Evening star., 1950-05-07


late President Franklin D. Roose-
velt and in l94S. by President
rruman-has been obvious. This
year, in his effort to win over
Taft, Ferguson will be on a ticket
headed by Gov. Lausche. who is
seeking reelection. Lausche is
popular and strong vote getter.
The Ohio ballot. however. this
year does not permit voting a
straight party ticket by pulling
the voting machine lever once or
by single mark on a written bal
lot. Each candidate for once
must be voted for. separately. The
change in the ballot was author
lied by a referendum vote last
November.
Unions After Taft
While the major issue drawn
against Senator Taft in the COM
ing campaign is expected to be his
authorship of the Taft-Hartley
labor law. the Democrats are pre-
pairing to attack him as an arch
conservative-despite his record In
the Senate of support for progress
sive legislation. including housing
and Federal aid to education.
Labor unions have announced
their intention OF waging an all
out war on Senator Taft, with
plenty of funds in their campaign
chests. The slogan OF some of
the unions in the Florida primary,
in which they worked desperately
to save Senator Pepper, was-"Re-
elect Pepper and Move to Ohio to
Get Taft" Their program did not
work out in Florida-and 1t has
slim prospect. at the present writ
ing, Of becoming effective in Ohio.
Anywhere from two and a.
quarter to three million votes may
be cast in the Ohio election next
November. Tremendous national
interest will center in the sena-
torial election there. Also, Gov.
Lausche. seeking a third term, IL
playing for bigger stakes-a place
on the Democratic national ticket
in 1852. If Senator Taft wins re-
election by a big margin. 1t 10
expected that he will become q
leading contender for the Repub-
lican presidential nomination. In
Congress. Senator Taft has been
the outstanding Republican leader.
The argument against his NOM
nation for President in the past
has been that "he cannot win"
But victory on a large scale in
Ohio would be used as sure proof
that he could win elsewhere, par
ticularly If the expected Demo-
cratic presidential nominee in
1852, President Truman, goes into
Ohio to campaign against Senator
Taft.
The Democratic national or
ganization. dominated by Presi-
dent Truman. quickly sent its con-
gratulations to Mr.. Smathers on
his victory in the Florida sena-
torial primary and offered him its
full resources to defeat his Re-
publican opponent resources
which MIR. Smathers will not need.
If it felt any chagrin at the victory
of candidate who denounced re-
peal of the Taft Hartley Act and
the administrators tional
health insurance program, and
who wants to cut Government
spending, the organization kept 1t
to itself. Mr.. Smathers, for his
part. has declared he is q good
Democrat and that his victory
should not be regarded as a boost
for the Republicans. Senators
Byrd Of Virginia. George of
Georgia and McClelland of Ar
kansas also are good Democrats
but they give little Joy to the
Fair Dealers.
FEPC Bill Set Aside
The States Fighters in Alabama
faced opposition. in their effort to
retain control of the Democratic
State Executive Committee. Of
both Alabama Senators, Hill and
Sparkman. and Of Gov. Folsom.
Also, the administration has been
throwing its entire influence back
of the fight to tear down the
States Rights movement In Ala
bama ever since Mr.. Truman was
elected-without Alabama's elec-
toral vote which was given to Gov.
Thurmond of South Carolina. The
administration had expected to
win this fight more easily. Nor is
there any sign that the States
Fighters are backing up. On May
10, they will hold their annual ma.
tional convention in Jackson, Miss.
The administration leaders in
the Senate carefully postponed
calling up the Truman FEPC bill
turing the primary fights in Ala
oama and in Florida. fearing that
any undue emphasis In Washing
,on in support Of this civil rights
measure might injure the chances
If the TrumancratS In Alabama
md Of Senator Pepper in Florida.
Mr.. Smathers' campaign against
Senator Pepper raised the FEPC
ssue, on the ground that Senator
Pepper could not be counted upon
o make a last ditch fight against
his measure. and that Senator
Peppers ardent supporter, the
CIO-PAC. was a principal advo-
ate Of FEPC. Now these primaries
ire over, Senator Lucas, the ad-
leader, has announced
ie will seek to bring FEPC before
he Senate tomorrow.
Senator Hills denomination in
Alabama by large vote had been
irrespective Of the out
ome Of the fight over the Demo-
ratio State Executive Committee.
lis opponent. Lawrence Mcneil. q
comparatively unknown. was sup