Evening star., 1951-09-04
The Political Mill
COP. Faces Tough Foe
In Moody Of Michigan
Democratic Governor WiIIioms
Also q Formidable Problem
The Political Mil
By Gould Lincoln

SOoI0 6uSVH
Unless the Republicans in Michigan
bury their hatchet and turn their at
tention to total effort to defeat their
Democratic opponents, they may be in q
bad way when the election returns are
counted in 1852. They face two prob
lens. The first is finding a candidate
who can take the measure of Senator
Blair Moody, Democrat, who was ap-
pointed this year to fill the vacancy in
the Upper House created by the death Of
Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg. The
second is to whip up enough strength to
defeat an exceedingly popular Governor.
c. Mennen Williams, the Democrat who
won reelection in 1861 year in which
Republicans were riding high, wide and
handsome in many of the States.
For their candidate for Governor, the
Republicans are likely to turn to Fred
erick Alger, secretary of state. If fac
tional troubles are eliminated, and Alger
is nominated. he should make a strong
candidate. The Alger name means some
thing in Michigan and the present Sec
retary Of state is descendant of one
time Secretary Of War.
Still at Skies and Sevens.
In the matter of candidate for Sen
ator. the Republicans are still at skies
and sevenS. Here they will miss tremen-
dously the late Senator Vandenberg. Had
he lived he probably would have been
unbeatable-and he might have carried
the entire Republican slate along with
him. Two VandenbergS are potential
candidates for the nomination-Arthur
H. Vandenberg, jr., son of the late Sem
ator, and 1t. Gov. Vandenberg. Auditor
General John Martin is an avowed
candidate, and Representative Shafer
Of Battle Greek has indicated a willing
ness to run.
Whether any one of them is capable
OF taking the measure OF Senator Moody
is major question. Senator Moody, a
new and attractive figure in Michigan
politics, is already giving good account
OF himself. Despite the fact he has been
Senator only matter Of months, he is
already emerging as an active supporter
OF the Truman administration in two
OF the major issues of the national cam
paign-foreign policy and the control
Of prices He delivered one Of the prin-
cipal speeches in the Senate in support
OF the foreign military and economic
bill, which recently passed. And it was
he who came to the defense of President
Truman when Senator Capehart Of In
diana, Republican, denounced Mr.. Tru-
man as deliberately miSinforming the
public in connection with the Price Con-
trolls Act.
The late Senator Vandenberg had a
tremendous part in the So-called bipar-
tisan foreign policy of this country, dur
ing and after the last war, and became
the leading Republican spokesman in
Congress on foreign policy. Senator
Moody has tied himself firmly to the
Vandenberg idea Of foreign policy-and
Republicans 'ho supported the late
Senator will have difficulty attacking
him in that field.
Deluged With Speech Bids.
Senator Moody is hard worker, CIV
ing his time unstintingly to his sena-
torial duties He is deluged with invita-
tionS to speak in all parts of his State,
and as often as he can he travels to
Michigan. His receptions there have
been excellent-particularly as he
throws himself wide open to questioning
by his audiences and takes stand on
the issues raised.
Much will depend on the presidential
nominee Of the Democratic Party. More
and more Democrats are taking it for
granted that Mr. Truman will run again.
Some Of the Presidents visitors say he
tells two Stories-that his family and he
himself would prefer his retirement, on
the one hand. and, on the other, that if
his critics continue to lambast him and
his programs, he will seek vindication.
Administration forces are doing their
best to build up Senator Moody, real
izing the Importance of holding this
Senate seat. One of the latest examples
came from Jonathan Daniels, North
Carolina publisher, who went so far as
to suggest that Senator Moody might be
selected for the vice presidential nomi-i
nation to run with the President.