Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1952-04-12
TRAIGHT
AHEAD"

NEW YORK - (Global) - The
national political picture, still a bit
blurred to the animated, is gradual
ly coming into focus and the out
lines of its features provide sea-
soned observers with some knowl-
edge of what it will look like once
it has been fully developed.
To the naked eye, it looks as
If the showdown will be between
oen. Robert A. Taft of Ohio and
General Dwight D. Eisenhower on
The Republican side with Sen.
Estes Kefauver dominating the
Democratic Party's Convention.
However, we are likely to wit
ness some startling surprises in
both camps. 1t will be we'll to keep
a weather eye on the horizon for
the appearance of figures not yet
considered serious contenders.
AS for Senator Kefauver, it is.
hardly likely that he was original
ly tapped Tor the number one spot,
II for any spot at all Ii should be
Kept in mind, III this connection,
Cnat in 1896 Aft Landon, as the
story goes, was not pegged as a
likely winner. In that campaign,
The Republicans are said TO have
been prepared to cOncede the cleo
zion TO President Roosevelt, and
Landon's only function was to es-
rablish a rallying point for Con-
gresSlOnal candidates. What hap
lened now is history.
In the 1886 campaign, the Lit
erary Digest, prominent magazine
at the time, conducted d nation
wide poll which showed Landon
winning the election. Inspired by
the poll, the Republican leadership
is reported to have abandoned the
strategy calling for concentration
on Congressional candidates and
went out to win the Presidency.
This shift in strategy not only cost
the Presidency, with Roosevelt cap
turing As of the AZ states, but the
COP was crushed IN the Congress
sional races.
Something of this nature might
| transpire in the Kefauver situa-
zion. With President Truman out
Of the picture, and despite the fact
that he comes from a relatively
small State, Senator Kefauver could
easily rack up sufficient Conven-
ZION delegates to encourage his
supporters to make a legitimate
Did for the top spot.
On the other hand, the posi-
bility of Senator Kefauver's be-
coming serious about being Presi-
dent and making an about try for
the nomination in July is a def
mite reality. In this event, his big
gest stumbling block would be
Minnesota's Senator, Hubert Hum
phrey, who did such an electrify-
ing job at the 1913 Convention with
his speech upsetting the Resolu-
lions Committee plank on Civil
Rights which resulted in the adop-
ton of much stronger one. 1t will
be recalled that it was this change
that brought about the final split
in the Convention and the walk
out of certain Southerners to launch
the Dixiecrat movement.
The Humphrey deal, should he
be the candidate, would be a ges-
ture. Whether true or not, the
Democrats feel the Republicans will
win in 1852. AS matter of fact.
many Democrats actually hope the
Republicans are victorious. Most
good Americans are confident that
not only can the two-party system
be hurt by one party remaining in
power so long, but that the country
itself stands to lose. In this case,
Humphrey would not be too great
a sacrifice. This would seem to be
the reason Governor Stevenson of
Illinois is hesitating about making
his position known.
Popular though he is, Stevenson
would be on the short end of the
betting in the Presidential race. He
has a fair chance of being re-
elected Governor. This should mean
he will not be the Democratic
Party's candidate, which more
than likely will go to Humphrey if
the Kefauver balloon fails to stay
aloft.
-O-