Evening star., 1951-07-10
The Political Mil
YoungdohI NomineSeen
As Truman Election Bid
6. o. P. Beginning to Discount
Minnesota Voting Effect
BY Gould Lincoln

President Trumans recent appoint
ment of Gov. Luther w. Youngdahl, Re-
publican. to the Federal District Court
in the District of Columbia is being in
terpreted by Republicans on Capitol Hill
as evidence that the President intends
to run again next year. In their opinion
it was a slick political trick, aimed to
take the Republican strong man in Min
neSota out of politics and thereby give
the President a better chance to carry
the State in 1852.
Whatever the reason for the appoint
ment, Minnesota Republicans, having
caught their second wind are beginning
to discount its political effect. They
point out they have crop of able young
Republican Office holders from whom to
select their candidate for Governor next
year. Also Senator Thye, who was an ex-
,ceedingly popular Governor before he
came to the Senate, is up for reelection
in 1852, and will do much to strengthen
the party ticket.
Stassen Forces Confident.
Further. despite all the suggestions
that Gov. Youngdahls elimination from
the field of politics will lessen the
strength Of the Stassen group in Mime
sofa, these Minnesota Republicans are
confident that Harold E. Stassen, former
Governor and now president of the Uni
verSity of Pennsylvania, will gallop to
victory if he enters the Republican presi-
Dental primary in the State next March
as he is expected to do. Further, should
Mr.. Stassen-Who is believed to be
friendly to the plan to draft Gen. Dwight
D. Eisenhower for the Republican preSi-
Dental omination-determine to sup
port an Eisenhower slate of delegates,
the chances are he would be in position
to succeed in that effort. 1t is expected,
however, that Mr.. Stassen will seek the
delegation as a favorite-son candidate,
particularly if Gen, Eisenhower has not
by next March become at least a recep-
tive candidate for the Republican presi-
dental nomination.
The Truman Democrats have shown
considerable ability in political maneu-
vering in battle-ground States. 1t is re-
called that the leading Republican vote
getter in Connecticut, former Senator
and Governor Baldwin, was persuaded
to accept appointment to the supreme
court of his State couple of years ago,
thereby reducing the number Of Republic
can Senators, and making it certain, too,
that Mr.. Baldwin would not be a can
didate for Governor in 1850 against
former Gov. Chester BowleS, Truman
Democrat. This particular maneuver did
not result in the reelection of Gov.
BoWleS, who was defeated by Gov. John
Lodge, Republican. 1t did, however put
Senator Benton, Democrat, in the Sen
ate by appointment, and Mr.. Benton
was elected last year.
Speculation on Eisenhower.
There is speculation on Capitol Hill,
too, whether Mr. Truman will undertake
to keep Gen. Eisenhower so employed
he is at present supreme commander Of
the NATO forces in Europe-that Gen.
Eisenhower will not be available" for
a presidential nomination. If that should
happen, the best laid plans of a lot Of
Republicans would go for naught. and a
Truman candidacy for another term in
the White House might appear much
brighter.
Whatever the effect the Youngdahl
appointment may have on Truman pros
poets in Minnesota next year, it seems
to give the Democrats better chance to
elect Governor there. For it had been
u1luC1otOOO SOfs 1OuASQdIn NOulu cSCh
another term, and would be almost un-
heatable. And if Mr.. Youngdahl had
been reelected Governor, there was talk
of running him in 1854 against Senator
Hubert H. Humphrey, Democrat and
ardent Fair Dealer. That might have
made it extremely tough for Senator
Humphrey-who fell in, with alacrity,
with the Presidents plan to give the
judicial appointment to Gov Youngdahl.
Decidedly plenty of politics was involved.