Evening star., 1946-12-15
Sc. 0. P. Conienders
For 1o4S Nomination
Are Gridiron Guests
By Gould Lincoln

By Gould Lincoln
Five of the leading contenders fol
the 1948 Republican presidential
nomination were guests at the Grid.
iron Club dinner at the Hotel Stat.
Ter last night, along with the pros.
pective Democratic nominee, Presi.
dent Truman.
The COP contenders were Gov
Dewey of New York, former Gov
Stassen Of Minnesota, Senator Van.
denberg of Michigan, Senator -elec1
Bricker of Ohio and Senator Taft
also of Ohio. The sole member o1
the "big six" potential Republican
candidates missing was Gov. Warrer
Of California.
Senator-elect Bricker was ths
only one of the group put through
his PAGES at the dinner. He ant
President Truman were the speak.
ers. Under the rules of the club
their addresses were "off the rec.
ord" and unreported. The foul
other COP hopefuls here have ad.
dressed previous Gridiron dinners
Other Leaders Here.
Many other Republican leaders ir
and out of Congress were week enc
visitors in Washington. Among
them the consensus was that, as OF
today, Gov. Dewey, the 1914 Re-
publican candidate, is out in front
III the 1948 race because of his
amazing show of strength in the
recent New York election for Gov
ernor. Few would hazard a definite
prediction, however.
From the views expressed by the
visitors, the contest for the Repub-
lican presidential nomination Is 60
ing to be the most intense and hard
fought in years, particularly since
the Republicans scent victory. One
veteran party leader foresaw a dead
locked convention with Dewey and
Taft as the leading contenders. In
such situation anything might
happen.
There was some talk of the pos
sibility of nominating Gen. Eisen-
hover, Army chief of staff, in the
event he turns out to be a Repub-
lican. Some of the Democrats have
toyed with the idea of nominating
the general, provided President Tru-
man should decide not to be can
didate-a contingency that seems
to be remote.
Truman's Chances Improve.
President Truman's chances
those of the Democrats with him
have improved a bit recently, ac-
cording to Republicans as well as
Democrats here for the dinner. They
attribute this to two causes: First,
his firm stand against John l.. Lewis,
president of the United Mine Work
ers, and, second, strong pronounce
ments for cooperation with the new
Republican, controlled Congress
which meets in January. But while
the President has gained in pres
tige and stature, this is still a far
cry from recovery from the de-
vastating defeat which the Demo-
cratic Party took at the polls No
vember S.
Gov. Dewey has to overcome the
tradition against the denomination
of defeated Republican presidential
candidates. A few months ago this
appeared to be an insurmountable
obstacle, despite the fact it was rec
ognized he had given the State of
New York an excellent administra-
ton as the first Republican governor
in score of years. When he won re-
election by approximately 100000
votes his chances for the nomina-
ton Immediately surged upward.
New York and its As electoral votes
in presidential contest is some
thing the Republicans have to carry
for victory.
The chances Of Mr.. Stassen and
Senator Vandenberg are expected to
improve if the United Nations works
well In the next year or two. Both
have been strong supporters of in
ternational collaboration by the
United States. Senator Vandenberg
has become the outstanding Repub-
lican leader on foreign policy and
will be chairman of the Senate For
eign Relations Committee in the new
Congress.
Bricker and Taft Won't Yield.
Former Governor and Senator
elect Bricker of Ohio and Senator
Taft must fight it out for the Ohio
delegations support for the presi-
dental nomination. So far as is
known, neither has yet agreed to
yield. In 1910 Mr. Bricker supported
Senator Taft for the. nomination
and in 1914 1t was vice-versa.
Mr.. Bricker, who was Gov.
Dewey's running mate two years
ago, has a reputation as an excel
lent campaigner. He is personally
popular in Ohio. Senator Taft has
won an outstanding position in the
Senate and his friends insist he is
stronger than Mr.. Bricker with the
Republicans the country over. A
decision will have to be reached
soon, Ohio Republicans feel, if they
are not to be at a disadvantage
with other candidates in search Of
delegates to the 1948 Republican
National Convention.
Gov. Warren of California, the
sole absentee this week end among
the leading Republican contenders,
has said repeatedly he is not cam
didate for the presidential nomina-
ton and that he wishes to remain
Governor, an Office to which he has
just been reelected overwhelmingly.
If, however, a deadlock develops In
the convention, it would be easy for
many of the Republicans to turn to
him as compromise candidate.
One school of thought among the
Republicans holds that If COP vic
tory appears as certain in the sum-
mer Of 1948 as it does today, the
probabilities are either Senator Taft
or Mr.. Bricker will be the nominee,
on the ground they are more ac-
ceptable to the Republican organ
ization leaders. On the other hand,
If the Democratic prospects brighten
considerably, then the convention Is
more likely to turn to Gov. Dewey,
or Mr.. StaSSen or Senator Vanden-