Evening star., 1947-08-30
The Political Mill
League Launched Here
To 'Druft Eisenhower
Three Young Men Form Organization;
No Political 'Bigs' Are Officers

w oAAsASdA DASS fAS olA(SIS
By Gould Lincoln
1t was bound to happen-a Draft Eisen-
hover for President League" How far it will
get is anybodys guess
The league now projected, with national
committee headquarters in this city, has no
DlgWlgs In politics as its officers. The three
young men-they range from % to Il years
OF age-responsible for launching the organi-
zation and who are the officers and so far
constitute the executive committee" say that
tnere are number Of important business and
financial men who are interested" but are not
yet willing to have their names announced,
wishing to get fuller picture Of Gen. Eisen-
hower's reaction to the drive
At present the league is hanging its hat in
the offices of Maurice B. Mumford, executive
vice president-and has been promised a suite
in the same Office building as soon as the
league expands. The other officers are H. D.
Spalding chairman and treasurer, and Robert
M. Haar, president.
All in Export Business
All OF these young men are engaged in some
form OF export business. The senior in point
OF years, is Mr.. Mumford, 4l-a native of
kansas, Gen. Eisenhower's home State. Mr..
Mumford Is an active businessman He sells
many kinds of things for export, including
heaVy machinery and auto tires He has retail
ana wholesale shops in Alexandria, Va, and
washington. In addition, he Is in the real
estate business, subdividing property across the
river in Virginia. Before he came to Wash.
lngton some six years ago he had worked In
the editorial department of Hearst newspapers
IN Chicago. and had been an assistant city
editor on the Minneapolis STAR and for two
heN 49,
Digest.
Robert M. Haar who bears the title of
president OF the league, is veteran of the
last war, pilot in the Army Air Corps, who
saw service in Italy and in China and Burma
and India. And H. D. spalding, who came
here originally from New York, is president
of the Young Republican Club of Prince
Georges County.
All of them go for Gen. Eisenhower in a big
way, holding he is not only the man of the
hour but the man for the hour" a soldier
statesman and proved executive
Mr.. Mumford, bald, prematurely gray with a
keen eye, insists that the idea for draft of
Eisenhower for President came to them more
than year ago-When he and Bob Haar
and publicity man from Los Angeles, Joe
Gardner, discussed the various presidential
possibilities.
we came to the conclusion he says, "that
Gen. Eisenhower was the right man, and that
he was the only Republican who was sure OF
winning next year"
The new league Is advertised as "nonpar-
tisan,' but Mr.. Mumford and the other off-
GERS make no bones about admitting they are
out to get the presidential nomination of the
Republican Party for Gen. Eisenhower. "Mr.
Truman they say fatty, "is sure to be the
Democratic candidate"
Explains Plan.
"Our plan," explains Mr.. Mumford, IS to
have State and local clubs for Eisenhower
organized all over the country-and to go to
work getting Eisenhower delegates elected to
the Republican National Convention, and to
work on all the delegates who may be elected.
When the Republicans meet in Philadelphia,
We look for big draft that will sweep
everything before it-just as Willkie was nom
mated in Philadelphia in 1910.
"Of course we hope that Gen. Eisenhower
will not oppose our draft plan too strenu-
ously. We recognize that, as Chief of Staff,
he cannot at present become candidate or
take part in politics. But after the first of .
the year, he will be president of Columbia
University. We are sure he would never
decline a presidential nomination If 1t came
to him through such a draft as we propose"
But whether Gen. Eisenhower blows hot or
cold, they are prepared to go ahead with the
organization of the league-unless, of course.
the general should 90 Gen. Sherman on
them. That, they do not expect.
Up to the present, the three have been
using their own funds for the leagues ex
penses-they have had club charters, mem
bership cards, ETC., printed Mr. Mumford
says they frankly hope that ample contri-
buttons will come rolling in from men and
women who would like to see Gen. Eisenhower
President. Each club, they hope, will be
sef-supporting although the national league
will give them aid when needed.
1t may be a brash undertaking-but Messrs.
Mumford, Haar and Spalding are in on the
ground floor. They have started something.
which may SNOWFALL into a big push-pro-
vided it is not smashed by Gen. Eisenhower
himself. Already they have had hundreds
of telephone calls, offering them aid. One Of
the first offers to form State club came
from couple of Floridians.