Evening star., 1952-04-20
Editors Straw Vote
Makes Eisenhow(~
3to Choice 10 Win

; 10 | Choice 10 Win
A major segment of Americas
editors gave the nod to Gen.
Eisenhower yesterday as the
likely victor in the presidential
race.
The general won a 3-to-1
margin over all other contenders
in a straw vote among members
of the American Society of News
paper Editors. Eighty-one voted
and so picked Gen. Eisenhower.
Only 13 named Senator Taft.
The Ohio senator trailed the
retiring NATO leader closely in
a vote on the editors personal
choice. however. The vote here
was 81 for Eisenhower, "a for
Taft. The tally represented not
quite a fourth of the society's
membership.
The balloting, at a breakfast
given by Sigma Delta Chi. jour-
nalism fraternity, was a feature
of the closing day of the annual
ASNE convention.
Russell in Third Place.
On both ballots Senator Rus
sell of Georgia took third spot,
with three votes on the first and
seven on the second. Other re-
suits were:
On probable victor-Gov. War !
ren, 2; Senator Kefauver, Presi- |
dent Truman and w. Averell
Hartman, l apiece. On personal
choice-Gov. Stevenson, 4: Ke-
fauver, 3; Warren, 3: Senator
Dirksen, 2; Senator Mundt. Paul
Hoffman. Senator Douglas, Gen.
Macarthur and House Speaker
Rayburn, apiece.
The editors later heard that /
newspapermen must do more "leg
work and head work and less
guess work" if they are to predict
the election results better than in
1948.
Basil L. Walters of the Knight
Newspapers told his colleagues
newsmen failed in 1948 because
they covered politicians and fell
low newspapermen and not the |,
people," And he branded opinion
polls as good only for "amuse-
ment." The label brought pro-
tests.
James Reston, Pulitzer prize
winning New York Times reporter,
suggested newspapers should make
their own last-minute election
surveys and pool their findings.
But he questioned the ability of
any paper to predict the outcome.
Propriety of Gifts Argued.
In another session, a panel dis
puted the propriety of editors &C
cepting favors. Fred w. Stein of
the Binghamton IN. " Press said
they should not take free rides or
theater tickets, hold public office
or serve on civic committees be-
cause such actions would impair
their independence.
But George w. Healy. jr.. OF the
New Orleans Times-Picayunes re-!
piled that accepting such things
sometimes helped the editor do al
better job for his readers. He cited
q trip to Germany in 1945 onI
which the War Department.
showed German atrocities.
THAT ride was definitely no
pleasure trip" he asserted.
Stanley P. Barnett of the
Cleveland Plain Dealer and Her.
bert r. Corn, managing editor
Of The Star, were the other PANEL
members. They also took issue
with Mr.. Stein.
The society in its only resolu-
ton expressed qualification att
the action of the Lake Charles
Oa.) District Court Friday in
acquitting five Louisiana news
papermen of charges of defaming
local officials. The editors called
the charges IAN apparent effort
to intimidate newspapermen in
the discharge of their duties"
Bryan New President.
Wright Bryan of the Atlanta
journal was elected as the
society's new president. succeed
ing Alexander F. Jones of the
Syracuse IN. " Herald-Journal.
Other new officers are:
Mr.. Walters, first vice president;
James S. Pope, Louisville Courier
journal, second vice president;
Kenneth Macdonald, Des Moines
Register and Tribune, secretary
(re-elected) ,and Virginius Dabney,
Richmond Times-Dispatch, trea-
surer.
Two new directors also were
named. They are j. Russell
Virgins of the Washington Post
and Felix r. Mcknight Of the
Dallas Morning News. Mr.. Mac
Donald, Mr.. Healy of the New
Orleans Times-Picayune and
Jenkin Lloyd Jones of the Tulsa
Tribune were reelected to the