Evening star., 1943-04-11
landon' S Visit Here
Hints Midwest COPS
Presidential Choice
Sentiment for Bricker
Seen With Antoeonism
To WiIIkie Persistinq
BY GOULD LINCOLN.

ClllIlklllS.
Former Gov. ALT M. Landon, 1896
Republican presidential nominee
has been here for several days and
has talked with leading Republican
members of Congress and Republi-
can National Chairman Harrison E
Spangler.
Out of these conferences has come
general picture. The former Gov
ernor himself has made no state
ment regarding politics or presiden-
tial ndidates-other than to say
that he himself is positively not a
candidate for the 1914 nomination.
Bricker Gets Support.
However, out of these conferences
there develops:
l. There is a kindly feeling to-
ward Gov. John Bricker of Ohio as
presidential possibility.
2. The antagonism to the can
didacy of Wendell L. Willkie for re-
nomination persists.
3. There is comparatively little
discussion of Gov. Harold E. Stas-
sen of Minnesota as a presidential
nominee
4. Republicans in the Midwest are
inclined to the belief that Gov.
Thomas E. Dewey of New York
would be the party's best bet
though it is recognized that he is
not in any sense a candidate for
the nomination.
S. The people of the Midwest are
not averse to international CO.
operation" after the war has been
won-but they want to be shown
what this means before they sign on
the dotted line
g. The voters in that section have
definitely turned toward the Re-
publican party-aWay from the New
Deal and from President Roosevelt
himself.
Midwest Interest.
With the Republican National
Convention still Is months away,
it is recognized that there may be
many changes in sentiment. The
Midwest is interested in the nomi-
nation and election of a President
who knows its problems-especially
those of the farmer.
1t is for this reason that Gov
Bricker is receiving friendly con-
sideration. Ohio governors always
have been considered as potential
presidential nominees-for Ohio is
a key state in any national election.
However, Gov Bricker has not set
the prairies on fire yet with any of
his speeches. And the Midwest
Is by no means committed to him
Midwest Republicans feel that
their section deserves we'll at the
hands of the COP. They point out
that the Midwest led the way in
the 1910 and 1912 elections toward
q revival of the Republican Party,
which was fiat on its back during
the election years of 1882. 1884 and
1886, and made no gains in con-
greSsional strength until 1898.
Sour on New York.
They have not been inclined to
look toward New York for presi-
Dental candidate = The Empire
State has been considered too close
to Wall Street and too far from
Main Street. However, these Re-
publicans are anxious to pick WIN
ming candidate who will make a
real contribution to the country as
Chief Executive. Many of them are
thinking more and more OF Gov.
Dewey, whose record in New York
Is already impressive.
Ion1oral ~,
equivocal terms that he is not a
candidate for the presidential NOM
ination next year, and that he will
not become a candidate; that he
will do all in his power to stem
any move to make him candi-
date That means the national
convention would have to nominate
him of its own volition, without
single helpful move on his part and
on the chance Of his accepting.
Under such circumstances another
candidate, whether Gov. Bricker or
some one else. might easily amass
sufficient delegates to put across his
nomination.. 1t is conceivable that
many of these Republicans. if Mr..
Willkie becomes real threat. would
concentrate on Gov Bricker to stop
him, and so bring about the latter's
nomination.
Gov. Stassen Eyed.
Should the convention take the
bit in its teeth and nominate the
New York Governor-it might easily
turn to the Midwest for his running
mate, and that vice presidential
nominee might be Gov. Stassen
though he is to enter the Navy this
month, resigning from his pres
ent office.
How the wind is blowing in the
Midwest. so far as Gov. Dewey is
concerned. NAV be cleaned in part
from the poll on presidential possi-
bilities made by the anti-Willkie
Fort Wayne News-Sentinel. A
QUESTIONABLE was sent to the 1000
Republican precinct committeeman
in Indiana. One thousand answer
ed. Less than one-tenth favored
Mr.. Willkie But Gov. Dewey ran
as strongly, or stronger, than Gov.
Bricker. Since Indiana Republi-
cans have IN the past run along
pretty we'll with those of Ohio, this
mark of favor for the New Yorker
is considered remarkable.
While Mr.. Landon is not candi-
date, it is obvious that he may be
interested in having something to
say about the ultimate selection of
the party He carried the torch
when the party was at low ebb.
Former President Herbert Hoover.
like Mr.. Landon, is not candidate,
but he, too, will wish to have some
thing to say about the party nomi-
nation Mr.. Landon and Mr.. HcoSer
are seeing more nearly eye to eye
these days than they did in the past.
Their combined influence, If eXerted,
might have considerable effect on
the outcome.
Calls at White House.
Mr.. Landon called at the White
House yesterday and discussed with
President Roosevelt both the prog
ress of the war and postwar prob
lens. One of the subjects touched