Evening star., 1950-05-18
6. 0. P.Progressives
Step Up Talk About
EIecting President
Sy the Assoeiaisd Press

By the Assoeiaisd Prs,s
Talk of electing a progressive
Republican" as President in 1852
grew louder today among COP
Senators who like that label for
themselves.
The talk came from the smash
ing Pennsylvania Republican pri-
mary victory that gave Gov. James
H. Duff the nomination as Sen
ator and a strong hold on one
Of the most powerful parts of
the national Republican ma
chinery.
Republicans of all political
shades agreed that Gov. Duff had
dealt a stunning blow to "Old
Guard" Republicans.
And most Republicans pointed
to the heavy COP primary totals
in Pennsylvania as evidence that
they can recapture control of
Congress this fall.
Gov. Duff'S victory over John
c. Kunkel was defeat for the
veteran and long powerful Joseph
r. Grundy, 87-year- -old former
United States Senator who has
been a leading figure in State
and national COP affairs.
1t was this angle that brought
smiles for Republican Senators
who enjoy being called progress
sives, such as Senators Lodge and
Saltonstall of Massachusetts,, Ives
of New York and Aiken of Ver-
mont.
Another of the same category,
who would not permit use of his
name. explained it this way:
In recent years no one has
been able to get the Republican
presidential nomination without
the support of Joe Grundy, Joe
Pew and the Pennsylvania Old
Guard. But with that support
all of them have been defeated by
the Democrats.
Now a progressive Republican
can get the nomination and also
be elected"
All this, Of course, rests on Gov.
Duff defeating Democratic Sem
ator Myers in the November elec-
ton in Pennsylvania.
Senator Myers, now deputy Sen
ate majority leader, discounted all
Republican claims. He even sug-
gested that some Republicans
stayed away from the primary in
order to vote Democratic this fall.
Senator Brewster, Republican, of
Maine, who heads the COP Cam
paign. Committee for this years
Senate races. said "he is very con-
fident that Gov. Duff will win in
November"
Senate Republican Leader Wher-
ry Of Nebraska said the large
Pennsylvania Republican turnout
again proves the definite trend
against the Truman Fair Deal and
means the election of Republican
Congress this fall"
Peppers Defeat Cited.
Earlier evidence of the anti
Fair Deal" swing, Senator Wherry
said. was the defeat of Senator
Pepper in the Democratic primary
in Florida and election of a Re- |
publican Representative from Tex,
as for the first time in many years.
Senator Martin, Republican, of
Pennsylvania, who backed the los
ing Grundy ticket, CURLY an
nounced that he was enthusiastic
for the ticket nominated"
Senator Aiken said there is no
doubt that this was a hard blow
for the Old Guard because Duff
was the symbol of progressive Re-
publicanism."
II think it is a pretty clear in
dication that the independent
voters turn to the Republican
Party in large numbers if they
have a satisfactory candidate"
Senator Aiken said. "That is one
who keeps the wheels of prog
ress running but does not shift
to the left wing"
Ives Sees Progressive Triumph.
Senator Ives said the Duff VIC
tory was triumph of truly pro-
gressive Republicans which is so
essential in our all-out battle
against the Fair Deal socialism"
Senator Lodge said the result
confirms the fact that the rank
and file of Republicans favor a
modern outlook and proves that
the public will support a con-
structive program prepared by a
progressive"
In Philadelphia Gov. Duff moved
to close party ranks, telling his
hackers they must not gloat and
his party enemies they must not
sorrow.
what we must do now is defeat
the Democrats" Gov. Duff said.
MIR. Grundy refused to talk
about the outcome. But G. Ma
son Owlett, Pennsylvania national
committeeman and long time
Grundy aide, promised to vote "a
straight Republican ticket in the
fall, as always have"
IN mn NJ