Evening star., 1947-07-31
Bricker Steps Aside
For Taft as 0hioans
Campaign
By the Associated Press

COLUMBUS. Ohio, July 81
Senator Taft today had the right
of way from his junior colleague,
Senator Bricker,. 1914 vice presiden-
tial nominee, to seek the l948 Re-
publican presidential nomination.
Senator Bricker officially stepped
out of Senator Taft's path on the eve
of a mammoth Ohio COP rally
that State political observers were
certain would launch a Taft-for-
President campaign on q "favorite
son" basis today.
The man who campaigned with
Gov. Dewey against the late Presi-
dent Roosevelt three years ago.
stated definitely he was not running
for anything in lS4s. The announce
ment came as no surprise here since
Senator Bricker's position with re-
spect to any Taft presidential as
pirations had been rumored for
some time.
Will Delay Announcement.
State party leaders forecast that
unanimous Endorsement for Taft's
candidacy would come from a noon
meeting Of the 44-member COP
State Committee and a separate
conference Of the States Repub-
lican delegation in Congress.
Senator Taft will withhold a def
mite announcement about his can
didacy until he returns from a sem
Understanding West East speak
ing trip in the fall.
However, party chiefs and news
papermen who talked with him
after he arrived last night had lit
tie doubt that his answer would be
I'm In the race"
Under State law, candidates for
delegate to the national convention
must file so days before the pri-
mary, May 4, 1948. Besides stat
ing their first and second choices
they also must have the written con-
sent of the presidential candidate
they wish to support,
Senator Taft's associates expect
his announcement some time after
this November's Ohio municipal
elections because that is the time
delegate candidates start forming
slate.
Taft Will Broadcast.
Tonight's big Taft rally will be
topped of with recognition din
ner' for State representatives in
Congress and the State legislature.
Senator Taft will speak 30 minutes
on the record of the recent session
of Congress. The talk will be broad
cast over $50 stations.
Approximately 1.270 have made
including Republican
leaders from Indiana. Pennsylvania,
Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan and
Tennessee.
Senator Bricker took the initial
play away from the State commit
tee which brad advertised the Taft
boom would be set off at today's
round OF meetings.
Senator Bricker said that he had
told Senator Taft as far back as last
December that he would gladly step
aside for him in 1948 as Senator
Taft did for him in 1914. He said
Senator Taft then advised a delay
in the announcement until after
Congress adjourned but last week
told, him he would go osWestsin.sSep :;
tember and might have something
to say about 1948 on his return.
!. Will Work In Campaign.s
'T told Taft would do any
thing I could in the campaign for
him." said Senator Bricker.
rs this an unqualified indorse-
reported asked.
"Oh, sure" Senator Bricker re-
piled.
Does this completely remove you
from the picture in 1948?"
1T doesn't remove me because
I've never been in. I've never had
any idea of being a candidate"
That goes for the vice presiden-
tial nomination, too, Senator Bricker
added
Asked if he would decline the
presidential nomination If dead
lock developed between Senator Taft
and Gov. Dewey and the conven-
tion beckoned his way, the former
three term Ohio Governor smiled
and answered.:
mo man who loves his country,
believes in representative govern
ment and believes in the principles
of his party would do that unless
he had personal reasons. I don't
anything like that ever
At Flint, Mich, last night, Gov.
Dewey's only comment on the