike of not knowing what it was to serve or win wars. But he knew also the importance of restraint, withdrawal, cutting of losses. In many ways, history may judge him the best truly conservative president of the century. Reagan was conservative in a new, exhilarating but strange way. Given how far the U.S. had sunk, it needed radicalism to return to conservatism. But Eisenhower had no similar crisis of American confidence, and asked for no such idolization. And then a reader this morning sent me this quote from the two-term Republican. Can you imagine a Republican candidate saying the following today?

"Though force can protect in emergency, only justice, fairness, consideration and cooperation can finally lead men to the dawn of eternal peace."

Those were the days.