Evening star., 1944-04-03
Wisconsin COP Vote
Tomorrow May Be
|nconc|usive Test
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
The political spotlight swung
today to Wisconsin, but both
parties eyed developments in a
halt-dozen Other States for in
dications of a trend in the forth
coming elections.
From Maine to California Repub.
licans were waiting for tomorrow.
Wisconsin primary, looking fol
either the possibility of a decisive
boost or a downward shove for one
or more of four presidential posi-
bilities. But many believed the re-
suit might well be inconclusive, with
some of the "a delegates going te
Wendell L. Willkie and others tc
Gov. Thomas E. Dewey of New York
1t. Comdr. Harold E. Stassen, forme,
Minnesota Governor, or Gen. Doug
las Macarthur. Mr.. Willkie. the only
one of the four who is actively seek
ing the nomination, describes the
election as vital"
Replies to Query.
Meanwhile Mr.. Willkie, asked by
Frederick E. schluter, Trenton IN
j. industrialist and a COP conven.
tion delegate candidate, If he woulf
support the Republican candidate
named at the convention If he (Mr
Willkie) failed to get it, replied:
"It is inconceivable to me that the
Republican National Convention will
be 70 stupid as to nominate any
one that the millions Of people who
believe as I do could not as mat
ter Of conscience support"
While these developments held the
limelight, there was interest also ir
the resignation of Harry H. Wood
ring as chairman and member oi
the American Democratic National
Committee. The former Secretary
of War In President Roosevelt's cab
met, announcing his resignation last
night, said many antiadministration
Democratic leaders appear toe
timid, politically and economically
to stand up and be counted" 49,
DR.. Gleason L. Archer, president
of Suffolk University, Boston, was
elected to succeed Mr.. Woodring as
chairman OF the antiadministra-
ton group. He said the organiza-
ton Immediately" would establish
regional headquarters in Washing
ton, New York and Boston and ex-
poets to open additional headquar-
ters on the Pacific Coast and in
the South. go .
Woodring's Statement.
Mr.. Woodring said in statement:
''I have found hundreds of lead
ers and thousands of the rank and
file Of the Democratic party in ac-
cord with my belief that the efforts
of the present New Deal admins
tration toward totalitarianism could
best be stopped through an organ
ization of constitutional Democrats
within the party to recapture the
Democratic party. However, these
so-calIed leaders appear too timid,
politically and economically, to
stand up and be counted.
when the band wagon rolls they
will be the first to want to climb
aboard. In my opinion there is not
sufacient time nor are there sum-
cient funds to organize the rank
AND file within all the States to such
proportionk as, ! had contem-
plated *-A*'s" "a '@~ 49,"
BE said he ewould work rdnfiinch-
Mgly" in support OF the purposes Of
DrS Archer and his associates.
Dewey Gains Strength.
Despite Cows Dewey's-r insistence
aat he IS mot. seeking. the Repub-
lican nomir1tion, his supporters to-
day claimed 106 delegates for their
candidate-82 Of New York's and
Mt least 30 Of North Carolina's. This
estimate would put him out in front
Of other potential nominees.
Mr.. Willkie has at least 10 dele
gates in the claimed class but no
outright pledges. His claimed
strength includes six in New Hamp-
shire, one in New Mexico and three
In New York Some Of his New York
supporters, however, overlap the
Dewey claims and say Mr.. Willkie
will have about 10 of the States
district delegates.
A big percentage OF the delegates
will 60 to the COP convention un-
instructed. Four years ago Mr..
Dewey, then an avowed candidate,
had more pledged delegates than
any other when the convention
opened, yet lost to Mr.. Willkie, who
had none.
There will be 1859 votes in the
COP convention starting June 26
at Chicago, with $50 necessary for
o nomination.
Delegations Listed.
Uninstructed COP delegates so far
chosen include: Florida, IS; Iowa
%; Kanas, 19; Louisiana, 13; Min
nesota, q Missouri, 8; New Hamp-
shire, 8; New Mexico, s; New York
IS, and North Carolina, 25-total
POT. Missouri has 20 more to name
and New York still must select eight
at large.
Democrats have named only 13e
Of their 1,176 delegates to date
Arizona, Maine and New Hampshire
10 each; New York, IS, and Louisi-
ana, %. Only 20, those from Maine
and New Hampshire, are pledged
outright to President Roosevelt, but
all of New York's SO are claimed
for him. making total of 1l6.
The formal call for the Demo.
cratic convention in Chicago went
out today. There had been requests
over the week end that the con.
vention be delayed until after the
Democratic party conventions ir
Texas on July % and in California
on July 20, but national headquar.
ters said the change would be i'm
possible.
Procedure Outlined.
Each State will have two dele
gates, each with a full vote, fol
each of its Senator'S .and Repre-.
sentatives, and bonus of two addi.
tional delegates at large If the STATE
went Democratic in the last presi.
dental election.
Each State may double its number
OF authorized delegates at large sne
assign each half vote.
Six delegates each are assigned tt
AI1A 81, 81 >f -. =.