Evening star., 1940-04-24

probable that this condition will last
down to the time of the balloting.
Dewey at the moment has a
psychological advantage, one that
he is engaged in exploiting to the
full in series of speeches over
the country. There will be no letup
in this effort. He is young and in
defatigable, and his campaign is
amply financed. He will come into
the stretch a dangerous contender.
Campaign Like That of 1920.
This is the most that can be
said safely about the New Yorker's
chances. The momentum that he
gained from his Wisconsin and
Nebraska primary victories may
carry him in. They were highly
impressive Dewey has yet, how
ever, to translate his advantage into
the required SOL votes in the con-
vention.
The pre-convention campaign has
taken on shape remarkably like
that Of 1920. Wood and Lowden
in that year ran far out in front.
They killed each other off in the
convention and Harding came out
as the compromise nominee.
Something of the same sort may
happen at Philadelphia. Dewey and
Taft will go into the convention
with something like $50 votes be-
tween them, fairly evenly divided.
The Taft people claim they will
have around $50 at the start. What
ever the figure, it will represent q
substantial block of first-ballot
votes-a greater block, the Taftites
say with apparent confidence, than
any other candidate will have. VAN
denberg, it is estimated, will have
from 100 to $50 votes.
10 Candidates Expected.
If the figures for the three leading
candidates are approximately COR
rect, there will be from 200 to $50
votes scattered around the conven.
ton for other candidates, at the
start.
Around 10 candidates will be
placed in nomination and will share
in the early balloting. Pennsyl-
vania's big quota of votes. pending
final decision by those in control,
will go for Gov. James. This State
may hold the key to the nomina-
ton. At Kansas City in 1928, it will
be recalled, the "allies" against
Hoover had chance till Pennsyl.
vania climbed aboard the band.
wagon of the Secretary of Com.
merce; it was then ali over but the
shouting.
The votes of the Connecticut dele
cation will be cast on the first ball
lot for Gov. Baldwin. Massa.
chusetts will plump for its favorite
son, House Minority Leader Joe
Martin. Senator Capper will be
complimented with the votes of his
State Of Kansas. Iowa will hold its
hand by voting at the outset for
Hanford MacNider.
Oregon for McNary.
Oregon will throw it's strength
to Senator McNary. Senator STYLES
Bridges, who has been beating the
bush all over the country, will have
the" delegates of his home State of
New Hampshire and a few scattered
others. Frank Gannett, the up
State New York publisher behind
whom is centered the New York OPP
position to Dewey, will have perhaps
20 OF the 90 New York votes. Fin
ally, there is the chance that hope
full nucleus of votes for Wendell
Willkie will be found in Indiana;
his friends are working hard to this
end.
1t is clear from this pre-view that
anything can happen at Philadel-
phia. Dewey may go into the con-
vention with such prestige that
nothing can stop him. If he is to
win, however, most of the wiseacres
believe he must do so quickly. Taft
has a solid delegate strength that
leaves him formidable candidate
despite the spectacular showing OF
Dewey in the contested primaries.
A delegate is q delegate, however
obtained. Vandenberg is still to be
reckoned with. But the shape Of
things is such as to open up the
large possibility of a deadlock, with
the consequent nomination of a
dark horse, decided upon in dealings
off stage.