St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1946-09-13
MINNESOTA
POLITICAL
ROUNDUP
By Arthur Naftalin

International politics are figur-
ing more and more prominently in
TINS years general election cam
palgn in Minnesota. Issues Of q
purely national or local interest
are being pushed into the back
ground as candidates take the spot
nght with sharp statements on
brltain's foreign policy, TIto's rule
in YugoslavIa, and Americas par
ticipauon in the Chinese crisis.
In q major campaign speech,
Theodore Jorgenson, the DFL can
didate for U. 3. Senate, severely
indicted British foreign policy as
imperial tyranny" he charged the
United STATES with making war
an instrument of foreign policy"
and concluded by challenging Gov
ernor Thye, his COR opponent, to
state where he stood. II Thye
should feel impelled to accept the
challenge, this has the markings
Of q hrst-class debate. such
debate would involve fundamental
differences Of theology and the
choosing up Of sides between major
contenders at the peace conference.
Meanwhile, In the Eighth Con-
gressional district, COP incum-
bent William Pittenger IL prepar-
ing for a do-or-die struggle with
his DFL opponent, John A. Blat-
mix, World War II veteran and
former state senator. Pittenger
charges Blatnik with what he calls
"Titoism," asserting that his op-
ponent, who served as an Ameri-
can paratrooper in Yugoslavia, was
too strongly impressed with Tito.
Blatnik refutes the charge, claim
ing statements he made In analyz-
ing the Yugoslavian situation are
being misinterpreted and treated
out Of their full context.
Observers are generally agreed
that Blatnik has the best chance
Of any DFL candidate to win. They
rank the DFL prospects as best in
the Eighth, Third, and Fourth Con-
gressional districts-and in that
order. They view the Third district
as q nip-and-tuek affair between
DFL Roy Weir and COP George
Mackinnon, and see DFL Frank
Starkey facing a tough fight for
reelection against COP George
Dewitt.
The tempo Of the state campaign
will be stepped up this week as
Republicans convene in Minneapo-
lis for their state convention Sat
urday. On Friday night, the con-
vention eve, there will be q special
rally designed to spearhead an or
ganiZational drive among veter-
ans. The Republicans are also
planning q big eonelave at Aitl6in
Sept. %. All the top COP candi-
dates are billed and there will be
panel discussions Of various aspects
Of party organization and cam
paigning.
Selection Of Carl Eastwood to
head the Rll-party campaign for
the DFL ticket was well received
within the DFL. At the executive
committee meeting where his APP
polntment was announced some
party differences were discussed
but II wound up on a note Of
harmony with all sides accepting
Eastwood as the campaign leader.
As he sets about to organize the
campaign, Eastvold reports his
main problems are finances and the
shortage Of available professional
personnel. Unlike the depression
years when II was possible to get
all types Of volunteer assistance,
the campaign manager today finds
trained and experienced organizers
and publicity men hard to find.
Adding to the worries Is the Diff
hculty in obtaining essential cam
paign items, from telephones TO
office desks.
Harold Stassen is the subject Of
another full-length magazine piece,
This time the Saturday Evening
Post goes about in an article
written by Joseph and Stewart
Alsop, cousins Of Mrs. Franklin
Roosevelt. The article traces Stas-
sens rise from the University Of
Minnesota campus to his present
status as Presidential contender.
The central theme Is that Stassen
Is a political lone wolf who pur-
sues the objective Of the Presidency
with q fierce and uncompromisinR
singleness Of purpose. Il con-
cludes that Stassen's chances for
the COP nomination may turn on
two assets which he alone has
among the main eontenders: His
veteran status and his pronounced
Internationally position.
President Truman has admitted
he errored when he said he dis
cussed the budget and taxes with
Congressman Harold Knutson. The
President had said he summoned
knutson 10 the White House and
that, IN discussing Knutson's pro-
posal to cut personal income taxes
20 per cent, Knutson had admitted
Il could not be done and a balanced
budget achieved at the same time.
This incident resulted IN A furry Of