Evening star., 1948-01-13
The Political Mill
Eisenhower Slate Entry
In Other States Due
Silence on New Hampshire Primary
Puts Name on Convention List
By Gould Lincoln

Puts Name on Convention List
By Gould Lincoln
The name Of Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower Il
on its way to presentation for Republican
presidential nomination at the COP National
Convention in June. Gen. Eisenhower's de-
cision to make no statement on the entry Of
Eisenhower pledged delegates into the New
Hampshire primary makes it virtually certain
Indeed, only one Of two things could now pre-
vent Gen. Eisenhower from becoming candi-
date; first, he could say he would not accept q
nomination, and second the campaign for
Eisenhower delegates could prove flop. Judg-
ing, however. from recent public sentiment
polls, the second Is unlikely.
The entry Of Eisenhower for President dele.
gate candidates in other primary States
among them Nebraska Oregon, Wisconsin, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania, ETC., seems sure to follow.
Naturally the Eisenhower for President organi-
zation, now working out Of New York. will have
to decide which States to enter their man
particularly since Gen. Eisenhower apparently
is washing his hands Of the whole affair. The
organization would be taking long chance II
1t should undertake to place slate Of delegates
in the Wisconsin primary and the New York
primary both OF which take place on April g.
tCoo t1Ao4A 1OiAOW2AAS 1NCW I1ulIP-
shire primary which is the first and on March 9.
Moves for Macarthur.
IN Wisconsin the friends of Gen. Douglas
Macarthur are filing a slate of Macarthur
delegates. II Gen. Macarthur remains silent
after the filing is made he will be recognized,
along with Gen. Eisenhower, as a receptive
candidate for presidential nomination, too.
In q race between Gems. Macarthur and Eisen.
hover for delegates in Wisconsin Gen. Eisen.
hover would have little chance. So far as
New York Is concerned, Gen. Eisenhower would
have to buck strong Dewey organization.
However, 1t may be the decision Of the Eisen-
hover people to follow an audacious line-and
tackle the major candidates like Messrs. Dewey
and Taft and Stassen in their own home States
as well as in others. Under the Ohio primary
law however Gen. Eisenhower would have to
give his consent to the entry of Eisenhower
delegate candidates.
Gen. Eisenhower has endeavored for months
to keep aloof from the political campaign. He
has made statement after statement to the
effect he wished to have nothing to do with
politics and that he was not candidate for
the presidency. The one thing he failed to
do. however, was to declare he could not be
drafted-that he would not accept nomina-
has been interpreted as meaning that Eisen-
hover is at least receptive, and would take a
nomination if it came to him. The only thing
he has made clear is that he will not 60 out
and work for one, and that he will not give his
friends encouragement in their campaign to
bring him the nomination.
The picture which Gen. Eisenhower presents
today, therefore, Is that of man waiting for a
nomination to be tossed into his lap. And pre-
sumably If that happens he will accept with
alacrity. In other words he does not want to
go down into the heat of the political market
place and fight for this nomination-but if the
Republicans, in national convention, turn to
him and ask him to accept q nomination he
will do So
Trouble and Expense.
His admirers and supporters are engaged now
in an active campaigns campaign that Is
going to cost money. II he does not want and
will not take a presidential nomination, he
could save these friends and admirers lot Of
trouble and expense II he would say now he
could not be drafted.
Gen. Eisenhower will run risk of being
charged with hypocrisy, Of declaring as the
statement issued for him by Maj. Gen. Parks
says: HE wants nothing to do with politics"
while leaving himself free to accept presi-
Dental nomination If it comes his way.
Gen. Eisenhower has great qualities. He has
captured the imagination Of the American
people because Of his great achievements during
World War II. There Is no reason why he
should not be q candidate for President or
accept a nomination for President if it comes
to hinn-unless 1t could be successfully urged
that no military man should be elected Presi-
dent, and that do not believe. But it does
seem that there should be some light thrown
on the present situation.