Evening star., 1952-03-22
The Political Mil
Democratic Party Still
AT Low Ebb in Nebraska
Two Senute Seuts to Be Filled;
Tough Fight on in 6. O. p.
The Political Mn
By Gould Lincoln

ONnfA11As INCUk.s uNaks 1As--1NCUI dSkA
elects two United States Senators next
November. one of them to AL the un-
expired term Of the late Senator Wherry.
Republican floor leader of the Senate.
The expectation is that when the elec-
ton is over, the State will continue to
pe represented in the Senate-as it is
goday-by two Republicans. The DEM
ocratic Party has been for several years,
and continues to be today, at low
ebb in Nebraska.
There is tough fight, however,
among Republicans for one of the sena-
torial nominations which are to be made
in the primary April /. Gov. Val Peter
son is seeking to GUST veteran Senator
Butler. Mr.. Butler is resisting violently,
and in the opinion of many of the
politicians and observers here has the
upper hand. The Peterson people, how
ever, insist the swing among the voters
in recent days has been toward their
candidate and they have by no means
given up hope.
Senator Butler represents the hard,
conservative core of the Republican
Party in Nebraska and out of it. A
wealthy milling and grain operator, he
was Republican national committeeman
for Nebraska from 1896 to 1910, when
he was elected to the Senate for his
first term.
Second Try to Unseat Butler.
Gov. Peterson is the second Governor
to try to unseat Senator Butler. The
first was former Gov Dwight GriSWold,
in 1886. Mr. Butler won by an almost
two-to-one vote in the primary.
Generally speaking. most of the Re-
publican political leaders, of county and
precinct rank, are supposed to be lined
up for Senator Butler. Gov Peterson,
who has three times been elected chief
executive, represents the more progress
Sive section of the G.. o. p. in the State.
While the Taft-Eisenhower struggle
for the Republican presidential nominal
ton has so far been kept out of the
contest for senatorial nomination, it is
widely known that Senator Butler is an
ardent Taft supporter and that Gov.
Peterson regards Gen. Eisenhower as
the better candidate candidate whose
views would more nearly reflect his own
on both international and domestic
issues. Whether the present plan to
wage write-in campaigns for Taft and
Eisenhower, in the presidential prefer
ence primary, will give a new twist to
the senatorial primary remains to be
seen. In any event, the members of the
committee to conduct the drive for a
Taft write-in vote, headed by Represent
ative Howard Buffet, are known to be
in the Butler camp. A big swing of Senti-
ment either toward Eisenhower or Taft
might have its effect on the Peterson
Butler contest.
In the preprimary Republican con-
vention, Endorsement was given to both
Gov. Peterson and to Senator Butler
but Butler had Sd per cent of the vote
and Peterson As per cent, which seems to
have been the measure of POLITICAL
leader support which favors Senator
Butler. The Governor has been attack
ing Senator Butler on his foreign-policy
record, which is isolationist, particularly
as Butler has favored the reduction or
suspension OF foreign-aid payments Gov,
Peterson has argued to the big blocks of
citizens Of German and Scandinavian
blood that such course would sell the
Scandinavian countries and West Ger
many down the river-to Communist
Russia.
Griswold Election Certain.
torial nomination for the short term is
regarded as no contest at all. Former
Gov. Griswold, it is said. is to all in
tents and purposes nominated. His elec-
ton next November is said to be as
certain as anything in politics can be.
This represents an unusual turnover for
a man who six years ago was defeated
overwhelmingly for senatorial nomina-
ton.
Much will depend upon the turnout in
the coming primary. If the vote is light.
it may favor the organization-ba
Senator Butler. But if the interest in the
senatorial struggle, and in the presi-
Dental primary if Taft and Eisenhower
are involved by write-in campaigns.
brings out comparatively heavy vote,
Mr.. Peterson's stock may rise. There is
one theory here that Senator Butler may
suffer from a seeming desire of the
voters to oust the Gins" and get seme-
thing new in public Office both among
the Republicans and the Democrats. It
is possible, too, for Democrats and inde-
pendent voters to move into the Repub-
lican primary. except in some Is cities
in the State.