The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-12-19
Michigan in
Washington
By ESTHER V. w. TuFTY

Mlchlgan-Dorn Thomas +. Dewey
is determined to be the titular head
Of the Republican party. Wendell
L. Willkie never was. II he can
manage to be reelected governor of
New York in 1916, he'll have no ar.
gument from anyone.
That Dewey is taking the respon-
sibility as well as the honor of be-
ing head of his party. was clear
in his sending his secretary of
state" John Foster Dulles, to Wash
ington. A new Secretary of State,
Edward Stettinius, had been ap-
pointed and Dewey wanted to be
certain that the same non-partisan-
ship-for-peace relationship founded
under Hull in the Dumbarton Oaks
and election days would continue.
Dewey made another smart
move. He demonstrated his desire
to play ball with Congress" by
arranging conferences with Repub-
lican senators Arthur Vandenberg
OF Michigan, and Warren Austin, of
Vermont.
In the Governors Conference to
be held on Mackinaw Island in the
summer, Dewey will seek to keep
the ties strong between the 20 Re
publican governors who were big
factors in his strong election-time
organization within the states.
1t does not follow that Governor
Dewey's titular leadership of the
Republican party, and his assump-
ton of that role, is necessarily an
effort on his part to win a second
presidential nomination. But he
knows that his performance as
between-election head of the party
and his reelection in New York
will tell the tale four years hence.
Meanwhile, keeping in touch with
Republican leaders from coast TO
coast will help.
He knows the COP in the past
has been reluctant to renominate a
defeated presidential candidate.
But Dewey's record is different.
He seems to have habit of follow.
ing defeat with victory. He was
defeated for governor, and the next
time was elected. He was defeat
ed in his campaign for nomination
as presidential candidate in 1910.
but the next time was nominated.
He was defeated for president in
1914 =. doesn't it follow he may
win in 1913, ask his never-quit sup
porters.
mother De ey asset is the al
most certain reelection of Herbert
Brownell, Jr., OF New York, as
chairman of the Republican Ma
tional Committee. He's a Dewey
picked man. Even those not so
strong for Dewey and those who
look with more favor on Stassen
Warren or Saltonstall, are almost
in com agreement that Brown.
ell must not relircuish his post
Otherwise a fight would break out
with various lotions scrambling
for preference.
Wendell Lund startled some Of
his friends the other day saying.
I'm going back to Michigan on
tfa 18th to vote"
Wien told to relax that election
W. over and his man had won. he
ST Il said. Roosevelt needs my
vote.
And he was telling the truth.
Because he's one OF the 10 cleo
tors who will solemnly meet in the
State Capitol next Monday to cast
a vote for president. It's true that
II Wendell Lund and the other
men picked by the Democratic
party as Michigan's delegation in
the electoral college were in
playful mood and decided not TO
vote for Franklin Roosevelt. they
could. In fact. that is what the
row was all about in Texas and
Louisiana when some anti-Rooso-
welt electors decided to use their
power.
Our American founders really
thought up a honey of safeguard
in the electoral college. It's always
little amusing that long after the
last vote on election day is count