Evening star., 1952-06-15
Republicans
Contested-Seuts Fiqht
Recalls 1912 Battle
BY J. A. O'Leory


Eisenhower battle in the Republican
convention may be like return en-
gagement of the tumultuous G.. o. P.
drama of 1912.
Forty years ago it was President
William Howard Taft. father of the
present Ohio Senator. seeking a Sec
ond term against the comeback drive
of former President Theodore Rocse-
velt. Then. as now, the battle ccn-
tered around the seating of rival
delegations. Then, as now, one Of
the main skirmishes was over the
Texas delegation. Then, as now. the
setting for the battle was Chicago.
The forces of Senator Taft demon
strated last week that they are in
control of the Committee on Ar
rangements. They named Taft men
to three strategic convention posts:
Gen. Douglas Macarthur, to deliver
the Keynote speech; Walter S. Halla-
nan OF West Virginia. to be tenn
porary chairman of the convention,
and Senator Millikin of Colorado, to
head the Platform Committee.
But whether they will have the
upper hand when the convention it.
self assemblies on July 7, as the
senior Taft had 40 years ago. re-
mains to be seen. The parallel may
end with the preliminaries.
There are no indications now that
the last act will be the same this
year as in 1912. Theodore Roosevelt.
who lost his 1912 fight over the seat
ing OF contested delegations. began
making plans to organize new
party (the Bull MooSe) without watt
ing for the convention to renominate
President Taft. This year Senator
Taft has said he would support Gen.
Eisenhower if he wins the nominal
ton. And the general told his abb
lene press conference he would SUD-
port any Republican who espouSes
the 1850 declaration of Republican
principles, which would include Sen
ator Taft.
NotionoI Committee
Although this years convention
opens July 7, the Eisenhower
struggle actually will get under way
nearly week earlier. The national
committee will meet about july 1
Tor the first round of hearings on
contested delegations.
From these hearings the nationa,
committee will make I'M tho torn
porary roll-the delegates entitled
80 sit IN the convention during the
organizing process.
Any delegation dissatisfied with the
decision of the national committee
on contest may appeal to the Gre
dentials Committee. That COMMITTEES
then holds hearings. It's report to
the convention is the basis for form
ing the permanent roll of delegates
VINO Will vote on the candidates.
Credentials Committee
Whether the Taft forces are as
strong on the Credentials Committee
as they were in the Arrangements
committee last week is not easy to
predict.
The Credentials Committee consists
OF one member from each State and
territory, selected by the State dele
gatlonS. 1t would be possible, under
thls arrangement, for the credentials
group to present different viewpoint
from the national committee. The
rules allow the Credentials Commit
tee members to attend the original
hearings before the national com.
mlttee. but. not to vote on prelimi-
nary decisions of the national COM
mittee.
A rule adopted by the Republican
convention of 1914 may become an
important factor in the contests this
year. Although 1T was adopted at a
time when the supporters of Gov.
Dewey were in control, it may add to
the difficulties this year of the man
Gov. Dewey is supporting - Gen.
Eisenhower. The rule reads:
"All contests arising in any State
electlng district delegates by district
conventions, shall be decided by it's
state convention, or if the State
convention shall not meet prior to
the national convention, then by its
State Committee, and only contests
affecting delegates-at-l Large shall be
presented to the national conven.
ton"
In contests involving 10 delegates
IN Mississippi Louisiana, Georgia and
Virginia. the Republican National
Committee actually applied the 1914
rule on Friday. Mrs. Charles P.
Howard, secretary of the committee.
sent ii OF the contested seats back to
the States for decision because they
involved district delegates. The ma
tlonal committee announced it will
pass on the remaining eight seats
four each in Louisiana and Missis-
sippi-because they are for delegates
at-large.
The Texas contest, involving 80
district and at-large seats, has
been filed, but no decision on proce-
dure has been reached. A reliable
source indicated that the action
taken Friday does not necessarily
mean that the same course will be
followed in the Texas case. A de-
cision on Texas is due early this
week.
A strict Interpretation of the 1914
rule could reduce the number of con-
tested seats to handful. if followed
in all the States
In Texas, for example, a question
could arise as to whether the pri-
mary process could be broken down
into district conventions. There
the delegates are chosen in a State
convention. The State convention
was made up of delegates picked at
county conventions. The county
conventions. in turn, consisted of
delegates chosen at precinct meet.
ings.