Evening star., 1948-02-17
Stassen Poll Strength
AGAINST Truman Held
Politically Significant
Former Governor Sure
To Increase Prestige
As Possible Winner
Bv David Laurence

UnQuestionably the most Signifi-
cant piece Of political news since
Gen. Eisenhower's self-elimination
from the Presidential race is the
Gallup poll showing that, outside
the Solid South" former Gov.
Stassen of Minnesota runs ahead Of
President Truman in popular
strength. These States have 383
electoral votes out of the total of
531, or considerably more than the
required majority of 266.
Excluding the Southern States,
because the two-party system does
not prevail there, the poll shows
Mr.. Stassen to have A per cent,
President Truman, a per cent and
Mr.. Wallace per cent, with per
cent expressing mo opinion"
Only Gen. Eisenhower has shown
up noticeably better in comparable
polls in recent weeks. In January,
Gov. Dewey polled exactly the same
percentage as Mr.. Stassen but
President Truman's percentage then
dropped point to Al per cent, with
Mr.. Wallace taking per cent and
per cent having mo opinion"
It may be taken for granted that
nearly all of the Wallace strength
would 90 to President Truman
rather than to any Republican when
Mr.. Wallace withdraws-which he
may confidently be expected to do
at the last moment.
Might Help In 1852.
Mr.. Wallaces chances to win the
Democratic presidential nomina-
tion in 1852, if q Republican wins
the presidency In 1948, are better
If he votes regular this time than
If he contributes to President Tru-
mans defeat. If President Thu
man is reelected, 1t seems improb-
able that he would be renominated
in 1852. This is because OF the
strength of the anti-third term SEN
timent in America. For, while tech
nically President Truman would be
serving only two terms in his own
right, the fact that he would never
theless be holding the offlce nearly
IL years would tend to disqualify
him. In the absence of q war or
national emergency, the sentiment
of the country favors not more than
eight years for any one man in the
White House.
Certainly any Republican strategy
which depends on the continuance
of Mr.. Wallace In the race is bound
to miscalculate the total Demo-
cratic strength and mistakenly as
sumo an easy victory in a three
cornered race.
If the Truman vote is augmented
by the Wallace vote In either Of the
two recent polls-President Truman
against Senator Taft and President
Truman against Mr.. Stassen-the
Democrats get 40 per cent as against
A per cent for the Republicans.
Did Not Match Candidates.
The latest poll did not, of course,
match the Republican candidates
against each other, but only one Of
them against the obvious Demo-
cratic standard bearer in a trial
heat" The question asked did not
require the voter who might prefer
Gov. Dewey or Senator Taft or Sem
ator Vandenberg to state his choice.
The question merely asked, as be-
tween MIR. Stassen and President
Truman, which one would get the
vote Of the person questioned.
The surprising thing is that Mr.. /
Stassen not only actually leads
President Truman in a three-cor-
nered race In the States in which
there will be real contest in the
presidential election, but that he
shows up as having as much popular
strength in those States as Gov.
Dewey and more than other Repub-
lican candidates have shown so far.
The effect of polls on delegates Is
conjectural but undoubtedly the rise
in Eisenhower sentiment among Re-
publicans was due to belief that
he could win. Many a delegate has
his own preferences but in the last
analysis will vote for the man he
thinks will prove winning candi-
date. With Mr.. Stassen entering
the headlines as man who could
beat President Truman, the former
Minnesota Governor will acquire a
considerable prestige with the local
chiefs in the Republican Party
which thus far he has lacked. He
will not, however, keep that stand
ing very long ii a subsequent Gallup
poll should indicate that Gov. Dewey
or Senator Taft or Senator Vanden-
berg can show A per cent or better
against President Truman and Mr..
Wallace in a three-cornered race.
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