Evening star., 1948-05-30
COP. Nearing End
|0f Delegate Elections;
Truman Set for Trip
By D. Harold Oliver
Associated Press Stoff Corespondsnf

By D. Harold Oliver
Associated Press Stoff Correspondent
Republicans will just about finish
selecting their presidential nomi-
mating delegates this week.
President Truman stands to pick
up another 81 delegate pledges and
possibly eight more for the Demo-
cratic nomination as he takes off
on a preconvention speaking trip to
the West Coast.
And, in the same week, Repre-
sentative Mundt, coauthor of the
Mundt- Nixon bill to curb commu-
nism, makes his bid for the Repub-
lican senatorial nomination in
South Dakota. .-
California and South Dakota hold
primaries Tuesday to name national
convention delegates and congress
sional candidates. After that, only
Indiana's 20 delegates will remain
to be chosen June 10-11 to complete
the Republican National Convention
roster of 1904.
California Choices Determined.
Except for congressional nomina-
ton contests, the California primary
holds little interest. Only one slate
of delegate candidates appears on
each ballot, with SO Republicans
pledged to Gov. Earl Warren and q
54-vote Democratic group commit
ted to President Truman.
1t will be Gov. Warren's first
batch of delegates, although his
friends say he could have had sup
port in other states by now if he
had permitted campaigning in his
behalf outside his home state.
Gov. Warren will be the 18th
Republican to have first ballot dele
gate support going into the national
convention. This is the same num-
Der that had delegate backing on
the first roll call in the 1910 con-
vention.
Wallace Backers in House Race.
The Independent Progressive
Party of California, which is back
ing Henry A. Wallace for President,
has entered candidates of its own
in many of the nomination races for
% House seats. 1t also has indorsed
some Democratic nominees and in
one district a Progressive candidate
is opposed by a former Democratic
member of Congress for a nomina-
ton.
Cross filing is permitted in CAL
ifornia and in some instances the
candidates are running for all three
nominations-Democratic, Republic
can, and Progressive. The intricate
voting should show to some degree
how strong Progressive candidates
would run in November and to whom
they could do the most damage.
South Dakota voters Tuesday will
elect II Republican delegates. They
will be uninstructed, but are ex-
pected to support Harold E. Stassen
on the first ballot at Philadelphia.
There are two Democratic states
of eight delegates each. One. led
by former Representative Hide
brandt, is uninstructed. The other,
headed by State Chairman Lynn
Fellows, is pledged to Mr.. Truman.
If the President wins the South
Dakota delegation, he will come
within 81 of having enough-6l8-
for a nomination, if, of course, he
can count. definitely on many Of
f1cially uncommitted delegates now
claimed for him in several big
states.
Truman Chalks up 499 Delegates.
At the week end he had 499 in
pledged and claimed delegates. CAL
ifornia's 54 and South Dakota's
eight would give him SCI. There
will be 1924 votes in the Demo-
cratic convention and less than a
thousand have been chosen.
Pa Mr.. Truman takes off Thursday
night for his Western trip. He will
make five major prepared speeches
and many informal rear platform
appearances.
The White House calls it an Of
fical trip, or ''nonpolitical.' Re-
publicans describe it as political"
and demand to know who is paying
for it. The White House says the
expense will come out of the Presi-
dents annual travel allowance. The
Democratic National Committee
doesn't have to dig into its rather
slim war chest.
Political or nonpolitical, there are
indications at least two members
of the Democratic Committee staff
will go along, one for the entire
journey. There are indications that
Chairman McGrath, if he goes, will
ride only part of the way west.
Besides the Democratic delegate
contest in South Dakota, the State
offers two interesting Republican
races for Congress.
Four Hope to Succeed Mundt.
Mr.. Mundt, now serving his fifth
House term, is opposed for the Re-
publican Senatorial nomination by
Otto B. Linstad, Pierre attorney,
State legislator, and veteran of both
world wars. Senator Bushfield, Re-
tiring.
The other attraction is four
man race for the first district House
nomination for the seat being va
Gated by Representative Mundt,
Candidates are Art B. Anderson,
Sioux Falls oil jobber and State
legislator; Harold o. Lovre, Water
town attorney and State legislator;
w. H. Pringle, retired Pierre con-