The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-06-09
Political
Notes
By JACK BELL

CHICAGO R-Backers of Gen.
Dwight d. Eisenhower appeared
divided today on whether to fight
move to name Gen. Douglas
Macarthur as keynoter of the Re
publican national convention.
Supporters Of Sen. Robert A. taft
of Ohio, Eisenhower's chief rival
flor the COP Presidential nomina-
ton. seemed agreed on a slate
which would put Macarthur, Rep.
Joseph Martin of Massachusetts,
National Chairman Guy G. Cab
rielson and Sen. william Knowland
of California in key convention
posts.
Unless plans are changed at the
last minute, the Taft hackers may
ask the convention arrangements
committee Tuesday to choose Mac
Arthur as the keynoter without
his having to assume the duties
Of temporary chairman. Usually
the keynoter, who makes the first
major speech of the convention,
also is temporary chairman.
The temporary chairman passes
on part of the procedure by which
the convention votes on the seating
of contested delegations. Gabriel
son, who opens the convention
here July as national chairman,
might be designated to continue
as the temporary gavel wielder.
| Gabrielson has taken no part
| in the pre-convention Presidential
nomination campaign.
| Martin, House minority leader,
also has not been identified with
either major Presidential candi-
date and seemed in line for Sc
lection as permanent chairman.
| Knowland won reelection to the
Senate in the June 3 California
primary by taking both the Re-
publican and Democratic party
nominations.
In recognition of this feat he
may be offered the Craftsmanship
of the convention platform COM
mittee. He is severe critic of
the Truman Administrators Far
Eastern policies but has supported
military aid to European allies.
| Knowland is backing the Presi-
dental nomination bid of Gov.
Earl Warren of California.
This slate would deny Eisenhow-
er's hackers a place among the
top officials Of the July convention
and many of them were counseling
q fight, particularly against the
prospective choice of Macarthur
as keynoter.
| They apparently are outnum-
bered by Taft men on the ar.
rangements committee, however.
! Macarthur critics might be ham.
pered in any attack they made on
him by the praise Eisenhower gave
his fellow five-star general at an
Abilene, Kan, news conference
last week.
| AT that time. Eisenhower said
he has tremendous respect for
MacArthur's intellectual and pro-
fessional capacity" He said if he
became President and Macarthur
with his knowledge of the Far
East, were available II should GER
tainly want to know what he
thinks about it.
Taft went much further Sunday
in declaring if he were President
he would appoint Macarthur to a
high government post.
B. Carroll Reece, Tennessee ma
tional committeeman and Southern
! campaign manager for Taft, said
II Macarthur is chosen for the
role of keynoter he is certain the
general won't make a speech for
Taft but win speak for the whole
Republican party"
The arrangements committee,
busying itself with routine affairs
today. won't act on convention Of
ficials until Tuesday.
Outside of its choice Of q tenn
porary chairman, the group
seemed unlikely 10 take any part
In a prospective convention battle
over the seating Of disputed south
ern delegations.
EiSenhower's hackers made II
plain here they intend to fight to
the last ditch for the seating of a
Texas group which contains 20 sup.
porters of the general and six Taft
hackers.
This delegation was chosen In a
rump convention after the Taft
controlled Texas COP convention
refused to seat Eisenhower dele
gates and chose 30 TAN supporters
and eight Eisenhower delegates to
represent the state.