The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-06-09
BY ROSCOE DRUMMOND

During the past week I have talked with
about a dozen Republican governors and
variety Of COP. political leaders who have
knowledge and influence as to how many of
the still unpledged delegates are going to vote
at the Chicago convention. Out Of these con-
versations pretty clear picture energes, in
its essentials about as follows:
l. There is no evidence whatsoever that
the fate which befell the candidacy of Thomas
Dewey in 1940-when, after leading strongly
on the first ballot, his delegates fell away
from him like toppled dominoes-will be re.
peated next month. This experience still
haunts some of Mr.. Dewey's supporters and
buoys some Of his opponents; but it is both
a false fear and an empty encoura cement.
Governor Dewey is too far ahead and he is
still gaining. His principal competitors are
too far behind and they are losing delegates.
2. Gov. John Bricker of Ohio will enter the
convention second in the running with 70 or
80 delegates, mostly from his own state, pre-
pared to vote for him on the first ballot
though the fact is that Governor Bricker by
now is walking more than running, and away
from rather than toward, the nomination His
hackers agree that his only hope is that IA
vorite-son candidates might together sidetrack
enough votes to prevent Mr.. Dewey's imme-
date nomination and that when the conven-
ton caught its breath it might like to give
second thought to its decision, as it did four
years ago. This, however, is conceivable only
if there were any real doubt where the large
blocks of technically unpledged delegates are
going to go: but there is very little doubt
Pennsylvania is such block and Governor
Bricker learned last week that it will 60 to
Dewey Only the fact that Pennsylvania was
to be the host to the nonpolitical Governors
convention prevented-and then with difficulty
the delegation from declaring openly for
Dewey. Perhaps the real crusher to Mr.
Bricker's prospects is the fact that Califor-
MAS delegation, technically pledged to its
Gov. Earl Warren, will vote solidly for Dewey
on the first ballot.
3. 1t would be uniformed to leave the i'm
preston that Mr.. Dewey is genuinely popu-
lar person or even an enthusiastic choice
among the leaders of his party, including the
governors themselves. Governor Dewey does
not attract close friends or war support
! among his political colleagues He has gained
decisive political backing and he's going tc
hold it, but he evidently has not gained any
warm personal backing. There are not few
who would prefer to see a Warren-Dewey
ticket il that order, if they thought it would
go. AS one highly regarded correspondent Of
| a New York state republican newspaper a
correspondent personally sympathetic to Mr.
Dewey, wrote at the close of the governors
convention at Hershey last week: There is
considerable jealousy among the other gov
ernors, as sort of unuttered inquiry What his
re Tewey) got that I haven't got? But the
fee'i:'@ IS unacceptable aat Governor Dewey
'as not enhanced his stl e here There is
soft CT resignation even among the republi.
TN Coy ernors that we've got to take him:
he's our best bet.''
4. Governor Warren is really not a candi.
date for the presidential or the vice-presiden.
tial nomination and honestly does not have
any expectation that he will be asked to run
for the first or any desire to run FOR the
second. One circumstance is that California S
lieutenant governor is candidate for the
United States Senate this fall and if both he
and Mr.. Warren to be elected to national
office, California would have as governor a
man who had not been accepted by the voters.
Governor Warren would prefer to serve out
his term but it can be said that he would
accept the vice-presidential nomination as a
duty to his party If necessary.
5. The Dewey managers appear to want
Governor Warren on the ticket. The other
vice presidential possibilities are Governor
Bricker, Gov. Dwight Grswold OF Nebraska
and former Gov. Harold Stassen of Mime
sofa. Governor Bricker is plausible choice.
but he may be conducting too conservative
and lsolatlonst campaign for the presiden-
tlal nomination to be acceptable to the Dewey
strateglsts as the vice-presidential candidate.
Christian Science Monitor.
-V
~ DDC