Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-09-23
Roberts Clears the Way
For Draft of Ike
Writer Discusses Probability
Of Eisenhower Condidocy
By Frank R. Kent

In the last year hundreds Of stories
concerning Gen. Eisenhower and the
presidency have appeared in print.
There is hardly an editor, columnlSt.
commentator or correspondent who has
not presented his view as to what the
general has in mind and what he will do.
Some have him drafted by one party.
some by the other, some by both. Some
have elected him overwhelmingly. Others
have ruled him out altogether on the
ground that he will not permit himself
to be nominated. In all this welter of
opinion, analysis, representation and
speculation there have been very few
basic facts until a few days ago, when
Roy Roberts of the Kansas City Star
spoke out on television program.
An old and warm friend of Gen.
Eisenhower and an exceedingly astute
and experienced political observer, Mr..
Roberts made two unequivocal state
ments: % That Gen. Eisenhower is a
Republican; CO that "the military stu
alton permitting" he will gladly accept
draft from the Republicans. There is
so much supporting evidence for these
statements that it does seem they must
be accepted.
Concerning his Republicanism, Mr..
Roberts explained quite simply that he
knows the general is Republican be-
= cause he told him so. But it should not
have been necessary to make that state
ment. For between the time the general
became president of Columbia Uni
versity and the time he took over the
job of building up a united armed force
in Europe he made a number of speeches
in different places which made it per-
fectly clear that at least he was neither
New Dealer nor a Fair Dealer.
AS to the generals personal feeling
about being President, it goes without
saying that if the military situation
next year seems to need him he will
not be available for draft. But if "the
military situation permits" common
sense tells us that Mr.. Roberts is right
and he will gladly accept a draft from
the Republicans" Because it has been
clear for five years that the idea Of
being President is not repugnant to the
general and that, "the military situation
permitting" the desire is there
which is natural, human and right. II
there were anything distasteful to him
about the presidency, he long ago could
have ended his boom and stopped the
activity Of his friends. All he had to
do was follow the example of Gen.
Marshall. who. some years ago, met
a similar movement to nominate him
in these words: Il would like to say
that am not now-nor will I ever be
available for any elective Office"
From that moment all speculation
about Gen. Marshall for President
ceased. Everybody knew he meant ex-
actly what he said. Gen. Eisenhower
could have said the same thing any
time in the past five years with tie
same result. He never has said any
thing like it. The difference between
him and Gen. Marshall is that the
latter really had no desire to be Presi-
dent and the whole discussion of his
name was distaSteful to him. II it were
distasteful to Ike, he could have
stopped it just as effectively.
1t is true that no one ever will be
drafted for a presidential nomination.
against his will or without in some way
conniving in the draft. The strength OF
Senator Taft makes it clear there can
be no Eisenhower draft without con-
vention fight. If Mr.. Roberts makes
sense-and he does-and if he under
stands Eisenhower's position-and he
does-this means that, always with 'the
military situation permitting" ike"
will be glad to have his supporters
make a convention fight for him. -