Evening star., 1948-06-24
Gasping Opposition
Shows Thorouehness
OF Dewey's Planning
Only Political Miracle
Could Deprive New York
Governor of Prize
Bv David Laurence

By David Laurence
PHILADELPHIA, June 24.-The
desperate efforts Of the anti-Dewey
clioues to stop the nomination OF
the New York Governor have served
only to emphasize the thoroughness
of the preparations made by the
Dewey managers before the conven-
ton began.
At no time in the first three
days was the Dewey strength IN
excess Of 435 delegates. In fact.
on Wednesday night that was about
its peak. But, while this was re-
garded as sign of weakness or
possible recession, 1t really signi-
fed lust the opposite. 1t indicated
that. between 435 and the required
majority Of 548, such small num-
ber Of delegates, relatively speaking.
were needed that the customary
band wagon could be sighted as al
ready on the move.
The Taft and Stassen managers
and the spokesmen for the "favorite
sons" were really sincere in their
beliefs expressed throughout We'd
nesday that they had Gov. Dewey
stopped" They could count only
435 for him. But they were doing
some wishful thinking and hoping.
They were counting on the other
delegations to hold fast and to
ignore the customary band-wagon
psychology.
Only 113 Needed.
When only 113 delegates or there
abouts are needed to get a major
ity, it takes a break in only a few
delegations to start the wagon mov-
ing fast. The desire to be the key
delegation that actually puts the
candidate over the top Is historically
30 strong and pays such, good divi-
dends in political patronage and
favors later on that many del
egation vies with the other to be
first.
Long after the convention is
forgotten, the politicians do not
permit the successful candidate to
forget that it was this or that dele
CATION which furnished the last
block of votes needed to get the
majority.
The Dewey strength from the
outset has been solid. The Taft
strength has been wobbly, has never
gone higher than that Of Gov.
Dewey, and was only a runnerup
all the time. The Taft people re-
fused to give way either to Harold
Stassen or Senator Vandenberg,
though there was some talk about
uniting behind Gov. Warren of
California. Again the Dewey man
ayers were better known through
out the delegations and the fear Of
being left behind on a band-wagon
march kept number Of delega-
tions from veering from their ia
vorite son" or neutral or waiting
positions.
The old saying that"You can't
beat somebody with nobody has
held true in this convention. Sem
ator Vandenberg could have been
nominated If he had not squelched
every movement in his behalf. No
other candidate but he could have
rallied in opposition to Gov. Dewey
the delegates, a majority Of whom
came here uncommitted and un-
pledged to any Of the top conten-
ders. He declined to participate in
. wTecking job.
Logically Senator Taft, with his
talent for rejecting the natural Re-
publican viewpoint on public issues,
was the candidate who might have
been expected to emerge successful
here. But the belief that he might
not win In November and the feel
ing that he lacked the engaging
personality Of a presidential NOM
inee did prevent swing in his
direction.
While Gov. Dewey isn't personally
popular with the delegates - the
idea being often conveyed by
critics that he is not warm sort
but a detached personality-he had
behind him nevertheless the i'm
pressive majority that he rolled
up in the 1946 gubernatorial elec-
ton in New York, the State with
the biggest electoral vote In the
Union.
The fact that Gov. Dewey has
. tinge Of progressivism in his
record satisfied those in the con-
vention who thought Senator Taft
too conservative. Above all, Gov.
Dewey has not been active In
the controversies over international
affairs, as has been Senator Van-
denberg So the New York Cover
nor came to the convention bearing
none of the scars of battle inside
the Republican Party.
On the whole, Gov. Dewey was
a compromise" candidate In a
realistic sense and that is why his
nomination on an early ballot has
been foreshadowed since Monday.
Only a last-minute political miracle
could deprive him of the prize, and
there again the anti-DeWey coali-
ton seemed to 60 the way Of all
such attempted combinations, which
are really the manifestation Of a
gasping opposition rather than of
a turn toward a different selection
by the convention.
Reproduction Rights Reserved.