Evening star., 1948-07-05
Boom for Eisenhower
May Hurt Democrats
# He Refuses 10 Run
By Joy G. Hoydep

Even if Gen. Eisenhower natly
refuses the presidential nomination
before the Democratic convention
meets, the boom for him will have
done irreparable damage to an al
ready forlorn hope of winning with
President Truman or any other
man the party might turn to.
And while acceptance by Gen
Eisenhower of the nomination would
improve Democratic chances, it is
improbable that he could hold to-
gether enough of the now-howling
factions for him to win in Novem-
ber.
Gen. Eisenhower not only would
have to take sids on the civil rights
issue, which precipitated the South
ern revolt against President Tru-
man. but he would haYe to say
where he stands on other ticklish
matters, notably Palestine and the
Taft-Hartley labor law.
Southern Democrats in Congress
almost to man voted to override
President Truman's veto Of the
Taft-Hartley law. And Gen. Eisen-
hover during his last weeks as Army
Chief of Staff protested just as
strongly as Secretary Of State Mar
shall and Secretary Of Defense For
restal against the Palestine parti-
ton plan Mr.. Truman proposed and
later withdrew at the behest OF the
military.
COP Would Hit Earlier Stand.
II Gen. Eisenhower should accept
the nomination the Republicans
would bear heavily on his own state
ment, explaining his refusal Of
candidacy last January, that the
necessary and wise subordination of
the military to civil power -. will be
best sustained .. when lifelong pro-
fessional soldiers :. abstain from
seeking high political Office"
1t would be especially interesting
to see how organized labor would
vote as between Gov. Dewey and
Gov Warren, both OF whom have
enjoyed substantial union labor sup
port in their home States, and an
Army brass hat.
AS affecting the prospect of Pres
ident Truman or some other civilian
to whom the party might turn, the
Eisenhower upheaval is disastrous
because 1t has famed to fever heat
all of the intra-Democratic differ
snces, just prior to the beginning of
the convention.
Because Gov. Dewey actually in
stituted in New York the compul-
sorry race equality that President
Truman advocated, Gov. DeWey's
nomination cast something of wet
blanket upon the Southern rebel
lion.
New Dealers May Hit Truman.
But with the revived hope that
Gen. Eisenhower might accept
nomination, Virginia and Georgia
piled on the anti-Truman band
wagon, just as strongly as Alabama,
South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida
and Arkansas. Assuming Mr.. Tru-
man is nominated there now seems
TO be no turning back from this
determination to deprive him OF
Southern electoral votes.
And even more costly to Mr.. Tru-
man may be the opposition OF
Roosevelt new dealers, speaking
mainly through the Americans for
Democratic Action, who had ap-
peared to be resigned to his nomi-
nation until the Eisenhower hope
was reawakened.
The man whom the ADA group
the Roosevelt boys, Leon Hender-
son, Chester BoWles and the like
have really favored2 all saiong is
Associate Justice William o. Doug
las of the Supreme Court. There
Is no doubt that Democrats OF that
Ilk are tanning the Eisenhower boom
In the hope that it may scare Presl-
dent Truman out and open the way
for nomination of Justice Douglas.
To that end the confirmed Roose-
velters all and sundry are doing
everything in their power to bellttle
Mr.. Truman and discourage his
supporters.
At bottom, all the conflicting
Democratic elements - including
Henry Wallaces third party-are
bidding mainly for control after an
expected defeat this year. Con-
ceivably, Gen. Eisenhower-as the
partys presidential nominee-could
reunite the party sufficiently to win.
But certainly. if Gen. Eisenhower
now makes his refusal positive, he
will leave the once proud organiza-
ton more spent and divided than
at any other time in its long his
tory.
(Released by North American Newspaper