Evening star., 1947-12-08
Eisenhower May Quit
Army Next Month";;
Boom for 4S Gains
BY the Assoeio.sd Press

BY the ksseeieisd Press
Fresh indications that Gen.
Eisenhower may step out of uni
form next month Ncoincided today
with reports Of increased activity in
his behalf Is a possible Republi-
can presidential candidate.
Although the Army Chief of Staff
has been vague about his quitting
time, there is evidence that the
previous schedule for him to take
over the presidency Of Columbia
University April has been speeded
up by President Truman's action
Ia naming Gen. Bradley as his sue
cessor.
Gen. Bradley, whose transfer
from head of the Veterans Admin
istraction back to the Army was
effective last Monday, will be avail
able for his new assignment shortly
after January /. While Gen. Etsen-
hover may remain for time to
advise his successor, friends say
that any extended stay is likely
to become embarrassing for both
men.
Counted as Major Factor In '48.
Although the five-star general has
dodged questions about his avail
ability for the nomination, poll
ticians have begun to count him as
q major factor in the race which
already has these three publicly an
nounced entrants: Senator Taft OF
Ohio, former Gov. Harold E. Stas-
sen of Minnesota and Gov. Earl
Warren of California.
Previously talk about Gen. Eisen-
hover as a potential candidate has
been described as mostly just talk.
But an Eastern Republican Sena-
tor, who refused use Of his name,
told a reporter the back-stage hunt
for Eisenhower delegates is actually
underway. As evidence of this, he
said Republican organization leaders
In his State have been sounded out
by persons who said they represent
the Eisenhower movement, If not
the general himself.
OImstead Reported Active.
Gen. George Olmsted, former
head Of the national Young Re-
publican organization and one-time
candidate for Governor of Iowa, is
reported to be one Of those active
in the generals behalf.
(In Des Moines, Gen. Olmsted,
now an insurance executive, said
he has engaged in no activity
for Gen. Eisenhower, has no
political relationship to the gen.
eral and does not know how the
report arose. He added that
although he is interested In Gen.
Eisenhower's political possibili-
ties, there has been no contact
between him and Gen. Eisen-
hover or those supporting Gen.
Eisenhower for the nomination.
Some who attended an informal
meeting of Pennsylvania Repub-
lican leaders here last week at which
Gen. Eisenhower was present said
they came away with the notion
that the general was talking
whole lot like a candidate"
Gen. Eisenhower Is reported to
have said that the country needs
new leadership" to unite the people
behind the battle against rising
living costs and in support Of the
American position abroad.
Campaign Nearing Crisis.
Senator Taft, also present, is said
to have responded that it Is all very
well to generalize on issues, but
something quite different to meet
them head-on in Congress.
In any event, the Eisenhower
campaign, which definitely is under
wraps now, is likely either to be
forced into the open or be killed
outright on the generals own words
soon after he gets out Of uniform.
Supporters of every other poten-
tial presidential candidate, from the
1914 standard bearer, Gov. Dewey
of New York, on through the list
are itching to get the general on the
SPOT where he will have to say
whether he is available
# he doesn't take himself out OF
the race unequivocally, the other
camps will bend every effort to get
him on the line on current contro-
versial interests.