Arizona sun., 1948-02-27

of the date of this
poll February 50, Stassen has it.
Still the old-timers stick to their
prediction of Dewey, which they
make with tears in their eyes, in
stead of smoke from the smoke
filled room where decisions are sup
posed to be made.
wish that you people could have
attended that over-crowded lunch
con at the National Press club when
Gen. Dwight Eisenhower spoke and
introduced his successor, Gen.
Omar Bradley. as chief of staff.
1t was a good talk, and you
probably read the report of it.
You also probably have read the
report of the question and an
swer period which General Els
enhOwer permitted, and which
was one of the best news con-
ferences-that's what it turned
out to be-that / ever have at
tended. Members who couldn't
get in were standing up, cooking
ears, IL to Is deep outside the
entrances to the dining room.
Naturally some questions dealt
with the Eisenhower withdrawal
statement issued late in January.
The night after the Eisenhower
withdrawal, which most Republicans
and Democrats considered as final,
I happened to- be with two die
hard, right-wing Republicans, who
wouldn't even admit they were as
happy as they were. They kept say
ing, why couldn't he have said that
much earlier if he meant it, and
anyhow he has left loophole so he
can run, if not now, in 1852.
I couldn't see that. knew lot of
Republicans thought Eisenhower
letter was an absolutely honest
statement, dictated by the reason
ing of an honest man, unframed
in politics, it is true, but speaking
from his heart.
There isn't space to repeat Eisen-
hower's long statement in which he
said, among other things:
81 am not available for and
could not accept nomination for
high political office. My deci-
sion is definite and posi-
tive.
''The necessary and wise sub
ordination of the military to
civil power will be best Sus- /
tanned when lifelong pro-
fessional soldiers abstain
from seeking high political office.
would regard it as un-
aIloyed tragedy for our country
If ever should come the day
when military commanders
might be selected with an eye
to their future pOtentialities in
the political field"
General Sherman said: II will not
run if nominated and will not serve
If elected"
But what motivated Sherman .
and Eisenhower?
The sincere belief expressed in
Eisenhower statement that a man
Of purely military training wasn't
equipped for the job? (That state
ment, as you know, was thrown
back at Eisenhower as a sideswipe
at Gen. Douglas Macarthur, who
has emphatically NOT said that he
didn't choose to rum
1 have spoken of the Eisenhower
family at some length before in this
column. do not claim to be more
than an acquaintance. But, as
said, when General Eisenhower S
statement came over the wire, was
firmly convinced that there wasn't
any equivocation in it. And I am
glad that the press and their friends
heard Eisenhower answer the ques-
tons as he did, giving back steel for
steel on every throw. ..
There was big sigh of relief, OF
course, when the Republican and
Democratic leaders knew Eisen-
hover was out. felt the same way,
but for a different reason. My rea-
son for being glad that Eisenhower
isn't going to be President-as he
would have been on any ticket if he
had run-is the same reason he put
forth. have tremendous respect for
him, personally, professionally. /
am not a professional soldier, but
my experience as a wartime soldier
is reinforced by an indirect impress
sion of military thought which goes
back for man1 generations in my