Evening star., 1951-10-17
,Mr. Republican Makes His Bid

Senator Taft now an announced candidate
for the Republican presidential nomination, has
many qualities that will appeal to the rank
and-file of Republican voters. He also has other
qualities that will raise doubts in the minds Of
some voters.
No one seriously questions the ability and
the integrity of the Ohio Senator. No one thinks
that he will ever conduct "me-too" campaign.
In his last senatorial race he proved himself to
be tireless and effective campaigner He carried
his case to the people in speech after speech
after speech, and his margin Of victory was
greater than any one, including Senator Taft,
had thought possible
1t is one thing, however, to win an election
in Ohio. In that contest the issues were pri-
marily domestic In nature. The labor bosses
were out to beat "Mr. Republican" and their
arrogance certainly made votes for Senator Taft.
In the end, when his better than 400 900 majority
had been tailed, it is safe to say that the
majority of the American people heartily well
coined the result
Foreign policy played minor part in the
Ohio campaign. It will play very important
part, however, in the Republican pre-convention
maneuvers, and, if Senator Taft should be NOM
mated. it will play still more important part
in the presidential campaign.
It is on this question of foreign policy that
so-called independent voters and some tradi-
tionally Republican voters have their fingers
crossed with respect to Senator Taft. In the
minds of those who believe that foreign policy
is the overriding issue, who believe that the
security Of our country will depend on how we
discharge our world responsibilities, there are
doubts and misgivings.
It is hard to tell just where Senator Taft
stands on specific questions that have arisen
and where he would stand on those that will
arise. On such matters as the defense of Western
Europe he has blown hot and he has blown cold
In one statement he says that of course we must
arm O. European friends; in the next he seems
to lem toward the Western Hemisphere Gibral-
tar conct 1t.
He ais, has capacity for careless statement
that can b disturbing. For instance, speaking
at Detroit on the eve of announcing his can
didacy Senator Taft said that while we cannot
now Withdraw from Korea without admitting a
military defeat, "stalemate peace at the 38th
Parallel is better than stalemate war at the
38th Parallel" Some one should ask Senator
Taft why that is SO. Our military men are op-
posed to stalemate peace at the 38th Parallel
because such a line Is militarily indefensible.
They are trying for stalemate peace-not a
stalemate war-at line north of the 38th Par
allel which would be defensble. If Senator Taft
thinks that is mistake he should tell us why.
In his statement announcing his candidacy,
he said: "No argument can change the fact that
we lost the peace after we had won the war"
That is largely true. But we have not
reached the point of third world war, and the
key foreign policies of the present administration
are designed to head of and prevent that
calamity. If Senator Taft wants the support Of
those who believe in those policies because they
do not see any acceptable alternative he will
have to make his own position lot clearer and
firmer than it has been in the past.