Evening star., 1948-05-24
Oregon Primary Seen
|ndecisive; 6. 0. P.
Head 10 Make Choice
Stossen Held Losing Bid
For Nomination Through
Tactics Of Compoien
Bp David Laurence

Supporters Of former Gov. Stas-
sen of Minnesota are saying what
the admirers Of Gov. Dewey said
after the Wisconsin and Nebraska
primaries-that one primary with
its headlines doesn't make q nomi-
nation.
Actually, the contest in Oregon
showed the voters of that State
almost equally divided and to say
now that Mr.. Stassen has been
eliminated" Just because he failed
to pass Gov. Dewey in Oregon Is
reminiscent Of the comments made
not 80 long ago that the New York
Governor was "out Of it" because he
didn't show up well in Wisconsin or
Nebraska.
The truth is that generally the
primaries merely divide up the
regular Republican vote and are by
no means an indication Of how the
party would feel If the choice were
always narrowed to two men. The
significance of the Oregon primary
is that, with only two candidates
in the field, the preference was
given to Gov. Dewey over Mr.. Stas-
sen. In Ohio, with two in the field,
Mr.. Stassen lost also. In Nebraska
and Wisconsin the contest was
among several Republican contend
ers who split up the vote.
To win the nomination in either
the Democratic or Republican Party
means a totally different kind Of
campaign than might be waged in
the post period. The
pre-convention campaign takes in
usually a substantial part of the
persons who vote their own ticket
regularly. 1t Is to the regulars
and often this means the conserva-
tives-that a nominating campaign
has to be addressed.
Regulars Determine Nomination.
Failure to observe this rule is
what is losing the nomination for
Mr.. Stassen. He has planned his
strategy wholly on the publicity
appeal Of young progressive who
diners with the old line party
voters. But to get nomination
q candidate cannot overlook the
fact that 1t is the regulars who go
out to vote every time and that they
take their Republicanism seriously,
The primaries do not cover a
majority of the delegates chosen.
Hence the same kind OF appeal
that has to be made In States
where there are large numbers OF
regulars voting, has to be made IN
the other States where delegates
are chosen by the convention sys-
TEN.
Mr.. stassen's chief mistake was
made in Ohio. Entering the State
Of a "favortte son" is not always
in itself bad tactics. but the kind
of attack made on a "favorite SON.
is something else again. The reg
ulars in Oregon and elsewhere read
about the kind of campaign made
by Mr.. Stassen in Ohio. The err
ror made in Ohio by Mr.. Stassen
was in handpicking the labor union
districts and attempting to make
capital out of the known fact
that Senator Taft was the author Of
the aft-Hartley labor law.
Stassen Has Future.
Senator Taft may not be the
choice of certain Republicans, but he
stands out as leader Of his party
and as having earned the right to
the courtesies due a "favorite son"
as we'll as protection from the
handpicked-district sort of attack
which was waged against him by
Mr.. Stassen.
The former Minnesota governor Is
a young man with future In pol
itics. He is a good campaigner and
will In due time make his place
in the party. But he not only has
hurt himself for first place this
time but has aroused opposition
for second place among regulars
who dislike what he did in OHIO.
One may differ with these rules
Of politics, but as long as the pri-
maries do not select a majority OF
the delegates it is condition and
not q theory that confronts an as
pirant to the nomination OF his
party. Curiously enough. these
rules obtain irrespective Of party
They are the unwritten code Of
party politics which any veteran
recognizes who has been through
the mill Of State as well as national
conventions.
Perhaps the "favorite son" rule
was originally derived from a sense
OF fair play in the political game
and perhaps it means just plain tact
in corraling second-choice votes by
abstaining from an attack on a
candidate among his own people.
The rule, however, has been observed
by most men seeking presidential
nomination from the time Abraham
Lincoln won his first Republican
nomination in 1860.
Oregon Not Decisive.
At this moment 1t looks as II
neither Gov. Dewey nor Mr.. Stas-
sen will make the grade and this
has nothing to do with the Oregon
primaries. 1t is because the Re
publicans at their national conven-
ton will have stronger reasons for
supporting other candidates.
Gov. Dewey and Mr.. Stassen
through their primary victories and
Senator Taft through his support
in other States besides Ohio are not
going to go into the first balloting
with any group of delegates even
within striking distance Of a ma
jority.
While the Stassen votes could
hold the balance OF power. the Taft
and Dewey votes together are more
likely to select the nominee on the
final ballot. There is really no un-
derstanding at the moment between
them but the plain implications OF
the pre-convention campaign lineup,
Gov. Dewey and Senator Taft on
one side as against Mr.. Stassen.
This is much more the result Of an
tagonisms unnecessarily created
during the primary campaign than
any natural alignment due to pub