Evening star., 1949-08-02
The Political Mill
Senatorial Race Wurmup
Due Soon in New York
Both Sides Yet to Announce Candidate
for Seat Occupied by Dulles
Bv Gould Lincoln

The warming up gallop for the senatorial
races of 1850 takes place in New York next
November. At that time the Republicans.
or the Democrats, will elect q Senator in
the Empire State to fill the seat now oc-
cupied by Senator John Foster Dulles (un-
der appointment by Gov. Dewey and for
merly occupied by Senator Wagner, Demo-
crat, resigned.
Neither side has yet announced it's candi-
date But Senator Dulles looks more and
more like the best COP bet-if the Re-
publicans are intent on winning. Mr.. Dulles
made his mark in the Senate almost inn
mediately after he had taken the oath Of
Office few weeks ago. A strong supporter
OF the North Atlantic Security Treaty, he
tangled with redoubtable Senator Taft of
Ohio who had announced he intended to
vote against the pact. Not only did Mr..
Dulles hold his own in the debate, but he
gave the Senate one of the clearest ex-
positions of the treaty and its purpose.
Mr.. Taft found for once an antagonist IN
the Senate who knew as much and more
about the subject under debate as he did
himself.
Much to Interest Him.
There has been much to interest the baby
Senator since his advent all along the line
of international relations, which for years
have been his chief avocation. First the
treaty. then the ECA appropriation and
next the bill to implement the treaty by
granting aid to Western Europe to arm for
defense.
Mr.. Dulles accepted appointment to the
Senate believing he would not run for elec-
ton in November. However, there was no
hard and fast shutting of the door, II Mr..
Dulles himself, Gov Dewey and the New
York organization which is dominated by
the Governor, should agree that he was to
fhnra H.
to eat.
A question in Mr.. Dulles mind however.
is whether he wishes to spend years In the
Senate-provlded Of course. he wins elec-
tlon 1t is obvious to him that he arrived
on the Washington scene at an opportune
time, and that the situation in the Senate
gave him an unusual opportunity to hit the
front page. There will be other times when
many subjects in which he has no particular
interest will occupy the Senate. He must
oeclde, TOO, whether he can best serve in
the Senate or in other capacities, as he has
in the past
unless Gov. Dewey himself should enter
tne senatorial race (Which he Is not now
pected to do Mr.. Dulles might easily be the
strongest candidate the Republicans could
put up. He is widely known but he is new.
too, in political contests, for he has never
run Tor office. He has no strong enemies
growing out Of such contests.
On the Democratic side of the fencs
former Gov. Lehman is the choice of most
OF the leaders to run for the Senate. But
Mr.. Lehman strangely hangs back-or waits
to be pushed or drafted" This is renni-
nlscent OF his attitude in some of the years
the Democrats wanted him to run for re.
election as Governor.
May Doubt He Can Win.
1t may be that Mr.. Lehman's hesitancs
is due to doubt he can win. He was defeated
by $50, 900 votes when he made his frst bid
for the Senate against Republican Senator
Ives. Also he may have strong American
Labor Party opposition-and he had the
support OF that party in 1916. The mayoralty
race in New York City is expected to aid
Mr.. Lehman If he runs, bringing out the
vote in that Democratic community. But,
here, too, the ALP has put Representative
Marcantonio in the field as its candidate for
Mayor 1t has still to announce its candi-
date for the Senate. but is expected to do so.
II Mr.. Lehman does not run, then tho
Democrats may give their nomination to
the son of Senator Wagner, who is q candi-
date for the job. The Wagner name would
help him-his father was the sponsor Of the
Wagner Labor Relations Act, dear to the
hearts of labor leaders.
If Mr.. Dewey should decide to become =
candidate for the Senate, it would be to
seek vindication at the hands of the voters,
to show his own personal political strength
and to keep himself definitely in the poll
tical linelight. He can. perhaps, accomplish
such purposes-if he desires-by seeking re.
election as Governor next wear