Evening star., 1951-12-03
Eisenhower Tells Cole
He Is 'FIattered' by
Backing in House Poll

SNSssss ~ uVWSS VII
An informal poll showing that
81 House Republicans favor Gen.
Eisenhower for the presidential
nomination brought a comment
today from Gen. Eisenhower that
he was "flattered." But it brought
no indication whether he will be
available.
The poll. taken last September
by Representative Cole, Repub-
lican, of New York. gave Senator
Taft, Republican. of Ohio, II
votes as first choice for the nomi-
nation. Mr.. Cole sent the re-
suits to Gen. Eisenhower and
received the following reply,
dated November %:
Il would be less than human
II I did not feel f1attered to know
that certain of your colleagues
in the House feel that I have the
necessary qualifications to fill the
highest post in our country. I am
also appreciative of your warm
Endorsement of the work we are
engaged in here. as well as your
sympathetic understanding of nv
present position. It was most
thoughtful of you to comment on
these things in your press re-
lease"
No Comment in September.
Mr.. Cole repeated an earlier
comment he made when Gen.
Eisenhower wrote last September
that he could not comment on
results of the poll. Mr.. Cole said
he could 'easily understand Gen.
Eisenhower's position"
Gen. Eisenhower's comment on
the poll was viewed today by Sen
ator Monroney, Democrat. of
Oklahoma as not committing him
either for or against seeking the
nomination.
Meanwhile, Senator Taft, an
announced candidate for the Re-
publican presidential nomination,
was busy strengthening his forces
by bringing former supporters of
Gov. Thomas E. Dewey and Harold
E. StaSsen into his campaign or
ganization.
Reported Backing Gabrielson.
He named LiSle L. Wallace asl
his Indiana manager. Mr.. Wallace,
close associate of Republican
Senators Capehart and Jenner of /
that State. was secretary of the
l948 Indiana delegation which
cast its vote for Gov. Dewey.
Appointment of Mr.. Wallace
was in line with a move Senator
Taft made several days ago in Sc
lectlng Republican National Com
mltteeman Roy E. Dunn as his
Minnesota manager. Mr.. Dunn
supported former Gov. Stassen of
Minnesota in the 1948 convention.
There were reliable reports also
that Senator Taft has assured
Republican National Chairman
Guy G. Gabrielson of his backing
if any attempt is made to unseat
the chairman at the national
committees scheduled meeting in
San Francisco in January.
Caucus to Name Successor.
Senator Nixon. Republican. of
California, has told reporters he
feels certain the issue will arise
at the meeting. He urged Mr..
Gabrielson to resign after it was
disclosed that he sought extern
sion of an RFC loan to a company
of which he is president and
counsel. Mr.. Gabrielson declared
he had done nothing wrong.
After the funeral of Senator
Wherry in Nebraska today, Sem
ator Taft and other Republican
leaders were expected to confer
briefly tomorrow on a successor
to Senator Wherry as Senate
minority leader. They seemed un-
likely to announce their stand at
this time. Senator Wherry's sue
cessor as floor leader will be
chosen at a caucus of all Repub- |
lican Senators later this month.
In another political develop |
ment. James B. Carey, secretary
treasurer of the CIO, said in a !
television appearance last night
that he does not know whether |
organized labor would support
Gen. Eisenhower for President be-
cause I'VE don't know how he
stands on various questions.
Urges Housecleaning.
Mr.. Carey said Gen. Eisenhower
should submit his name to the
American people for the 1852 elec-
tons. The CIO official added that
his organization will not support
Senator Taft but does not oppose
him being a candidate because
We believe he symbolizes what the
Republican Party stands for"
On the Democratic side. Rep
resentative Kennedy of Massa-
chusetts declared that the admin
istration will have to clean
house" if it expects to win next
year. He added, however, that he
believes the party will be able to
clean out the comparatively small
group of men" involved in disclos-
ures of corruption or impropriety