Evening star., 1947-07-11
New Dark Horse
Succession Bill Will Put
Martin in '48 Campaign

Martin in 48 Campaign
House Speaker Would Be Available
IfG. o. P. Deadlock Ensues
By Doris Fiseson
Within 4 few seconds after the House ex-
uberantly whipped through the presidential
succession bill, Speaker Martin had . new
nickname-Heartbeat.
The simple fact that . Presidents heart
bsat 10 psrishable, indeed sxpendable, Is Hu-
ally lost sight of when the normal successor,
the Vice President, u chosen. (The 1914
Democratic Convention was . notable sxcsp-
tion) But in the intimacy Of the House where
Sherlock Holmes could not 1ind m enemy Of
Joe Martin, it sripped the Imagination.
It also dramatised the fact that In his own
quiet way. the Speaker IL available" for the
COP nomination II and when that deadlock
matsrialisss. Some informed quarters assert
belief that the Taft forces now realize they
can't nominate him and are re-grouping be-
hind Speaker Martin. The prediction Is freely
made that If Mr.. Martin should succeed to
the presidency before ~, he viii be nomi-
mated by the convention.
Tactical Advantage.
That 1t would give him . potentially I'M
portant tactical advantage was tacitly con-
ceded by the Speaker early this year when
the succession bill was revived. Can you
imagine those Senators handing me that" he
pooh -poohed the bills prospects.
Perhaps under other conditions 1t would not
have done 20. The Republicans did not fear
that the country would elect Edward r. stet-
anius or even Jimmy Byrnes, popular as he
Is IN Warrington, to the presidency should he
fall heir to Mr.. Truman's job But the
legendary Gen. George Catlett Marshall Is q
dark horse of far deeper hue.
With his great reputation, with interna-
tional issues dominating the scene, It would
be genuine political risk to allow Mr. Marshall
to move into 1900 Pennsylvania avenue The
Senators. including the ambitious, saw their
duty and they did it.
Mr. Martin has been Il successful Speaker
He has got the Republican program through
the House with a minimum of mayhem His
geniality has been a useful Offset to the in
sensitive manner In which Messrs. Taber,
Knutson, ct al, have pushed their programs.
The Speaker is for the product all right but
his politeness has helped 1t 60 down more
easily.
Triplet Expectations.
Within the party where important bene-
ficiaries of the tax bill have great power 1t
will be chalked up to the credit Of the
House should the bill prevail, which won't hurt
the Speaker either.
The new accrual Of possible strength to Mr..
Martin brings Massachusetts, presidential ex-
pectations up to triplets, Senators Saltonstall
and Lodge being the other two. The Senators
are also classed As vice presidential timber:
Mr.. Martin has far more power as Speaker.
He would probably choose to retain it despite
the possibilities inherent in the vice presi-
dency.
gesture toward the ladies--they vote too
ID already being urged on the new crown prince.
1t has been proposed to him that he name
= woman the one Democrat he has been
empowered to name together with one Re-
publican. to the new Lodge Brown Commission
OF IL to study reorganization of the Govern
ment. Her name: oveta Culp Hobby wartime
head Of the WAC.