Evening star., 1950-01-14
The Political Mill
Weak Democrat Is Seen
Likely to Run Against Taft
Withdrawal of Lausche and Burke
Cuts Party's Chance in Ohio
Bv Gould Lincoln

Is the Democratic organization In Ohio,
plus the leadership of the CIO and AFL,
strong enough to put across a mediocre
senatorial candidate. running against Sena-
tor Taft, in next Novembers election?
That, apparently, Is going to be the $64
question, now that Mayor Thomas A. Burke
of Cleveland has followed in the footsteps
OF Gov. Frank Lausche and declared def
nitely he will not seek the Democratic nomi-
nation against Senator Taft. The announced
candidates. including State Auditor Joseph
T. Ferguson and Mayor Michael v. Di Sale
OF Toledo, are, in themselves, no threat to
Senator Taft. All will depend, therefore, on
whether any opponent of Senator Taft,
running on the Democratic ticket with labor
support, can win next fall.
Unless Murray D. Lincoln, head Of the
Farm Bureau Insurance Companies should
decide in the 18th hour to enter tha
primary for the Democratic senatorial nomi-
nation-or some dark horse not hitherto
mentioned-the contest for the right to OPP
pose Senator Taft seems to lie between Mr..
Ferguson and Mayor Di Sale.
The odds favor Mr.. Ferguson, known to
Ohio Democrats as Jumping Joe," because
OF the speedy manner he gets himself about
the State. He has been elected State auditor
four times, and has personal organization"
In 1948, he rolled up an impressive plurality
OF 100000 votes. However, running for the
Senate and running for auditor are con-
siderably different. Further, Mr.. Ferguson
has had the advantage of running each time
In presidential year, either with President
Roosevelt or President Truman The State
auditor is the only State office in Ohio
whose term is four years.
Expected to Fade,
Mr.. Ferguson has set himself up as the
watchdog of the treasury and as defender
OF the rural and small town citizen against
the big city slickers. He gets around. There
are Ohio Democrats, however, who predict
that once Mr.. Ferguson has been nominated
Tor the Senate and finds himself up against
Mr. Taft, he will begin to fade fast In
stature.
Mayor Di Sale announced his candidacy
for the senatorial nomination as soon as
Mayor Burke declared himself out Of the
race. He would have stood aside for MIR.
Burke. but not for any one else he said.
Organized labor in Ohio, particularly the
C1O leaders, have been anxious to get Mr..
Lincoln as the Democratic candidate against
MIR. Taft. believing he would make the
strongest candidate. They figured that Mr..
Lincoln, who has played a prominent part
in Ohio Farm Bureau affairs, would get q,
lot OF farm support that another Democrat
might lose, and that in addition, he would
appeal to many independent voters. Mr..
Lincoln, however, has been registered Re
publican for years, although he voted three
times for Franklin D. Roosevelt for President.
and for Mr. Truman in 1943. The old-line
democrats were hostile, and it was generally
understood that Gov. Lausche looked askance
at Lincoln nomination for the Senate. The
question has been whether Mr.. Lincoln, in
these circumstances, could be sure Of winning
Dnm0Cf9t1c IN,
Ferguson and others. Also there was the
question whether he could be spared at this
time from the $100, 900, 900 insurance business
he has built up.
Boyle Held Conferences.
" Democratic National Chairman William
Boyle recently returned to Washington from
Columbus, where he talked with Democratic
Leaders, and after speaking well of Mr..
ferguson, declared that the Democrats would
elect their man over Senator Taft in No
vember. He also threw off" on the idea of
a Lincoln nomination. ..
Labor leaders, it is reported, are not happy
about the Ohio situation. They have stuck
tner necks out with their predictions that
they would defeat Senator Taft-that Sena-
tor Taft was their No. target in the coming
elections. Undoubtedly they will seek to get
President Truman into Ohio to make one
or more speeches against MIR. Taft during
the campaign.
II MIR. Truman also sticks his neck out.
and Senator Taft should win, it would not
add to the prestige of Mr.. Truman. And il
Senator Taft should win in big way, his
chances of Republican presidential nomi-
nation to run in 1852 against Mr.. Truman
would improve immensely. It is the common
belief here that Mr.. Truman will seek
another term in the White House. Indeed.
many OF those close to the White House
would give big odds today that the Presidents