Evening star., 1947-08-02

oft-Dewey Race Is Seen
Now Definitely Under Woy
Speech of Ohioan Is Timed to Meet
Publicity Given New Yorker
By Gould Lincoln
Senator Robert Taft of Ohio will campaign
for the Republican presidential nomination
as a chief protagonist of the Republican Con-
press and the record 1t has made-and will
make next winter and spring. He is today the
outstanding congressional candidate for that
nomination. There are other Republicans, in
Senate and House. whom the lightning may
strike next year. But they are for the time
being at least no more than "favorite-son can
didates." with the backing Of their own States.
Senator Taft, on the other hand. admittedly
has strong support in number OF States in
addition to Ohio.
His address at q Republican dinner in Co.
lurnbus, following his Endorsement for the
presidential nomination by the Republican or
ganization Of Ohio, was at once an attack
upon President Truman and his administra-
tion, defense of the Republican Congress-
and q campaign speech.
The Ohio meeting, with Taft as its central
figure, was timed to meet and, If possible.
match the wide publicity which recently has
been given Gov. Thomas E. Dewey OF New
York-Mr Dewey who has just completed
vacation" tour which took him as far West as
Salt Lake City and enabled him to meet with
Republican leaders in Is States Gov Dewey
insisted throughout his Western trip that poll
tics were taboo. He declined to say he was
candidate for the presidential nomination or
to discuss for publication those issues of ths
day that of themselves are political.
No Admission by Taft.
1t was interesting to observe that Senator
Taft made no admission he was candidate
even when he was requested by the Ohio
organization to make the race. He contented
himself with saying he would give his answer
in October after he had made a swing through
the country, going first to California In Sep
tember.
The fact that Senator Brcker intended to
stand aside and give the right OF way to his
colleague, Senator Taft, for the presidential
nomination, and more particularly for the Ohio
delegation to the Republican National Conven-
ton, had been known ever since last winter
although it had never been openly confirmed
by Senator Bricker himself until this meeting
IN Columbus The Ohio delegation was Sem
ator Tatts in 1910, Senator Bricker's In 1914.
And now it is to be Mr.. Tafts again.
In his Columbus address, Senator Taft COW
cred the main issues, both domestic and for
eign, as he sees them between himself and
President Truman. He pinned the CIO label
on Mr.. Truman citing chapter and verse to
prove his point that Mr.. Truman has gone along
with the precepts of that labor organization
just as regularly did the late President
Franklin D. Roosevelt. He asserted vigorously
the only way the country can escape from
continuance of these policies Is by the election
of a Republican President next year-ready to
cooperate with Republican Congress From
the record, he appears to be entirely correct
in this assumption.
Undoubtedly the pressure on Gov. Dewey to
discuss publicly the issues of the day will be
increased. Criticism of the New Yorker for
his silence is on the increase. This criticism
comes however, almost entirely from the
supporters of Messrs. Taft, Stassen and other
potential presidential nominees, who have been
sounding of for weeks and months on labor.
lax reduction, economy in Government expen-
ditures and foreign relations.
Willkie Error Recalled.
Mr. Dewey, up to date, has preferred to leave
these questions of national policy to the Con-
gress He may have hesitated to thrust his
own personal views on the Republican ma
jorities of the House and Senate. He may
have disagreed in part with some of the
things that the Republicans in Congress were
doing AS "titular leader" Of the party Che
was the most recent Republican nominee for
PresidenD, 1t has been urged. he should have
sounded off, or even taken the lead It will
be recalled however, that the late Wendell
Willkie, the "tttular leader" Of the COP after
the 1910 presidential election, undertook to tell
the Republicans In Congress what to do, and
made himself immensely unpopular with many
Of the Senators and Representatives thereby.
Mr.. Taft the solid Senator, will have strong
backing from old-line Republicans, who may
prefer him to the more dynamic Mr.. Dewey.
The New York Governor, because Of his 1914
campaign speeches, was accused Of following
the New Deal line himself. A careful reading
Of his statements, however, fails TO bear eut
such an accusation. It will. however, place
Gov Dewey as more progressive in his atsatuds
toward many public questions
The Taft-Dewey race for the presidential
nomination is now definitely under way. IL
remains to be seen II they kill each other on
or whether one Of them can gain COM