Evening star., 1952-06-26
BY the Assoeiatsd Pres.

PHILADELPHIA, June 90
Substantial gains for Gen. Eisen-
hover. and a hard core of sup
port for Senator Taft both are
visible in a new Associated Press
Ipoll of Pennsylvania delegation
to the Republican National Con-
vention.
Gen. Eisenhower, the poll
showed. is preferred by 80 dele
gates in the 70-vote group. That
represents a gain of IL since the
Iprevious AP poll two months ago.
Senator Taft has the backing
Iof "a delegates, many of whom
say firmly they will not vote for
Gen. Eisenhower at the conven-
ton. They add they expect the
bulk of the Pennsylvania delega-
ton to vote for Senator Taft.
when the final showdown comes.
The new Taft total shows a gain
of five for the Senator.
The number of delegates un-
decided or not willing to express
a preference at this point-10
days in advance of the conven-
tion-has been shrinking stead
lily. The AP poll, which once
listed 81 delegates in this group,
now shows only IA.
Gov. Fines Influence.
Nevertheless, the intervening
weeks have not diminished the
prospective influence of Gov. John
S. Fine in the Pennsylvania dele
CATION picture. Gov. Fine gener-
ally has been credited with being
in a position to advise or guide
the votes of 80 delegates; the Gov
ernor himself has said he believes
the total is mot less than that"
And the newest AP poll, based
on direct contacts with the dele
gates, conversations with leaders
of both Taft and Eisenhower fac
tions and many Republican lead
ers, shows 33 delegates with whom
the Governors decision may be
persuasive. Gov. Fine insists he
has not made up his mind, nor
given a commitment to any can
didate. He has indicated that he
will not announce any decision be-
fore the delegation caucuses at
Chicago July 6.
At Harrisburg, yesterday Gov.
Fine said he would back Gen.
Eisenhower for the nomination if
he decides there is "a risk of vic
tory" in the fall with any other
candidate.
He also disclosed that he polled
20 State delegates after the Taft
meeting at Hershey Tuesday and
found that a majority of them
leaned toward Gen. Eisenhower.
Breaking down the figure, he
listed II for Gen. Eisenhower and
8 for Senator Taft.
With the revision of the Penn
Sylvania tabulation, the Nation
wide Associated Press listing OF
delegate commitments and express
sions of opinion shows: Senator
Taft, 483; Gen. Eisenhower, 405;
other candidates, 129; in dispute
or undecided, 1879. This is the first
time the tabulation has listed
more than 400 delegates favoring
Gen. Eisenhower. A total of GOA
convention votes is needed for the
nomination.
Delegates Can Switch.
However, Pennsylvania dele
gates and party leaders are agreed
on one thing: The opinions ex-
pressed now are not pledged votes
for the candidates. Delegates
can-and often have in the past
switched their votes in advance of
the convention or after the bal
loting starts. State law leaves the
final decision on such action to
the delegates.
Senator Taft, for instance
claims 20 votes in Pennsylvania.
His hackers say the Senator will
get that many regardless of what
decision Gov. Fine reaches. They
estimate that with Gov. Fines
support-and say confidently they
expect to get tt-Senator Taft will