Evening star., 1952-07-05
Taft Denounces
Ruthless Drive
Says Wild Charges
Are Made Because
General Cont Win
By Robert K. Welsh

by Robert <. Welsh
Senator Taft. preparing to take
on for Chicago at 3 pm. today
accused the Eisenhower forces Of
1llling the air with libel and vitu.
peration" in q ruthless drive
that threatens Republican Party
harmony.
Gen. Eisenhower is making wild
charges because he hasn't got
enough delegates" to win the pres
1dential nomination in the Repub-
lican convention OF Chicago next
week, Senator Taft charged.
He defended the compromise
offer he made for settlement of
the Texas delegate dispute. He
declared that the Republican Ma
tional Committees decision giving
70 OF the contested delegation to
him and Is to Gen. Eisenhower
was better than the. Eisenhower
group deserved.
Sees $50 Vote Lead.
In a slashing statement and
additional comments at a news
conference in his Office before
leaving by private plane. the Ohio
Senator predicted he would lead
Gen. Eisenhower by at least $50
votes on the first ballot. He said
he believed he would win the
nomination at least on the second
ballot.
Senator Taft emphasized his
earlier assurances that he would
have no hard feelings against the
Eisenhower camp after the con-
venton. He promised that, if NOM
mated, he would ask the "all-out
support of the Eisenhower peo-
pie" He added that despite the
cries" by Eisenhower leaders in
Chicago he was confident that
his own nomination would restore
party harmony and provide the
strongest possible G. o. P. front
In the November election.
Senator Taft's formal statement
concerning the Texas delegation
situation was one of the bitterest
he has aimed at the Eisenhower
managers.
Rejection Of my offer shows the
ruthless character of the Eisen-
hover managers" he charged.
Not being able to secure enough
delegates they apparently are 60
ing to try to overwhelm the con-
vention sby the unlimited use of
propaganda through press and
radio and television system which
they think they can control. It
should be clear now that it is their
attitude, not mine. which threat
ems party harmony and success"
Disappointed at Refusal.
The statement continued:
/ am sincerely disappointed in
the refusal of the Eisenhower
forces to even consider a factual
study Of the Texas contest. NV
of1er was made in the interest of
party unity and was more gener-
Gus than any impartial group
would have found fair and eouit-
able.
1T has been met by Lodge. Duff
and Weeks with cries of NO COM
promise with fraud and with
shouts Of 'Thievery' which do not
in a way answer the proposal
which I made.
They do pot deny that II Taft
district delegates were uncon-
tested. They do not deny that
f1ve more would have been elected
regardless of the contests that
arose in one or two counties in
districts containing many other
counties. They do not deny that
four more Taft delegates were con-
tested only on frivolous grounds.
In short, they do not deny that
19 Taft district delegates were
properly elected and not even open
to the trumped-up charge of fraud.
They simply fill the air with libel
and vituperation which keep alive
the enmities I thought might be
Gained down to contribute to party
unity.
Comedies Seven Districts.
"All of the evidence offered by
the Eisenhower forces at the hear
ings relates to the seven districts
In which I was willing solely for
purposes of harmony, to concede
to the election of Eisenhower
delegates"
Senator Taft told reporters he
was confident the convention
would sustain the national COM
mittee's decision in the Texas
controversy.
Senator and Mrs. Taft plan to
fly to Chicago in a private plane
lent to them by friends. They
will be accompanied by a nurse
for Mrs. Taft and by two personal
friends of Mrs. Taft, the Senator
said.
The Ohioan told newsmen yes
terday he understood that Gen.
Douglas Macarthur would be will
ing to accept the Vice Presidential
nomination on Taft-MacArthur
ticket.
Sentaor Taft made it clear that
he was not indorsing Gen. Mac
Arthur to the exclusion of others.
There are many others who are