Evening star., 1951-05-08
The Political Mill
The Political Mill
Vondenberg, Jr., Seeks
Fathers S Seat in Senate
Charmed Name Would Aid
In Race Against Moody
By Gould Lincoln


Arthur Vandenberg, jr., is seriously
considering making a race next wear
for the Senate seat which was held for
% years by his famous father, the late
Senator from Michigan. If he runs,
veteran Michigan Republicans say, Mr..
Vandenberg will stand good chance
Of winning. He has many friends
throughout the State-he was cam
paign manager for his father, and for
many years his secretary. Also he bears
charmed name. AS a political weapon,
it is as potent as has been La Toilette
in Wisconsin, Taft in Ohio, Lodge in
Massachusetts and Roosevelt in New
York.
Only last year, Vandenberg-no rel
ative of the late Senator-Won election
as Lieutenant Governor Of Michigan by
upwards of 100000 votes, while Demo-
cratic Gov. Mennen Williams was being
reelected by about 1880. The Lieu
tenant Governor is William Vandenberg
of Holland. Mich. He was a State SEN
ator-and not widely known through
out the State.
In 1946 the last time Senator VAN
denberg ran, the late Senator was in
Europe and out Of the State on official
business during the entire campaign.
which was handled by his son. The re-
suit was the reelection of the Senator
by about $4,000 votes-the greatest
majority ever given any candidate in
a Statewide race in Michigan. Arthur
Vandenberg, jr., not only never made
political mistake in this campaign but
he made some political strokes which
10 ha 10 n
father.
To Publish Fathers Papers.
For the last couple of years Mr.. VAN
denberg has been working with the
Rockefeller Foundation in Brazil-al-
though he returned to this country for
part of the time because of the illness
of his father. He is at present In this
country, preparing his fathers papers
for publication. The late Senator kept
an extensive diary and his comments on
important happenings of the day.
Young Vandenberg is A years old.
and in appearance resembles his father
to an unusual degree. He has faculty
of making friends and holding them.
He is a firm believer in the international
policies which were advocated so ably
by the late Senator.
Republicans realize that the battle
for the Senate seat next year may be
a difficult one. Senator Blair Moody.
Democrat, who was recently appointed
to fill the Vandenberg vacancy in the
upper house, is now expected to seek
election as his party's candidate. If Gov.
Williams runs for a third term. or
should he be nominated for a place on
Senator Moody, as team in Michigan,
might be hard to beat.
Candidates Crop Up.
Already a number of potential Re-
publican candidates for the senatorial
nomination have cropped up. Among
them are Representative Ford, who halls
from the Grand Rapids district, the
home of the Vandenbergs, too; Secre-
tary of State Frederick Alger. John
Martin. auditor general, and Republic
can State Chairman Owen Cleary.
Probably there will be others as the
months progress. The opinion is ex-
pressed, however, that in a race in a
big field, Mr.. Vandenberg would win
the nomination with comparative ease.
In the general election, If Senator
Moody is the Democratic nominee, Mr..
Vandenberg would have the advantage
of coming from the central and western
part of the State. Both Senator Fer
guson. Republican. and Senator Moody
hail from Detroit. 1t has been a prac7
tice in Michigan to have both sections
of the State represented in the Sem
ate. Senator Ferguson does not come
up for reelection until 1854.
Michigan. while frequently a battle
ground in political elections. has Re-
publican flavor. In the present Congress
it is represented by II Republicans in
the House to S Democrats. 1t gave its
electoral votes to Gov. Dewey of New
York in the 1948 presidential election.
What the situation in Michigan will
be next year is anybody's guess-but
the Republicans express confidence.