Evening star., 1948-01-25
|Eisenhower's S Baekers
Cool Toward Appeal
For Swing 10 Stassen
Nv fhs A..eeiofsd Press

lV SWIuS ~ SsNSS~H
by the Assoeiofsd Press
The carefully built up draft
Eisenhower movement collapsed
yesterday amid echoes OF the
generals resounding mo" to
efforts in his behalf.
A last-minute attempt to throw
support to Harold E. Stassen pro-
duced negligible immediate results.
All State units of the National
Draft Eisenhower League, Inc, were
asked in New York to disband by
top officials of the aeague, who said
the organization reluctantly bows
to the wishes of the general"
The original six organizers Of the
draft movement then announced
their support for Mr.. Stassen and
requested State chairmen of the
league to put their weight behind
efforts to secure the Republican
nomination for him.
EvOkes Little Enthusiasm.
This plea was greeted with little
enthusiasm. It's most notable result
was mention of possible support
for other potential and avowed can
didates, and even some talk that
State segments of the league might
stick to their guns in Gen. Eisen-
hower's behalf.
A few hours later in Washington.
Mr.. Stassen, obviously pleased at
being smiled upon from an. unex-
pected quarter, welcomed his new
supporters into camp and pledged
he will join them ITO advance the
liberal cause in the Republican
Party"
The former Minnesota Governor,
first to hoist his banner for the
Republican presidential nomination,
said "I deeply appreciate the express
sion of support" He added, however,
that he, like his new boosters, held
high regard for Gen. Eisenhower.
Tobey Stand Uncertain.
While the Stassen forces obviously
hoped that much of the volunteer
support for Gen. Eisenhower could
be won over to them, there was no
immediate indication that Senator
Tobey, Republican, of New Hamp-
shire, would go along.
Senator Tobey, a director of the
national league and chief sponsor
of an Eisenhower slate of delegates
which had been entered in the
March 8 New Hampshire primary
issued a statement saying that his
States group would respect the
generals decision" that he could not
accept the nomination even if it was
offered him.
THE statement of Gen. Eisen-
hover negativing his proposed can
didacy seems to be final and con-
elusive" Senator Tobey said. THAT
being so, the Nation has lost a po-
tential great leader as chief execu-
tive"
Stassen to Visit State.
Mr.. Stassen said he will visit New
Hampshire Tuesday, indicating that
he expects at that time to reach
an agreement on the entrance there
of a slate of uninstructed delegates
favoring him. Gov. Thomas E.
Dewey of New York is expected to
have similar slate.
In New Hampshire, where the
draft Eisenhower movement had
centered its main fire recently in
anticipation of the Nations first
presidential primary, League Presi-
DEBT Joseph H1 Geissl Said fatty
the group would not switch to Mr..
Stassen. 2&s
Mr.. Geisel said any future action
would be left to individual candi-
dates of the for Eisenhower slate.
I Still Favors General.
He announced breakup Of the
league there but asserted "the gen.
eral remains, in our opinion, the
one man who could sweep the coun-
try If nominated on the, Republican
ticket" ~ L1A3 L.
One ardent Eisenhowen supporter,
however, did not yield so easily. ne
was Leonard v. Finder, publisher of
the Manchester IN. H) Evening
Leader and the man to whom the
general addressed his letter OF de-
clination yesterday.
Mr.. Finder, in an "open letter
reply to Gen. Eisenhower's decision
maintained that countless Ameri-
cans feel that the general still is
needed and inquired:
Since you never were a candi-
date in the ordinary sense, can you
disavow what you never claimed?'
May Aid Taft or Warren.
In Milwaukee, Milton R. POLAND
who led the Wisconsin draft boom
said he would cease work for Gen
Eisenhower. He indicated he might
undertake to help Senator Taft, Re-
publican, Ohio, or Republican Gov.
Earl Warren of California. He said
he believed his groups enthusiasm
for Gen. Eisenhower might be di-
rected to another candidate.
A Green Bay man, A. B. Pinker-
ton, who was to run in the April {
presidential preference primary in
Wisconsin as an Eisenhower pledged
delegate candidate, said he wouldn't