Evening star., 1948-04-11
Mrs. Robert n. Taft
By Maipina Stephenson


By Malvina Stephenson
Brown-eyed Martha TAFT aoho's In the thick OF the
presidential campaign she finds "le and less preudce
against candidates Oe being politically acttue and out
spoken.
potsea. strategy PROMPTED largely BY the controversial
0ues OF presidential aspants quietly the domestic side
out MRS Robert A. Tafs popularity should lead to reversal
dependent figure Oth special Her accent entirely
on her husband projecting his position and his personality
II asked to comment the White policies OF Mrs
RooseusH or Ms Truman the oe Of the Ohio Senator n
all other ladies' should do what natural for the hat
eyrs interested n they are married naturally they
Mrs Taft should noUe into 1900 Pennsylvania
the Nation probably would hear something from It's
first lady, Howeuer she would make her role secondary and
ledue all leadership to her husband
As candidates oe Mrs. TAFT Is doing Dhaeper she
to "elp most This has called for accompanying her hus
band on many OF his trips making frequent speeches. and
5ast .etnng friends In general Recentl for example, she
Dds the first Doon nued to appear the radio
ordn1 "Meet the Press"
The broadcast brought food OF favorable mail from
listeners all the nation "A te concerted" Mrs.
Taft observes modestl that's aloays uery pleang
According to all reports Mrs Taft has concerted good
any to her husbands candidacy she had to sell
her husband In e a0ords she says she oould emphasize
his courage trankness honesty and OF his ability
Then she adds brightly, there's to be frank, IT
you don't kno,D ,Dhat you're doing"
Mrs. Taft thinks her husbands least understood quality
his ability to get along ih people This she says has been
led to legislative agreements haronstng so many different
utewpotnts
Although Senator Taft appreciates his Ottes anecdotes,
he does not In storytelling In his speeches. "You Just
can't make him do something because other people do IT,"
Mrs. Taft snilngly
Ho,oeuer, the Senator dry OF huuor.
according to his 0 and he quick NTH ,tty coebacks
Senator and Mrs Taft generally eyeto-eye major
questions largely she thinks because OF their common back
gronnd He often consuts his we and she does not hesitate
to raise her questions For instance there the time the
Senator gaze Mrs Taft pre0ieu OF his speech crczng the
when he had finished said Bob that's going to be vey
repOrted later. "And reSponded 4
it, but belieue strongly I'd be ashamed OF myself
didn't say IT,"
Mrs. Tatt often stresses her husbands "courage" She
minds her audiences that the Senator could haze had
berth chairman OF the Senate Finance Committee but In
stead he chose to tackle the Labor Committee because he
legislation At this point hrs Tat ready to ansDer critics
of the Tatt-Hartley LaD.
RELAXING from heavy political thinking Senator and Mrs.
Taft share interest in such recreation fishing
and good music family songest is not unusual and
casionay Senator Ta M sit at the piano and play selec-
"AH he really remembers is noisy piece called The
Storm" Mrs. Taft explains, "and It's simply terrible"
has heard all her Hte Her father aoyer first in Min
nesoa, then Chicago serued solicitor general IN Washing
ton and she couted by Bob TAFT ohe his father ,oas
Marriage young Taft in 1914 took to Cincinnati
Dhee oaDyers oite she continued to show actue
interest In public affairs She the founder of the Gin
cnnati League of Women Voters
Mrs. TAFT can't remember pen she first started making
speeches. but ability began
attention in her husbands for the United States Senate
In 1910 she moved into the glare OF the national spotlight
Mrs. raft stands feet s. has Hghtbrown hair brushed
aoh gray and Is pleasantly pap male correspondent In
Washington pointed out that her gasp OF politics and
capacity for y analysts concealed by her resemblance
to all cheerful and quiet houseaDives
Mrs T OF course ,OH be standing by her husband at
their four sons to be there, too.
But she charactersca1y ininaises the role she m play
She says u Just stay at our headquarters and do 0hate0er
(Re1eased by North American Newspaper AHianceJ