Evening star., 1952-11-20
The Political Mill
CuIiforniu's S Political
Influence Growing
KnowIond Moy Leod Senote
As Stute's Power Rises
By Gould Lincoln


By Gould Lincoln
CALIFORNIA; place in the political sun
grows brighter. Not only did the State
roll up an 100000 lead for Gen. Eisen-
hover in the election, but it helped
elect its own junior Senator, Richard
Nixon, Vice President by a similar
margin. Now it's senior Senator, William
Knowland, is candidate for Republic
can floor leader of the Senate-and
likely to get the leadership if the
"amicable agreement" among Republic
cans on the new organizational setup is
worked out.
1t all depends on Senator Taft's
willingness to continue as chairman of
the Republican Policy Committee of the
Senate. If the Ohio Senator prevails
upon Gen. Eisenhower to invite the
Republican triumvirate of the Senate the
chairman of the party conference, chair
man OF the policy committee and floor
leader-to attend the weekly conferences
which Presidents have held in recent
years with the congressional leaders
OF their own party, Mr.. Taft may be
satisfied. 1t is presumed that the Presi-
dent-elect will fall in with that idea.
Bridges Wants Job.
Senator Bridges of New Hampshire is
the present Republican floor leader.
chosen after the death of Senator
Wherry OF Nebraska. The New Hamp-
shire Senator would like to take over
the Craftsmanship of the Senate Ap.
preparations Committee and be elected
president pro tempore of the Senate.
with that Offices perquisites. Since Mr..
Bridges will hold on to the floor leader
post. If necessary to prevent knock
down, drag-out fight among the Senate
Republicans, he acts as a brake on the
situation. If Senator Millikin of Colorado
retains the Craftsmanship of the Re-
publican conference, and Senator Taft
that of the Policy Committee Senator
Bridges can gracefully relinquish the
f1oor-leader job to Senator Knowland.
No other Senator has announced himself
candidate for the job, although Sena-
tor Taft has said he is available"
These offices are filled at meeting of
the full Republican membership of the
Senate. 1t will be held presumably about
the time of the convening of the 83d
Congress, January g. Sometimes these
meetings become extremely tempera-
mental ana unpredlctable.
Power Will Grow.
Callfornia'S power politically, however,
will continue to grow whatever happens
in connection with the Republican floor
leadership. In the new Congress, be-
cause OF tremendous growth in popu-
latlon during the last decade Cali.
fornia will have seven more members
In its House delegation, total of 30.
This places California up alongside of
Pennsylvania and second only to New
York.
When Senator Nixon resigns to take
up his duties as Vice President, Gov.
Warren will appoint Republican in his
place-and the Governor has made it
abundantly clear he is not himself in
terested in coming to the Senate. As Of
today, the only reasonably sure thing
about the appointment is that it will go
to Republican from Southern Cali
fornla. Senator Knowland is from the
northern part of the State.
But while Gov Warren is reported to
have no desire to have himself appointed
to Senator Nixon's place in the Senate.
he might be selected by Gen. Eisen-
hover for a cabinet post-either At
torney General or Secretary of the In
terror. His appointment to the cabinet
would be popular with the country.
Cross Filing System.
The effort made to upset the Cali
torn1a cross-f1ling system for making
nominations for public Office has appar-
emily failed-although the absentee bal
lots are still to be counted. This system
permits Republican to file for both
the Republican and the Democratic
nominations for Senate, for Governor,
etc. A Democrat may cross-f1le in the
same way.
In his second race for Governor. Gov.
Warren won both the Republican and
Democratic nominations Last spring,
Senator Knowland won the Democratic
as we'll as the Republican nomination for
Senator. These are only samples. The
proposal on the ballot this year to do
away with cross-filing was backed by
the Democrats and their allies, the labor
union leaders.
One of the arguments for the pro-
posal-No. 13 on the ballot-was that
as things now stand. party discipline
cannot be exerted at all. In State
where the Democratic registration is
almost million greater than the Re-
publican, the Democrats have been much
chagrined because they failed to win
important victories.
One change in the method of making
nominations was made-proposal No. Z.
Under 1t, when Republican cross-files
Or Democrat-his name will appear
on the ballots as a Republican or a
Democrat, so the voters may know the
real party allegiance of the candidates.
In the past the names have appeared on
both Republican and Democratic ballots
without party designation This amend
ment was proposed by supporters Of
cross -filing-as an Offset to No. 13.