The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1948-10-21
HERBERT FOR GOVERNOR


HERBERT FOR GOVERNOR
The choice confronting Ohio voters this year in the
lection of governor is difficult especially for Cleve
ander since both candidates distinguished of
this city and have rendered able and satisfactory
in the office of governor.
Gov Thomas J. Herberts public career includes periods
of assistant director of law of the city of Cleveland assistant
prosecuting attorney assistant attorney general special
sci to the attorney general three terms attorney general
and one term governor.
Former Governor Frank j. Lausche had an outstanding
judicial before he turned his talents the
tive branch of government. He judge of the municipal
court of Cleveland and of the pleas court of
hoga county Then he elected reelected mayor of
Cleyeand and elected in 1914 but defeated
by Herbert for reelection in 1916 victim of short
age and the Republicans Had Enough" campaign.
Two ago the Plain Dealer recommended Lausches
reelection the principle governor who had rendered
satisfactory service for was entitled to another
This principle still holds good far Lausche record
is concerned but applies also with equal validity to the
record made by Herbert
Thus the absence of any other overriding factor the
decision regarding which candidate to support would be
virtually toss-up.
There is however, such factor. Regretfully the Plain
Dealet tees cannot recommend Lausches election in the
dent Truman lin the solemn belief that the will
served by his guidance"
on the supposon that he not New Dealer and his
reputation for being neither the the expoter
OF any Polcal party although he ran under the Demo-
cratic label.
IT hope that Lausche were elected he would
take advantage of the opportunity governor of helping
to rebuild the Democratic party after the debace which, it
is anticipated will overtake it on November 2 If the party
it must be steered away from the shoals of socalstc
permentaton which has been attempted with such disas
trouS results in other countries
But for the time being at least Lausche lost his badge
of independence when he put himself in the position sup
porting President Truman and the New Deal-C O. eco
nOmlc theories and when he associated himself with the
kind of campaign Truman has been conducting
Admittedly LauSche the spot when the president
invited him to ride his campaign train through Ohio re-
Gently AS the Democratic candidate for governor could
not we'll refuse without alternating Democratic
votes. In mitigation it should be understood he was
not trying to cling Trumans coaais but rather the pres
dent seeking to benefit from Lausches popularity in
Ohio
Although the former governor may have prevented the
alienation OF some Democratic support by his Endorsement
of Truman possible that he lost considerable ndepen
with his conclusion that Trumans election would benefit
the nation On the contrary, convinced such result
would have disastrous consequences for the nation and the
world
We therefore recommend Herbert for reelection
We wish also, to call attention to the oustan-
ing demonstration of political forude given by Herbert
when he declined to permit the legislature join the
ona and state ballots in order that he might derive
advantage from the Republican and straight ticket
voting for Governor Thomas E. Dewey
There precedent for tinkerng with the ballots to
help the party in power In 1910 former Governor John W.
Brcker SENATOR had the legislature separate the state
and national ballots that Republican candidates
would not suffer the consequences of straight ticket voting
for Franklin D. Roosevelt.
This year, however, Herbert declined to permit re-
versal of that process though Republican leaders al
most unanimously urged him So But he insisted he
wanted to win or lose his record because Of
DeWey's popularity or Trumans lack of it,
Ohio will be assured of good government regardless of
whether Herbert Lausche wins We do believe for
moment that Lausche is thoroug ghgoing New Dealer
the record of what he said clear His would be
construed victory by the advocates of socialism,
of New Deal experiments Our preference goes to Herbert
An editorial from the Cleveland Plain Dealer