Evening star., 1951-10-06
The Political Mill
Wisconsin Bid to Taft
Called Tempting MorseI
Signed by Top-Ronking Men
In Stote 6. O.. P. Councils
The Political Mill
By Gould Lincoln

BY Gould Lincoln
The invitation of prominent Republi-
can leaders in Wisconsin to Senator
Taft of Ohio to permit the entry of a
slate of national convention delegates.
pledged to Taft, in the Wisconsin pri-
mary next April l has been answered
with message from Senator Taft that
he has still to make up his mind
whether he will become candidate for
the presidential nomination. That, he
said. he will do after he has received
final report next Wednesday from his
scouts, David ingalls, of Cleveland, and
Ben E. Tate of Cincinnati, and has an
opportunity to study it.
A Taft statement declining to be-
come candidate would explode a politi-
cal bomb. 1t has been taken for granted
in many quarters that he will run for
the presidential nomination, despite the
fact Senator Taft has repeatedly said
he would run only if convinced a ma
jority Of the Republicans wanted him
to do so. His reply to the Wisconsin
bid. therefore, has been regarded as
merely postponing for a brief time the
tossing OF the Taft hat into the ring
Pfact1ce In the Past.
Mr.. Taft, Of course, could declare
himself a candidate and at the same
time decline the invitation to have a
slate Of Taft delegates entered in the
Wisconsin primary. In the past the Ohio
Senator has made it practice to stay
out Of the preference primaries in
States other than Ohio That was his
course in 1948, when ne was a declared
candidate for the presidential pomina-
tion-although he was entered in the
Nebraska primary, along with all the
other candidates. In that year, the
Nebraska primary permitted the entry
Of a candidates name whether he
authorized it or not.
The invitation from Wisconsin, how
ever. is tempting political morsel. It is
signed by top-ranking men in the
States Republican organization. Some
of the signers supported Mr. Stassen.
and others Gen. Macarthur or Gov.
Dewey in the 1948 primary primary
in which Stassen won a majority OF
the Wisconsin delegates and Gen. Mac
Arthur took the rest. Among them are
Thomas E. Coleman, who headed the
organization for several years and is a
political power, although he has never
run for Office; Suel D. Arnold, Republic
can chairman in Milwaukee; Cyrus L.
Philip. Republican National Committee
man: Vernon w. Thompson, attorney
general; Harvey " Higley, Republican
State chairman, 1947-49; and former
Representative Frank B. Keefe. They
believe they can put across a delegation
pledged to Taft-in a primary where
a light vote is expected anyway and
organization support is tremendously
important. Under the circumstances, it
would be surprise if Senator Taft
provided he decides to run-declined
their invitation.
Stassen May Enter.
Report has it that Harold Stassen
will enter the Wisconsin primary with a
slate of delegates pledged to him Also,
if the Eisenhower supporters in the
State can get go sign from the gen.
eral, they will doubtless put Up an
Eisenhower slate. Under the amended
Wisconsin primary law, a candidate
must give his consent to have pledged
delegates entered for him. What the
Eisenhower hackers hope is that Gen.
Inc IA NC OOL Ill bIlS Op6Il dS d CdIlQls
date by February or March.
Governor Kohler of Wisconsin, recent
ly expressed the belief that Gen. Eisen-
hover would be strong candidate for
President on the Republican ticket.
About Senator Taft, he replied; Il
don't know" The governor has not
yet committed himself to any candi-
date. He is greatly popular in the state.
and if he finally decided to throw in
with the Eisenhower movement, it would
be effective. His own particular prob
lem today is whether he will run for
reelection or run for the senatorial
nomination against Senator Joe" Nc
Carthy. He has left the door open for
decision either way. Much may de-
pend upon whether the Mccarthy star
rises or declines in the next four or
five months. AS of today, race be-
tween Kohler and Mccarthy would
tear the Republicans in Wisconsin wide
open. The Republicans hold a pre-pri-
mary convention to indorse candidates
for State and congressional elections.
Next year it probably will be held in
June. for the nominating primaries
which are held in August.
If Gen. Eisenhower became an avowed
candidate in time for the Wisconsin
primary. Mr.. Stassen might keep out
OF 1t. leaving the field to Eisenhower
and Taft. That contingency might
give the Taft Strategists something to
ponder.