Evening star., 1951-12-30
Republicans Certain
OF Heated Campaign
Before Convention
BY Gould Lincoln

up, presaging vigorous pre-con-
vention campaign during the next
six months. Senator Robert A.
Taft, Gov. Earl Warren and Harold
E. StaSSen all have formally an
nounced their candidates. and
opened headquarters.
Three other potential nominees,
Gen. Eisenhower, Gov. Driscoll of
New Jersey and Senator Dirksen
OF Illinois are saying nothing-al-
though campaign managers and
headquarters for the general have
been selected and a serious cam
paign already has started to
draft" him for nomination.
No direct move has been made
either by or for Gov. Driscoll or
Senator Dirksen. New Jersey re-
ports say Gov. Driscoll is bending
all his efforts toward getting a
New Jersey National Convention
delegation that will stick together.
In 1948, sentiment in the Jersey
delegation divided among Mr..
Stassen, Senator Taft and Gov.
Thomas E. Dewey. Gov. DriscollI
realizes, it Is said, that if delega-
tion, committed to stand for one
candidate, or for no candidate,
but willing to stick together is
chosen, it can be an effective po-
Ltical weapon in event of dead
locked convention. The delegation
could be used to turn the tide to-
ward one of the deadlocked can
dldates, toward a dark horse" or
toward Gov. Driscoll.
Would Favor Eisenhower.
So far. Gov. DriScoll has not
committed himself to any of the
avowed candidates or near-candi-
dates. He would, however, go along
with the Eisenhower brand of
foreign policy rather than that of
Senator Taft and probably would
be found in the Eisenhower corner
at the national convention.
On the other hand, Senator
Dlrksen has come out strongly for
Senator Taft, and has accepted a /
post in the Taft campaign. Sena-
tor DirkSen has received speaking
invitations from all parts of the
country, not because he Is for
Taft but because he is recognized
as an outstanding speaker and
Republican.
The Republican Convention !
could easily deadlock if the Taft L
and Eisenhower drives are strongly !
pressed and neither has major
lty OF the delegates when the ses-
sionS open in Chicago. In that Il
event either Senator DirkSen or
Governor Driscoll might be given
O run-and might be the party '
nominee. 1t is equally true that
either Gov. Warren or Mr.. Stassen
might be the choice of a dead
locked convention.
Macarthur Has Following.
Gen. Macarthur, another widely 4
acclaimed Republican, still has a
considerable following who would
like to see him nominated. So far,
outside Of attacking the Truman
administration and delivering one
speech in which he spoke favor
ably of Senator Taft, Gen. Mac
Arthur has kept out of presidential
politics. He said on his return
to this country that he did not in
tend to enter politics or to run for
Office.
In some quarters it has been
suggested by Gen Macarthur, re-
garded by many as the most elo-
Quent speaker in America today,
should be named temporary chair
man and keynote speaker of the
Republican Convention. The Sc
lection is made by the committee Z
on arrangements of the Republi-
can National Committee and the !
committees choice is not expected !
for some time. Some politicians :
say a speech by Gen. Macarthur
to convention that threatened
to become deadlocked, might
easily bring a stampede of dele
gates to him.
StasSen Gets Favorable Reaction. c
Reaction to the Stassen an {
nouncement has been favorable on 5
the whole-although Government e
employees have resented his prom
ise to get rid of 100000 loafers"
on the Federal payroll. The for I
mer Minnesota Governor had been {
given leave of absence from the Z
University of Pennsylvania presi- 1
dents office to make his campaign 6
"a leave which the board of trus- (
tees has retained the right to end
at any time. T
Mr.. StaSSen's entry into the Ie
presidential race is stirring Penn 10
sylvania Republican politicians. u
Senator Duff-who sought a coali- Il
tion of Taft and Stassen strength D
to prevent the nomination of Gov. i
Dewey in 1948, in the hope a t
deadlock would bring the nominal
ton of the late Senator Vanden-
berg of Michigan-now is actively '
leading the Eisenhower move S
ment. His colleague, Senator i
Martin, who swung the majority r
of the Pennsylvania delegation to t
Gov. Dewey against the wishes of /
the then Gov. Duff, is regarded v
as favorable to Senator Taft. II
1t is of interest that Senator
Duff and Gov. Dewey are both /
in the Eisenhower camp. Widely v
varying reports are circulating C
regarding the attitude of the r
Pennsylvania delegates at the G
convention. One is that Senator
Duff can control only a minority. S
Should the Grundy faction line l
up for Senator Taft, and should {
Senator Martin go along. it would
be difficult for Senator Duff
unless popular sentiment for Gen. {
Eisenhower should be running
very strongly.
The Democrats still are waiting
to learn what President Truman
plans to do. If he runs again,
it seems unlikely he will be chal-