Evening star., 1948-04-26
Gov. Green Selection
As 6. 0. P. Keynoter
Fails 10 Rouse Sfassen
Progressive Forces Might
Hove Protested Selection
In Other Convention Doys
By Da1d Laurence

ny D0Ctd Laurence
Time was when, in the midst of
. preconvention campaign, the
Leading candidates would take an
interest In the selection of q kew
note speaker for the convention,
The naming Of temporary chair
man and . permanent chairman
historically has occasioned many q
clash between progressive and con-
servative forces In both parties.
This year all is different. Not a
word has come from the progress
sive-minded Harold Stassen or from
Gov. Thomas E. Dewey about the
naming Of Gov. Dwight Green OF
Illinois. to be temporary chairman
OF the National Republican Conven-
ton. II Mr.. Green, who generally
Is regarded as a member of the
isolationist school of thought on
international affairs and closer to
the conservative point OF view on
domestic affairs, is acceptable to
former Gov. Stassen of Minnesota,
then something in the way of a
political miracle has happened to
bring harmony to the Republican
Party.
Just how the Illinois leader can,
in his keynote speech, speak with
enthusiasm about the Marshall Plan
and about the leadership that Sena-
tor Vandenberg OF Michigan gave to
that important legislation and at the
same time reflect the viewpoint of
those In the Republican Party who
oppose that sort of internationalism
involves bit Of straddling which is
not readily reconciled with the
choice Of either Mr.. Stassen or Sen
atcr Vandenberg as the presidential
nominee.
Dewey Is "Super- Cautious"
From Senator Taft there would
come no dissent, as he has in the
past steered cautiously amid the
demands Of internationalism. Gov.
Dewey has been super So
1t remains for only one of the lead
ing candidates-Harold Stassen-to
be outspoken about it, and he hasn' t
said word. Senator Vandenberg
insists he is not candidate, so pre-
sumably it is not his function to say
anything in criticism OF the selec-
ton Of Gov. Green.
The naming OF the Illinois COVER
nor rs temporary chairman and of
Speaker Martin as permanent chair
man generally is interpreted as
meaning the conservatives are in
control Of the Republican National
Committee. Presumably the plat
form committee will also be chosen
from conservatives. All this makes
highly unlikely the nomination of
Mr.. Stassen unless public opinion
says otherwise. He had everything
TO gain and nothing to lose by
objecting to the choice Of a con-
servative and ear-isolationist as
the keynote speaker.
The Democratic Party is waiting
for an opportunity to inject foreign
policy into the campaign if it pos
sibly can be done. II Speaker Mar
tin or Senator Taft should be the
nominee, the argument will be that
European countries will not feel
secure about further aid under the
Marshall Plan. If, on the other
hand, Mr.. Stassen or Mr.. Vanden-
berg should be the nominee, there
would be no foreign policy ques-
tions Oh issues in the campaign.
stassen Calls Self Liberal.
The former governor of Mime
sofa apparently has tried in the
Ohio primary campaign to give
the impression that he is not
conservative-that, in fact, he is
friendlier to labor than is Mr.. Taft.
To help spread this idea, Mr.. Stas-
sen accused the Ohio Senator OF
having wanted to make the new
labor law more extreme than 1t is
and Of having been prevented by
liberal Republicans" The truth is
the Taft-Hartley law was toned
down to get Democratic votes.
If it had not been for the support
Of these Southern Democratic
NOtcS, dll JIlc llUcTdl ILSpuDllCdIl
votes in the Senate would not have
been adequate to get the present
law passed.
Mr.. Stassen implies that he
would weaken the Taft-Hartley
law. If he Is doing this to win
labor votes In the Ohio primary,
that Is understandable. At the
same time, such opportunism will
not win conservative support in the
national convention when the Ohio
primary is over. Mr.. Stassen's prin-
cipal difiiculty is that Republican
conservatives do not think he
would stand firmly on the Taft
Hartley Act but would attempt to
curry favor with labor unions by
repeal or revision. His speeches in
Ohio give that impression and
would seem to have been a mistake
40 far rs long-range tactics are
concerned.
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