Evening star., 1948-05-30
Dwight Green Could
Talk His Way into
@. 0. P. Ticket
By Gould Lincoln

The roll assigned 10 1aVorlte-SOn
candidates" for the Republican
presidential nomination this year is
an important one. They are ex-
pected, collectively, to hold enough
delegates in line to tie the Re-
publican National Convention in
bowknots until the party bosses
or some of them-can make the
necessary deals to nominate can
didate satisfactory to them. This
is what is called IAN open conven-
tion," a convention in which the
candidates who have really wide
support among the voters may be
finally and definitely side-tracked.
No reflection upon "favorite-son
candidates" is intended. Many of
them are men Of very high caliber.
This years crop contains men who
would make as good Chief Execu-
tive as the so-called national candi-
dates-candidates who have support
for nomination in States other than
their own.
Typical of the "faYorite-son'
group is Gov. Dwight H. Green OF
Illinois. For eight years he has
served as Governor of the third most
populous State in the Union. He
is q candidate now for third term
and unless all signs fail, he will be
reelected. Further, he has been
selected by the Committee on Ar
rangements of the Republican Ma
tional Convention to be temporary
chairman and keynote" speaker OF
the convention. 1t is upon Mr.
Green, therefore. that the spotlight
will turn first when the Republican
cohorts assemble in Philadelphia.
Good Record as Prosecutor
1t has sometimes been the dream
of keynote speakers at these ma
tional conventions - Republican or
Democratic-that they will do such
keynoting job that the presi-
dental nomination will finally come
round to them. It's not an impos-
sibility-and in Mr.. Green's case
the keynote speech will be put
across by an excellent speaker. Mr..
Green has a good voice and plenty
of drive and punch. AS a general
rule, however, favorite-son candi-
dates for the presidency have in
the back of their heads an ambition
to become the party's nominee for
Vice President-apd some Of them
have landed. It is in that role that
the Illinois Governor may have the
better opportunity - particularly
should Gov. Dewey of New York or
another fastener win first place
on the ticket.
Mr.. Green, by the way, is another
of the Republicans now in high
Office who started up the political
ladder as a prosecuting attorney.
Mr.. Dewey is the outstanding .ex-
ample-for he was first United
States attorney and then was
elected district attorney Of New
York County, and in those Offices
gave the country a great thrill as
an enemy of the rackets and
crooked politicians. Harold Stassen
forged to the front in Minnesota
politics as a district attorney, too,
and so did Gov. Earl Warren OF
California.
Prosecuted Capone
Gov. Green's record as a presecu-
tor stands up well with any of
them. 1t was Al Capone, Chicago's
outstanding gangster and racketeer,
who was instrumental in first turn
ing the spotlight on Mr.. Green,
then a special attorney for the
Bureau of Internal Revenue. Mr..
Green developed a flank attack on
Capone under the income tax laws.
He was sent to Chicago, where he
had a major part in the prosecu-
ton of the gangster. He also was
successful in sending to jail AIS
brother Ralph and other bootleg
barons. Later, in 1895, Mr.. Green
was United States attorney-thc
Democrats being unable to agree at
the time on whom President Roose-
velt should appoint in his place.
In that Office he sent to Jail Louis