Evening star., 1948-05-06
The Political Mil
Ohio Result Not Too Good
For Either Contestant
Stassen Didn't Make Big Splash,
Taft Suffered Inroads
The Political Mil
By Gould Lincoln

BY Gould Lincoln
The Ohio primary hasn't done either Senator
Taft or former Gov. Stassen Of Minnesota too
much good in their quest for the Republican
presidential nomination. Each claimed more
than he won
Mr.. Taft saw his home State delegation
So strong-eaten into by an outsider. Mr..
Stassen, on the other hand, did not make the
big splash in this near Eastern State which he
had hoped for. He failed to put across the
lone delegate-at-large candidate whom he had
entered for one Of the nine delegates at large
allotted Ohio And he failed to win a majority
OF the 23 delegate races as he had predicted.
Both will claim victory--Senator Taft be-
cause he was able to hold Mr.. Stassen down:
MIR. Stassen because he was able to get any
delegates at all against Ohio's favorite- son
candidate.
Taft's Last Primary Test
The Stassen campaign In Ohio had been
carefuIly planned to get the advantage of anti
TAFT sentiment among Republicans, anti-Taft
sentiment IN the labor vote. and Democratic
support wherever possible. The stassen cam
palgners had openly courted both the labor
and Democratic vote. The anti-Taft Repub.
hcans went along with Mr.. stassen anyway.
For Senator Taft and his managers the
result will bring huge sigh of relief. Thev
mad been fearful Of a rout. They had seen
Mr.. Stassen win the Wisconsin and Nebraska
primaries and run ahead in a write-in vote of
considerable proportions in the PENNSYLVANIA
primary. Senator Taft, q dogged fighter never
gave up hope but some of his followers were
oecloedly Jlttery The outcome of the primary
mlgnt nave been materially different had not
Senator Taft-and Mrs. Taft-moved into Ohio
and campalgned day and night for the two
weeks preceding the primary.
Ihls Is Senator Taft's last primary test be-
fore the Republican National Convention. Hs
lost to MIR. Stassen-and to Gov. Dewey-in the
only other primary contest in which he was
entered-Nebraska. There he ran a Door third.
He proved too tough q NUT however, for Mr..
Stassen to run over in Ohio It Is Senator
rats hope that he will have many friends
among the uninstructed delegates to the ma
tlonal convention from other States. Indeed
ne is frankly seeking them. His national CAM
palgn managers have been playing UP to them
Tor Weeks-as they have been chosen in State
and district conventions
Stassen Dewey Race Next.
Mr.. stassen, for his part, goes on to Oregon
Tor another hot race in the primary there His
sole opponent In Oregon is Gov Dewey, WIN
Is on the job, campaigning up and down and
around the State. The only question is whether
Gov Dewey is too late. Mr. Stassen has been
making himself solid with Oregon voters ever
since last year. His friends have done a
pretty good piece Of work for him. In addition.
one OF Gov. Dewey's strongest oregon sup
porters was killed In an airplane accident sew
eral months ago. the late Gov Smell.
1t is quite certain, however, that Gov. Dewey
will do his utmost in Oregon to put a halt To
ha
drive will lose lot Of momentum, although
only handful of convention delegates are
involved. Further, Gov. Dewey will regain
some of his lost prestige as a vote getter
The Ohio primary has had another result
so far as Mr.. Stassen is concerned. It has
earned him the hatred of the majority of Ohio
Republican leaders Not passive but active.
Ihey feel that MIR. Stassen let them down.
Change Since Last Fall.
Everything, apparently, was lovely last fall.
when Senator Taft was touring the West, max
ing up his mind to become a candidate and at
the same time making all the hay he could.
The Taft people spoke pleasantly of the Min
nesotan. He was invited to deliver an address
at an important Republican gathering in Co
lumbuS-and he did, with Senator Taft's bless
Ing. Apparently, at the time the Taft sup
porters were counting upon Mr. Stassen as an
ally to stop" Gov Dewey when the balloting
should begin at the national convention next
month. They did not expect Mr. Stassen to
go into Ohio and seek to gain stature himself
at the expense of Senator Taft
So when the national convention opens Mr.
Stassen will look in vain for any aid from the
Ohioans. They will see him sunk without trace
before they ever give him any delegates.
Except. OF course, those who were elected In
the Ohio primary as pledged to Mr.. Stassen