Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1946-09-13
MINNESOTA
POLITICAL
ROUNDUP
BY Arthur NaftaIin

International politics are fKur-
Ing more and more prominently In
TINS years general election cam
paign In Minnesota. Issues Of q
purely national or local interest
are being pushed into the back
ground rs candidates take the spot
iIght with sharp statements on
britain's foreign policy, lIto's rule
In Hug0BIavia, and Americas par
ticipatiOn In the Chinese crisis.
In q major campaign speech,
Theodore JorgensOn, the DBL can
didate for U. y. senate, severely
indicted British foreign policy ~
imperial tyranny" he charged the
United States with making war
an instrument Of foreign policy"
and concluded by challenging Gov
ernor Thyo, his Cor opponent, to
state where he stood. IL Thye
should feel impelled TO accept the
challenge, this has the mAkinKs
Of q hrSt-class debate. such q
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-
greAsionAl diatrict, COP incum-
bent William Pittenger IL prepar-
ing for q do-Or-die struggle with
his DFL opponent, John A. Blat-
mix, World War ii veteran and
former state senator. PittsnRer
charges BlAtnik with what he calls
"Titoism," asserting that his OPP
p0nant, who served rs an Ameri.
can pAratTooper In YuRoslaVia, was
too strongly Impressed with Tito.
Blatnik refutes the charge, claim
ing statements he made in analyx-
ing the IuROslRVian 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 a. best In
the Eighth, Third, and Fourth Con-
gresAionAl districts--and In that
order. They view the Third district
a. 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 atats convention Sat
urday. On Friday night, the con-
vention eve, there will be o special
rally designed 10 spearhead an or
RaniRational drive among yster.
ans. The Republicans are also
planning q big conclavs at Aitkin
Sept. %. All tho 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 10
head the all-party campaign for
the DFL ticket was well received
within the DFL. A. the executive
committee meeting where his ap-
polntment was announced some
party differences were discussed
but 10 wound up on q note Of
harmony with all sides accepting
Eastwood a. the campaign leader.
As he sets about 10 organise the
campaign. Eastwood reports his
main problems are finances and the
shortage Of available professional
personnel. Unlike the depression
years whom Il was possible to get
all types Of volunteer assistance.
the campaign manager today finds
trained and experienced organizers
and publicity men hard to hnd.
Adding 20 the worries 10 the dif-
hculty In obtaining essential cam
paign items, from telephones 10
Office desks.
Harold Staasen II the subject Of
another full-lenRth 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 a. Presidential contender,
The central theme L. that Stassen
Is q political lone wolf who pur-
sues the objective az the Presidency
with q fierce and uncompromisinR
singleness Of purpose. II con-
eludes that Stassen's chances for
the COP nomination may turn on
two assets which he alone has
among the main eontendsrs: His
veteran status and his pronounced
internationalist position,
President Truman has admitted
he srrored when he said he dis
GUESSED the budget and taxes with
Congressman Harold Knutson. The
President had said he summoned
Knutson 20 the White House and
that, In discussing Knutsca's pro
rcsAl 30 cut personal income taxes
20 per cent. Ksutson had admitted
Il could not Be done and q balanced
budget achieved At the same time.
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