Evening star., 1951-11-24
The Political Mill
Vinson Now Is Rumored
Trumun's S Second Choice
Chief Justice in Poor Position
To Be Announced Cundidote
By Gould Lincoln

BY Gould Lincoln
Did President Truman offer the Dem
ocratic presidential nomination to Chief
Justice Fred vinson-or at least his
support for that nomination
the Chief Justices THANKSGIVING Day
visit in Key West? And if he did, does
it make the Chief Justice look like a
second choice" in view of the pub
lished reports that Mr.. Truman not long
ago offered to support Gen. Dwight D.
Eisenhower for the nomination?
The word has long been going the
rounds that Mr.. Vinson would be the
Presidents choice for the Democratic
presidential nomination If the President
himself was not to run. It's very evi-
dent. however that the Chief Justice is
in an even less good position to become
an announced candidate for the presi-
dental nomination than is the general
OF the NATO forces in Europe, Eisen-
hover. He would have to leave the
bench IN hurry If he let it be known
publicly he was available" And if the
Chief Justice left the bench, he might
find it exceedingly difficult to win the
presidential nomination, even with Mr..
Trumans backing.
Keeps Others Under Wraps.
So-some of the wise hackers of the
Chief Justice are contending that
neither the President nor the Chief JUS
tice will say a word, right up to the
time Of the meeting Of the Democratic
National Convention. This would have
the effect Of keeping all other potential
candidates under wraps and making it
possible for the Truman forces in the
convention to swing the plum to the
Chief Justice.
The Vinson supporters argue. first.
that President Truman will not run to
succeed himself because he does not
want to and because it is clear that the
American people have turned their
backs on presidential third term
which another term for Mr.. Truman
would in reality be. Second, they con-
tend that Mr.. Vinson. Kentuckian,
would be able to unite the Democratic
Party-which is to say that he would
be acceptable to the anti Truman Dem
ocrats in the South. Third, they say
that the scandals in the Federal agen-
cies Of Government-the Internal Reve-
nue. Bureau and the RFC, for example,
while they do not touch Mr.. Truman
himself, have made it necessary that
the Democratic nominee be as pure as
Caesars wife. Mr.. Vinson, they contend,
would I'LL that bill exactly.
Only few weeks ago, Democratic
leaders from here to the Pacific Coast
were all saying that President Truman
was to be candidate to succeed him
self in the White House. Now more and
more Democratic leaders are popping up
each day ready to argue that the Presi-
dent will not be a candidate. They
think he has made up his mind not to
run and will stick to it.
Some Prefer Rayburn.
Not all of these leaders, however, are
sold on the idea Of Mr.. vinson for their
party standard bearer. Some Of them
insist that, notwithstanding the respect
in which the Chief Justice is held and
his experience in many governmental
jobs, he is not "colorful" They would
prefer they say, Speaker Sam Rayburn
Of Texas, who can make a fighting
speech at the drop of a hat-and who
is no older than President Truman.
This Is not quite true, for Speaker Ray
burn was born in January, 1882, and
will be 10 years old next year, and Mr..
Truman was born in May, 1884, and
will be 68. MIR Vinson, by the way, will
be 81.
There is a third category among the
Democrats. In it are the leaders who
predict that If Mr.. Truman bows him.
self out, the Democratic National Con-
vention will take the nomination in its
own hands and decide on presidential
candidate without dictation from the
President or any one else. They point
to flock Of younger Democrats
Gov. Mennen Williams of Michigan,
Gov. Stevenson of Illinois, Senator Ke-
fauver Of Tennessee, Senator Humphrey
of Minnesota, Gov. Lausche of Ohio and
others. who will have their hackers.
They are just waiting for Mr.. Truman
to say he will not run.
In the meantime, what did Mr.. Tru-
man say to Chief Justice Vinson-and
what did the Chief Justice reply?' 1t
is argued by some that if the Demo-
cratic National Convention should
draft" Vinson, he would have to &C
cept, no matter whether he desired to
remain in his present high Office or not.
They hold that no man can refuse a
draft to public Office while the Govern
ment is drafting boys to fight in Korea.
Questions and Answers
any question OF fact by either writing Tne