Evening star., 1948-06-22
The Political Mill
Fovorite Son BuckerS
May Shift to Dewey
Governor May Get Pennsylvania,
Illinois and Jersey Support
By Gould Lincoln

PHILADELPHIA, June 32.-Restivs dele.
gates committed to favorite-so candidates for
the Republican Presidential nomination, are
giving every sign Of flying the coop. The pros
poets are that many Of them viii ny right into
the Dewey barnyard. This is true in the Penn
sylvania delegation, committed primarily to
Senator Martin of the Keystone State, in the
New Jersey delegation which has voted. to
support Coy. Driscoll on the first ballot, and
in the Illinois delegation which has agreed
to give Gov. Green its first ballot vote.
Many of these delegates do not take kindly
to the plea to hold the line" put forward by
the stop Dewey engineers. They are asking
themselves this pertinent question: Hold the
line for whom?" Some Of them, those who
are favorable to the New York Governor,
answer for themselves that they are not going
to be used to bring about . deadlocked con.
vention with the defeat Of the man they favor
as the particular end Of that operation. Others
say quite clearly that by merely holding the
line they may bring about the nomination Of
q candidate for whom they have no liking or
who would not be their first choice.
Dewey Main Contender.
Every test so far has shown Gov Dewey
commanding the greatest support Of any Of
the leading candidates for the nomination.
Unless q real demand for the nomination of
Senator Vandenberg of Michigan manifests
itself within the first three, or perhaps the
first two, ballots 1t looks as though the New
Yorker will win.
Senator Taft Of Ohio, regarded in some
quarters, and particularly in those Of Senator
Taft himself, as. the main contender with Gov
Dewey for the nomination. has solid support,
much Of which comes from the more con-
servative wing Of the party. Harold z. stas-
sen gets his support from the younger and
more liberal element However. neither one
of these groups, by itself, appears in q po-
sition to put across its candidate. Nor does
there seem to be any reasonable ground for q
coalition between them which would throw the
nomination on the one hand to Senator Taft,
and on the other to Mr.. Stassen.
Senator Vandenberg, however, could con-
ceivably draw from both the Taft and stassen
supporters. That's where his strength comes
in this particular situation. A Vandenberg
nomination undoubtedly would be MIR. StaSens
choice. II Mr.. Stassen cannot have 1t himself.
Would Run With vandenberg.
A vice presidential nomination to run with
the Michigan Senator would be most welcome
to Mr.. Stassen-for it would put him in line for
first place nomination in 1852 should he and
Senator Vandenberg be elected In November,
and Senator Vapdenberg not care to seek q Sec
ond term So far as Senator Taft is concerned,
however, 1t is not 50 sure he would prefer to
have his Senate mate placed in the White
House instead Of Gov. Dewey. That is still to
be determined
The Michigan delegation, headed by Gov.
Kim Sigler, has been forced to 60 all out in
drive for Vandenberg delegates Senator VAN
denberg's unwnlingness to make any statement
except negative one-plainly had 20 dis
couraged his supporters In other State dele
cations that there was good chance the Van-
denberg prospects would fold up like an ac-
Gordon. AL the Michigan delegates have been
made into Vandenberg minute men-with in
structions to work hard on every delegate with
whom they are acquainted.
Even now, Senator Vandenberg must show
strength on the first ballot outside Of Michigan.
and on the second he must materially increase
it, or else the Dewey band wagon will begin to
roll more and more strongly. 1t had been hoped
to hold the Michigan Senator in reserve-untn
Senator Taft and Gov. Dewey and Mr.. stassen
had killed each other OF. It will be difncult
to do so now. Take the New Jersey delegation,
for example: Senator Vandenberg can have
considerable support there, it is reported, II
he moves ahead. If not, Jerseys delegates
will 60 to Gov. Dewey.