Evening star., 1951-12-22
The Political Mil
New York Republicans
To Spring New Problem
Will Demand 100 Delegates
To National Convention
The Political Mil
By Gould Lincoln

New York Republicans, it is reported,
are going to spring an interesting prob
lem when the Republican National Com
mittee and its committee on call for the
1852 national convention meet, in San
Francisco the middle of January.
The New Yorkers will demand that
they be allotted 100 delegates to the ma
tional convention, the full strength to
which they would be entitled under the
States present number of Representa-
tives in Congress. New York, by reason
of the 1850 census and the law appor-
tioning Representatives in Congress
among the States, loses two members Of
the House-which would curtail the
States delegate strength in the ma
tional convention to 96.
The question is: Shall the apportion-
ment of delegates among the States
follow the number of congressional dis
trictS that exist today in each State and
will exist at the time of the national
convention, or shall it be made in &C
cordance with the number of congress
Sional districts in each State at the time
of the election in November? 1t is some
thing the lawyers of the committee can
really chew over.
Top of Ticket Considered.
To some degree, presidential politics
may enter the consideration of this
question. Not only is the strength Of
the New York delegation-expected to
support Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower for
the presidential nomination-affected
but also the strength of delegations in
other States, either for Gen. Eisenhower
or for Senator Taft.
The generous Democrats have solved
the problem for their national conven-
ton delegates by allowing each OF the
States which have gained congressional
districts to increase their delegate
strength accordingly-and at the same
time allowing those States which lose
congressional districts under the new
census to retain their old delegate
strength. This was the plan adopted by
the Democrats at the time of the party's
national convention in 1932-when
similar situation confronted them.
The Republicans in that year, how
ever, hewed to the line of the then new
House apportionment. They took away
delegates from the States which lost
congressional districts and gave addi-
tional delegates to those States which
gained districts. They did the same
when the question came up in 1912. So
the precedents of the Republican Party
are against the demand Of the New
Yorkers. However, they can, if they
wish, set aside these precedents and
follow the lead of the Democrats in
this matter.
Gains and Losses by States.
In addition to New York, those States
which lose congressional districts this
year are Pennsylvania, 8; Missouri and
Oklahoma. 2 each; Arkansas, Illinois.
Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
/ each. The Eisenhower-Taft rivalry
for delegate strength enters into these
States, as well as in New York.
California. on the other hand. gains
five new congressional districts this year.
Florida two, and Maryland. Michigan,
Texas, Virginia, and Washington. one
each.
All of them will wish to gain political
desirability in the national convention
because of increased delegate strength.
They may look with a iaundiced eye.
therefore, at the proposal to permit New
York and the other States which have
lost congressional districts to hold on
10 L1leu Olu UcieSdGS SbICIlSt I'LL.
One potential Republican candidate
for the presidential nomination, Harold
E. Stassen, is expected to make definite
announcement of his intentions at
dinner given him in Philadelphia next
Thursday. The fact he has just re-
turned from Europe after conferring
with Gen. Eisenhower gives particular
significance to what he may say. Mr..
Stassen may declare himself candi-
date-or he may say he does not choose
to run. Presumably, if he says the
latter, he will throw in with the Eisen-
hover forces. In fact, he might include
a statement of his support for the gen.
eral if he decides not to run. Lacking
some definite assurance that Gen. Eisen-
hover will become a candidate, Mr..
Stassen probably will throw his hat in
the ring.