Evening star., 1951-06-21
The Political Mill
Eisenhower Supporters
Are Deof to Macarthur
Predict Former Will Return
Home by First of Yeur
By Gould Lincoln

NEW YORK, June 21-Supporters of
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower for the Re-
publican nomination for President next
year in New York are totally undis-
mayed by the return of Gen. Douglas
Macarthur to this country. Further.
they contend that the demand for Eisen-
hover will increase as the months go by.
They predict, too, that Gen. Eisenhower
will be returning to this country by
the first of the year. or few months
afterwards at the latest.
They are inclined to take Gen. Mac
Arthur'S statement he is not a candi-
date for public Office at its face value,
although they admit that the generals
recent invasion of Texas and his
speeches there seemed to have a politi-
cal flavor and only an overwhelming de-
mand by large numbers of people, how
ever. that Macarthur become a presi-
Dental candidate, in their opinion.
would find Gen. MacArthur's hat in
the ring. And that they do not expect.
They freely admit that Macarthur is
great figure. with great hold on the
imagination of the American people.
At the same time they point out that
Gen. Ike" has the glamor which would
assure his victory at the polls if he be-
comes candidate: That, moreover, he
will have the support of those millions
OF voters who have become convinced
that everything possible must be done
to build up a strong Europe, necessary
for the peace of the world or to defeat
Russian aggression, if it comes.
Spadework Has Started.
Although no widely publicized or
ganlzed effort for the nomination Of
Gen. Eisenhower has yet been started.
a great deal OF work is being quietly
done, in preparation for a real drive
later. His friends feel that a great mass
of the people are already Eisenhower
minded" and that he does not have to
be built up" They point to the fact
that there were many demands for an
Eisenhower candidacy in 1913; that the
public has been kept constantly in mind
as to the possibility of an Eisenhower
nomination in 1852.
Gov. Dewey, who came out for an
Eisenhower nomination for President
last year, has not changed his position
at all. He is still for Ike" And it is
no secret that many of Gov. Deweys
friends are moving in the direction Of
an Eisenhower draft.
Eisenhower supporters give no Gre
dence to published rumors that Gen.
Macarthur will at some future date come
forward with statement to the effect
that no military man should be elected
to the presidency. This is the prediction
put forth by Democrats who devoutly
hope that Gen. Eisenhower will not be
the Republican nominee and by some
Republicans who favor other candidates.
Truman Expected to Run.
Nor do they give any credence to the
prediction, made by Democrats also.
that President Truman will stand aside
next year and ask his own party to
nominate Gen. Eisenhower for PreSi-
dent. More and more the belief is
growing that Mr.. Truman will stand
for denomination; that, in many ways,
he will be forced into making the run.
The assertion here is that EisenhowerS
nomination is largely in his own hands.
He could defeat it by firm state
ment he would not run if nominated.
Nor does it appear that President Tru-
man will insist upon keeping Eisenhower
at his European post. if it is well under
stood that the general is at least a
receptive candidate. Or any kind of
candidate. And finally, the Republican
National Convention meets two weeks
in advance Of the Democratic-and the
Republicans will have the first chance at
selecting Gen. Eisenhower.