Evening star., 1952-10-12
Political Con1poigners::
tn Candidates Are Making Hay but Which Is the Better Harvester?
After Ike's Train,
Stevenson's Seems
A Little Bit Tame
By Crosby 5. Noyes

Uy SIosUy ,. N0yeS
WITH GOV. STEVENSON'S CAM
PAIGN PARTY.-One evening a few
weeks ago. this correspondent, feeling
the need Of fresh air, dropped of
Gen. Eisenhower's campaign train
at a desolate junction in rural Vir-
ginia. It was not a scheduled stop,
but the reporter had it from one of
those usually reliable sources that
there would be at least 10 minutes
delay while the train changed en-
gines.
Two minutes later, with o decided
sinking feeling. he watched the lights
on the Eisenhower Specials obser-
vation platform recede rapidly into
the night In that anguishsd mo-
ment. IT seemed that the whole
presidential campaign-the excite
ment. the crowds and tho hullabaloo
had run OF and left him standing
there.
It was with somewhat similar
sensations that the same correspond
ent waved good-by to Gen. Eisen-
hover In Springfield last week and
OOOA Wy oil dOO4S4A4AC44V GO OkbA44R AOA~
lower to Gov. Stevenson.
Whot compoien?
If there is one, overwhelming first
impression that strikes the new ar
rival here it is the abrupt change
of pace from the headlong assault
on the White House being mounted
by the Republican candidate. It IS
as if you had suddenly been whiSked
from the middle of Times Square at
rush hour and set down again on a
quiet college campus. And If. in all
innocence, the new arrival asks a
colleague, How is the campaign
going?" the answer Is likely to be,
what campaign?"
This judgment. of course, is over
drawn and only valid by way Of
comparison. Gov. Stevenson really is
waging a campaign. He has made
scores of campaign speeches.
Throughout the Nation he has built
up following of devoted fans who
admire him as much for what he
says as for the way that he says it.
In this sense. the Governor is
working hard and making headway.
But in another sense-the idea that
q political campaign is an appeal to
the great mass Of American voters
the show, thus far. has been a spec
tacular flop.
Sense Of Detachment
In Springfield, where the Governor
returns between each of his flying
trips around the country. the sense
of detachment from the main politi-
cal swim is particularly acute. Gen.
Eisenhower may be charging all over
lambasting the bare-faced looters Of
Washington. President Truman may
be burning up the rails blasting the
perfidy Of the generals Old Guard
captors. In Springfield. the Governor
is in seclusion at the Mansion House,
quietly working on State business.
conferring with few trusted sub
ordinates, polishing the phrases Of az
many as half dozen carefully sched-
uled speeches.
In such quiet moments, the main
occupation Of the candidates press
corps is playing the pinball machine
in the lobby of the hotel where press
headquarters has been established,
and pondering the attitude Of a can
didate who apparently doesn't care
much about keeping himself in the
headlines.
The reporters own isolation Is re-
markable. The Governor is mac
cessable. There are few Of his as
sociates who have leisure time from
their regular State Jobs to chat with
reporters about politics. Those who
have rarely are in position to sup
ply any real news. In contrast to
the Republicans, this campaign is
very much one-man show, and the
the boss has faculty of keeping his
own counsel.
Seont Change Since July
There are, in fact, only minor diff
ferences between the public relations
setup today and what it was back in
Chicago last July, when the Governor
was playing out the part of fugi-
tive from destiny. Then the gentle
men of the Nations press camped on
his lawn and laid siege to his house.
Their only source of information was
the Governors press officer, William
I. Flanagan, who seemed to consider
his role primarily q defensive one