Evening star., 1951-10-18
The Political Mill

Shadow Of Eisenhower
Hangs Over Taft Comp
Shrewd Politicians Believe
Runaway Roce Is Unlikely
By Gould Lincoln
Who's next? Senator Taft Of Ohio
has hit the presidential track and is
running hard at the moment. There is
wide speculation that the Taft an.
nouncement will force the hand Of Gen.
for the Republican presidential nomi-
nation. At this writing, however, this
scarcely seems probable. The Taft an
nouncement is not likely to foreclose q
mortgage on the Republican nomina-
ton. And the main reason for that
lies in the shadow Of possible Eisen-S
hover candidacy hanging over the po-
litical picture To put 1t bluntly, there will
be considerable reluctance to Jump finally
and irrevocably into the Taft camp.
when the strength Of the Eisenhower
boom is still to be disclosed. Some very
shrewd politicians have figured that
neither Mr.. Taft nor any one else is
going to tie up the G. o. P. nomination
as early as nine months before the Re-
publican convention. Therefore, they
contend. Gen. Eisenhower doesn't have
to hurry his hat into the ring-and
they may be right.
Some Of the Eisenhower supporters
less stout hearted-are now clamoring
for an early announcement from the
general that he is available" They
should understand that while Gen.
Eisenhower is in uniform, doing an i'm
portant military job in Europe, he can
not properly step out as q candidate
for the presidency. II and when Gen.
Eisenhower believes he has accomplished
that task and returns to civil life and
go into politics in big way.
1910 Nomination Recalled.
Those who fear that Senator Taft
will make runaway race In the mean
time, and go into the Republican Ma
tional Convention in July next year with
hundreds Of delegates pledged to sup
port him might well recall what hap
pened eleven years ago. At that time
Thomas e. Dewey Of New York and
Robert A. Taft of Ohio were the out
standing early possibilities for the Re-
publican presidential nomination of
1910. Gov. Dewey entered the national
convention that year with far more
delegates pledged" or promised to him
than any other candidate, and Senator
Taft was second. But along came an
eleventh-hour entry by the name of
Wendell L. Willkie, with no early pledges
of support at all.
The demand" for willkie was a
masterpiece of political PROPAGANDA
engaged in by practically all the fnan.
cial interests in the country. They
had, however, an attractive personality
to offer the people; also something new.
Who is to say that Gen. Eisenhower will
be less attractive to the rank-and-file
Republicans than was Willkie? Or that
the drive for an Eisenhower nomination
will be less Skillfully made, when tho
time arrives next year?
This will be Senator Taft's fourth an.
pearance as candidate for the G. o. p.
presidential nomination-his third seri.
Gus one. In 1885, Taft was the favorite-
son-candidate Of Ohio. He was used,
however. to keep the Ohio delegation to
the party's national convention solidly
IN line rather than with expectation he
could be nominated. That was two years
before he was first elected Senator. His
second appearance was in 1910, when he
was runner-up to Willkie, after the
Dewey pledged" delegates had fallen
away from the New Yorker, and his third
was In lS48, when he lost to Gov. Dewey.
Stronger Than Ever Before.
Senator Taft. however. Is entering this
night IN stronger position than ever be-
lore. There are several reasons. He has
shown himself able to win elections
against strong opposition of the labor
bosses and the Democrats. He has
gained IN experience as a campaigner
ana in stature as a statesman. If it
were not for the Eisenhower threat.
Taft's nomination would appear assured,
and even with that threat, he may vet
win.
Probably it will be some time before
another candidate for the Republican
nomination steps forth with q public
announcement. This does not mean.
however, that number of them are not
already running-no matter how quietly.
Take the Governor Of California, for ex-
ample, Earl Warren: the Governor of
New Jersey, Alfred e. Driscoll; Minority
Leader Joe Martin Of the House and
Senator Lodge, both Of Massachusetts.
and Senator Dirksen Of Illinois. Gov.
Warren does motor has not In the
past-made announcement" but he has
turned up at Republican national con-
ventions with the big California delega.
tion firmly in his pocket. These gentle
men do not know whether Gen. Eisen.
hover Is to run or not-but If there il
a big fight between the Taft and Eisen.
hover supporters-and neither can win.
they want to be in position to reap the
benefit.