Evening star., 1948-07-09
By Gould Lincoln
Sior Stoff Correspondent

PHILADELPHIA, July Gen.
Eisenhower today sent a tele-
gram to Senator Pepper of Flor
Ida informing him that Il would
refuse to accept" the Democratic
presidential nomination.
Emphasizing that his refusal IS
FINAL and complete" the general
asked Senator Pepper not to place
his name in nomination at the
national convention opening here
Monday.
The Florida Senator said he
would comply reluctantly with the
generals wishes. He made public
the telegram, which was forwarded
here from his Washington office. 1t
follows:
The public press reports that
YOU NAV be considering in spite OF
nv recent statement the presenta-
ton of my name to the Democratic
National Convention for nomination
to the Office of the presidency.
Saws 1t Would Embarrass All.
"If these reports are correct.
respectfully but earnestly request
and urge that you drop such inten-
tions because I assure you that to
carry it out would result in acute
embarrassment to all concerned as
well as confusion in the minds OF
many of our citizens.
MY decision. which has twice
been made public, is based upon my
sincere conviction as to the best in
terests of our country. Under NJ
condition will I be in the position
of repudiating or even seeming to
.werve from the letter or spirit of
my prior announcements. will
not violate my own conception OF
any appropriate sphere Of duty.
mo matter under what terms,
conditions or premises a proposal
might be couched, I would refuse
to accept the nomination. 1 keenly
realize that your reported state
ments not only do me high personal
honor but imply the greatest pos
sible confidence in me. l venture
to invoke the aid of that confidence
In asking you to accept my refusal
as final and complete, which it
most emphatically is" tsigned)
Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Talk of Stampede EvapOrates.
In view of this fiat statement by
Gen. Eisenhower. all talk of Stam-
peding the convention to him has
evaporated.
The only alternative of the anti
Truman Democrats appeared to be
Associate Justice Douglas OF the
Supreme Court for presidential
nomination.
Great doubt was expressed here,
however. even if Justice Douglas
were willing to accept the nomina-
ton, it could be made.
Gen. Eisenhower new rejection
was made public shortly after
Chairman McGrath of the Demo-
cratic National Committee said he
believed neither the generals name
nor that of Justice Douglas would
be submitted for the presidential
nomination.
Senator McGrath said he had
reached the conclusion regarding
tine Supreme Court Justice after
talking with Justice Douglas friends.
He made the statements at press
conference when asked to comment
on the presidential nomination to
be made at the Democratic conven-
ton next week
Resolution Expected to Die.
Senator McGrath was asked what
would happen to the resolution
which Senator Johnston of South
Carolina proposed to lay before the
Democratic National Committee,
urging Mr.. Truman to step aside
and call on Gen. Eisenhower to &C
cept presidential nomination.
1T will be referred to the Reso-
lutions Committee of the National
Committee. under the rule" Sena-
tor McGrath replied with a smile
He left the inference that ii
would be pigeon-holed in that COM
mittee and never come out.
The party chairman pointed out
that the present National Commit
tee has no business making recon-
mendations to the coming National
(See DEMOCRATS, Page A-6D