Evening star., 1951-12-18
The Political Mil
6. 0. P. Politics Will Go
Into High Gear Jan. Is
National Committee Sessions
Set in San francisco
By Gould Lincoln

Republican presidential politics goes
into high gear in San Francisco January
Is. when the G. o. P. national commit
tee opens what is virtually three-day
session in that city.
At least four of the potential
nominees will be strongly represented
with headquarters of their own-at-
tempting a 1ourishing business for
delegates to the July national conven-
ton of the party. The Eisenhower-for
President group will have, it is ex-
pected Senator Lodge of Massachusetts,,
campaign manager for ike" and Sen
ator Carlson of Kansas, one of the CO.
chairmen of the Eisenhower commit
tee, on hand to look after the generals
interests. The Taft supporters, and those
Of Gov. Warren of California and of
Harold E. Stassen, president of the Uni
versity of nsylvania-provided he
has not withdrawn in favor of Gen.
Eisenhower by that time - will be on
hand in force.
While the meeting of the national
committee is primarily to act on reports
from its committees on call and on ar
rangementS for the national convention,
the maneuvering of the presidential
candidates and their supporters will be
intense. The Eisenhower people already
nave representatives working in
number OF the States in drive to offset
the activities Of the friends Of Senator
Taft of Ohio-the first man to fling
his hat in the ring.
"Second Choice" Pledges.
Pledges of Second choice" support
will be vigorously sought by all the
candidates at the San Francisco meet
ing. Obviously, if the Eisenhower man
ayers can get a promise from the War
rem people and another from the Stas-
sen people to swing in behind Gen,
Dwight D. Eisenhower, if their candi-
dates cannot make the grade in Chicago
next July, it will mean the field against
Senator Taft. Therefore, the Taft mana
gers will be just as actively seeking sec
ond-choice support for their man.
The first presidential preferential pri-
mary will take place March II in New
Hampshire, less than two months after
the San Francisco meeting of the ma
tional committee. Gen. Eisenhower's
name will be entered in that primary
and he has strong support there and
should clean up. Once he has accom-
plished that feat. he will be regarded
as definitely a candidate, whether he
makes an announcement or not And,
indeed, he is already looked upon. not
only as available" but also as a recep-
tive candidate by. many of the Repub-
lican leaders.
Senator Taft has a strong following
in the Republican National Committee,
nj inIIlo Y-ly
that organization, representing the
hard, conservative core of the Repub-
lican Party. National Committeeman
Reece of Tennessee. Brown of Ohio.
Schroeder of Illinois, Gates of Indiana,
Spangler OF Iowa and Dunn of Minne-
sofa are counted, for example, in the
Taft corner. On the other hand. the
Eisenhower group have j. Russell
Sprague of New York, Harry Darby of
Kansas and Ralph Cake of Oregon as
representatives on the committee.
Gabrielson Believed Safe.
If any attempt to unseat Republican
National Chairman Guy George Gabriel
son of New Jersey is made at the
San Francisco meeting, it will come as
surprise. All factions appear to have
agreed to leave Mr.. Gabrielson alone,
although at one time loud cries for his
scalp were raised, on the ground that
he had been involved in RFC loans to
company of which he was chief counsel
and president This, it was argued,
would lessen the strength of the Re-
publican attack on the Truman admin
istration. based on charges that many
Government loans had been obtained
through political influence. The Demo-
Gratis have ditched their former chair
man, William M. Boyle, jr. (although
he resigned before any custer move was
made against him). who also was &C
cused of using influence to obtain RFC
loans for friends.
Mr.. Gabrielson is expected to go out
of Office as national chairman. in any
event, as soon as the Republican presi-
Dental nominee has been chosen, and
therefore will not be target for the
Democrats in the election campaign.
The inclination of the great number Of
Republicans is to let the Craftsmanship
issue rest until the party's nominee has
been chosen and he. in turn, is ready
to pick national chairman as his cam
paign manager.