Evening star., 1947-08-05
The Political Mil
Eisenhower Threat Seen
Dewey's Greatest Obstacle
Incipient Boom for General Still
Confined to Kansas
By Gould Lincoln

~ oUVU ASWGObW
Senator Reed Of Kansas is the latest promi-
nent Republican to sound of in support of the
nomination Of Gen. Dwight Davis Eisenhower
for President next year. For year and halt
Senator Reeds veteran colleague, Senator Cap
per of Kansas, has been shouting for Gen. Els
enhower for President. Not many weeks ago
another widely known Kansan, former Gov.
ALT Landon Republican standard bearer in
1856 came to Washington with a lot Of cryptic
remarks about the need for having as Chief
Executive man who knows about war" in
this troubled state of the world. He did not
mention Eisenhower's name for publication
but the implication was all there
SO far this incipient boom for Eisenhower has
been almost entirely confined to Kansas zthe
state In which Gen. Eisenhower grew up and
from which he was appointed to West Point
by the late Senator Bristow. Even In Kansas it
has been confined to conversation. No one
has yet announced he intended to get out and
work for an Eisenhower pledged delegation to
the Republican National Convention. How soon
this Eisenhower talk will spread-and how seri-
ously-to other States is anybody's guess
Has Denied Ambition
Gen. Eisenhower has for months denied any
ambition to become presidential candidate.
Reasons given by his friends for his stand in
cluded the thought that as a soldier, he could
not be disloyal to his Commander in Chief,
President Truman-and run against him In the
ls48 election; that all his training since his
boyhood has been in the military profession
and he did not believe that is the best training
for an occupant of the White House.
With the coming of the new year, however,
Gen. Eisenhower Is to relinquish the offce of
chief of staff of the Army and become presi-
dent of Columbia University This may happen
In January, or the change may be delayed.
Presumably however, the transition will take
place several months before the Republicans
gather in Philadelphia for their national con-
vention. A draft" of the president of Columbia
University for the presidential nomination
might be far easier than the draft of general
of the Army, for every one concerned.
OF the three major American figures Tin the
Army in World War 1I-Eisenhower, Mar
shall and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. is the most
likely nominee for President. First, he Is the
youngest-born in October $780, Gen. Marshall
Democrat, and q member of President Tru-
mans cabinet, would not permit himself to be
made candidate against his chief. Gen. Mac
Arthur, Republican, has been out of the
United States for 10 years He will be So years
old in 1948.
No professional soldier has been elected
President since Gen. U. S. Grant. One, the
late Gen. Leonard Wood, made serious bid for
the Republican nomination in 1920-but the ma
tional convention, deadlocked, turned to War
rem G. Harding. There had been talk Of Gen.
Pershing, commander Of the American forces
in Europe during World War l. but it got
nowhere.
Organized Effort Needed.
Should a serious draft movement be under
taken for Gen. Eisenhower, either the general
would have to acquiesce or put his foot down
firmly against it, and really call his friends of.
But without some organized effort, the chances
OF draft would be small. The nomination of
the late Wendell Willkie in 1910, made to look
like popular uprising was the result of in
tensive work for more than year.
Unless Gov. Dewey of New York today's lead
ing contender for the Republican nomination,
is able to roll up such commanding lead in
delegate strength by the time the national
convention meets next June that his nomina-
tion is practically assured, there will be a des-
perate struggle for first place on the COP
ticket. If deadlock occurs and Gen. Eisen-
hower's name was tossed in, a real stampede
might take place-as in the convention of 1920
when Calvin Coolidge was nominated for Vice
President, although the leaders had agreed
on Senator Lenroot Of Wisconsin.
The Eisenhower threat-as of today-appears
the greatest potential obstacle to q Dewey
nomination. It is still nebulous but 1t has all
the 'makings," provided some of Eisenhower's
friends-and some of the major powers in the
Republican Party-get busy in the coming
months. And provided Gen. Eisenhower does
not categorically decline to have anything to
do with presidential nomination. He could.
Of course, make statement as fiat as that of
Gen. Sherman, who said he would not accept
a presidential nomination and would not serve.
if elected. Gen. Eisenhower, however, is reported
to have told friends no man has a right to
make such statement
The Eisenhower Warwick" Y there is to
Be one has still to appear on the scene. If some
major figure in the Republican Party starts the
ball rolling, however, the going should be good.