Evening star., 1944-03-30
Diksen Held Logical Choice
For Second Place on COP Ticket
BY GOULD LINCOLN,
Star Staff Correspondent.

CHICAGO, Mar. 30.-Representa-
tive Dirksen of Illinois is one of three
openly announced candidates for
the Republican presidential NOM
ination. The others are Wendell
L. Willkie and Gov. John w. Bricker
of Ohio.
Yet Mr.. Dirksen has not en-
tered the presidential preferen-
tial primary in his own State. He
has not entered slate of delegate
candidates to vote for him in the
Republican National Convention.
He is not even putting up a fight
for individual delegates. In fact,
he has done none of the conven-
tional things that candidate does.
Instead, Mr.. Dirksen Is campaign
ing the whole country. He has made
speeches from coast to coast-and
good speeches, for he is one of the
best that Congress has to offer
when it comes to public speaking.
In his speeches he makes a strong
plea for Republican victory. He
deals with the important issues of
the day. He attacks none of the
other presidential possibilities in
his party. And he does not extol
Everett Dirksen.
1t is curious kind Of cam
paign for presidential can
didate. 1t, however, shows signs
of bearing fruit. Indeed, it Is
the claim of some Of his sup
porters that he could go into the
with anywhere from 40
to l40 delegates ready to vote for
him at the start. But he does
not expect to get their votes on the
first ballot.
Nomination Doubtful.
Mr.. Dirksen and his hackers
realize that in all probability only
a chain Of fortunate circumstances
could result in his nomination.
Such things, for example, as final
decision by Gov. Thomas E. Dewey
Of New York not to run even if
"a decision passed along
to the leaders before the balloting
begins).
Even then a deadlock probably
would be necessary, with Gov. Brick
er, Mr.. Willkie, 1t. Comdr. Harold
Stassen, Gen. Douglas Macarthur
and others unable to obtain a
of the votes.
Mr.. Dirksen is the only member
Of Congress this year to toss his
hat in the ring for the presidential
He is serving his sixth
term in the House. During those
years he has won a place for him.
self in body where it is proverbial
that man must have something
on the ball If he Is to be outstand-
Ing.
That he has friends is evidenced
by the petition which 36 members
of the House signed urging him to
submit his name to the Republican
National Convention.
The signers called attention to the
fact that Of the 81 men who have
been President of the United States,
18 previously had served In one or
both houses of Congress. In their
opinion. 1t would be a good thing
to have another man in the White
House now who has had national
legislative experience.
Assists Friends.
The Illinois Representative to-
day is campaigning in his own
18th congressional district. Not
because he has opposition for re-
nomination to the House, but be-
cause he has friends whom he
wishes to aid. He himself has no
opposition and will be renominated
for his present seat.
The Republican organization in
Illinois is not lifting a finger to
help him in his campaign for the
presidential nomination. In the
first place, the organization is for
Gov. Green for President, or Vice
President, if the Governor gives
any sign that he wants to 60 on
the national ticket, or if it appears
that he has a chance for either
place. The Governor himself is
seeking denomination and will be
renominated in all probability.
If Mr., Dirksen had attempted to
win the presidential preference
primary. or to elect a slate of Dirk