Evening star., 1948-03-09
The Political Mil
Lodge Being Considered
As Republican Keynoter
Selection 40 Convention Head Could
Line Him Up for Vice Presidency
The Political Min
By Gould Lincoln

BY Gould LsncOIN
1ns Republicans have an opportunity to
make history repeat-by selecting a Lodge
OF Massachusetts, a. 0 presiding officer Of
the coming Republican National Convention.
Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, jr.. is being given
consideration for the job of temporary chair.
man and keynote speaker. His grandfather.
Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, served as perna-
nent chairman Of the Republican National
Convention in 1900, when william Mckinley
and Theodore Roosevelt were nominated for
President and Vice President. He served, too.
rs permanent chairman Of the partys nation-
al convention in 1908 when william Howard
Taft was nominated for President and in
1920 he was both temporary and permanent
chairman Of the convention which nominated
Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge
The younger Lodge has many. qualifications
which commend him for the office of conven-
ton chairman. He is good speaker and one
OF the most attractive figures in public life to-
day. His Republicanism is unchallenged,
though on the progressive side. He Is a vet
eran OF the last war-having resigned his seat
IN the Senate to enter the Army and serve
overseas in the Mediterranean and European
theaters In November l946, he was again
elected to the Senate.
Yields to Saltonstal.
Senator Lodge has divorced himself this year
from any proposal that he become the favor
ite-son candidate of the Bay State for the
presidential nomination. He made 1t very clear
and definite he would not oppose Senator Sal
tonstall, his colleague, for this honor. Under
present plans, the Massachusetts, delegation will
plunk for Mr.. Saltonstall on the first ballot
the convention takes; how long it will stick
to Saltonstall will depend on circumstances
as they develop.
Speaker "Joe" Martin Is the not 20 dark
darkhorse candidate Of Massachusetts, who Ia
expected to be giSen a run for the presidential
nomination in the event the convention should
be deadlocked over Gov Dewey, Senator Taft,
Harold Stassen and Gov Warren. Incidentally,
Speaker Martin has acquired q kind of per-
manent right to the permanent charmanship
OF the Republican National Convention. He
served as permanent chairman at the con-
ventions of 1910 and 1914. In those days he
was the minority leader of the House-and
now he is the Speaker 1t seems unlikely he
would relinquish his claim. As permanent
chairman he would be much in the conven-
tions eye-a not unenviable position If he Is
eventually to become real candidate for the
nomination
There Is always the possibility that, should
Speaker Martin be selected again for the office
OF permanent chairman Of the convention, the
Committee on Arrangements would hesitats
to pick another Bay Slater for temporary
chairman. 1t likes to spread such honors
around and not confine them to one State.
However. it has already been noted that the
elder Lodge, in 1920, served as both temporary
and permanent chairman
Recent "Keynoters."
Going back into more recent history, the
temporary chairman and keynote speaker
for the temporary chairman makes the first
major and keynote" speech Of the conven.
tton-of the 1910 convention was the then Gov,
Stassen OF Minnesota. Four years ago, the
temporary chairman of the Republican Con-
yention was Gov. Earl Warren of California,
Both Mr.. Stassen and Gov. Warren are today
announced candidates for the presidential
nomination. Gov. Warren could have had
the vice presidential nomination to run with
Gov. Dewey In 1914 had he been willing to
accept it.
The Republican National Convention prom
ises plenty Of hard fighting for the presidential
nomination. II the field" is able to "stop"
Gov. Dewey, a number of things may happen
among them the nomination of Senator VAN
denberg Of Michigan, whose name Is on many
lips today. In that event, the vice presidential
nomination would quite naturally 90 to the
East. And If the Senator from Massachusetts,,
Mr. Lodge, happened to have caught the fancy
OF the delegates with his keynote speech
II he becomes temporary chairman-what
more likely than that they should turn to him7
1t Is that kind Of thing that crops out once
in q while in national convention