Evening star., 1952-09-14
Two Major Factions
Raise 6. 0. P. Hopes
|0f Victory in South
By WiIliom Hines
Stor StoH Correspondent

CIlc OccP OOuCu.
While few Republicans concede
themselves a chance of cracking
Georgia. the most enduringly
democratic of States, most believe
that Gen. Eisenhower's popularity
may be the spark that will en-
liven a real two-party system in
Dixie. And If a substantial Eisen-
hover vote here is coupled with a
national victory for the Republi-
cans, resurgent G. o. P. will set
out In earnest to end this States
80-year Democratic monopoly.
Without "a national Republican
victory. however, Georgia Repub-
lican leaders see the task Of build
ing vital party in this State as
almost hopeless.
Gen. Eisenhower visited Atlanta
about 10 days ago at the start of
his Southern swing. He was
greeted by about 10000 persons
and listened to in Atlanta's Hurt
Park by another 10000. The re-
ception was unprecedented, and
Georgians-Democrats as well as
Republicans are still talking
about it.
Headquarters Opened.
The Eisenhower forces, led by
Ebert Tuttle of Atlanta, have
opened a State headquarters on
Peachtree street. across from the
swank Capital City Club. They
have organized campaign COM
in about 80 of the States
159 counties. and expect to have
the rest Of the State organized by
October l. Some of the county
organizations will be mere skele-
tons. but perhaps 125 can be
expected to put on a vote-getting
drive for the general.
Aiding the Eisenhower drive is
the coolness of Gov. Herman
Talmadge to his party's candi-
late. Gov. Stevenson. From a
State political standpoint, Gov.
Talmadge has little reason to care
whether Gov. Stevenson wins or.
oses. In fact. he probably would
ike to see him lose. There are
no Republican candidates for
State Offices on the Georgia ballot
his year, and in any case 1852
S an off-year as far as State races
ire concerned. Far from indorsing
stevenson up to now, Gov. Tai
nadge has let it be known that
lifelong Democrats can safely
'ote for Gen. Eisenhower in No.
1ember without committing politi-
;al heresy.
Another thing that makes the
Republicans optimistic is the past
voting record of Georgians. It is
rue that the State has never
gone Republican, but it is not a
nardshell Democratic state like
South Carolina or Mississippi
Which together returned only
5000 Republican votes in 1948.
jeorgia's vote was almost 40 per
'ent Republican in 1908; A per
'ent OF the voters chose Hoover
,ver Smith in 1928. either on the
Republican or the anti-Smith
Democratic slate. Even Dewey. in
l94S. polled % per cent of the
1ote.
Voting Will Be Easier.
Even the physical makeup of
The State ballot this November
probably will work to the advant-
age OF the Eisenhower forces. In
the past. it has been q real chore
TO vote Republican. This year.
one *" in the proper place will
DO the trick, whereas it will take
TWO ks" properly spotted to cast
votes for the Democratic State
and National states. It will even
De physically easier for a Demo-
rat to vote for the State office
1olders and Gen. Eisenhower than
or him to vote the State ticket
Ind Gov. Stevenson.
1t was announced earlier this
week that there will be no organ
zed Stevenson-Sparkman drive in
Georgia to compete with the
G1senhower-Nixon campaign. Al
'ed-hot "get-out-the-vote" move
almost certainly would shoe the
Democratic candidates in. But
here will be no such move. ex-l
;ept in the metropolitan counties
where a heavy G. O. P. vote al
'eady exists and where a side
Ssue is capturing the most atten-l
ion. Republican leaders freely ad-
nit that the smaller the vote the
better Gen. Eisenhower's chances.
There are million voters regis
'ered in this State; reliable guesses
Is to the voting turnout in No
'ember range between 300, 900 and
E5O, 900.
Southern Republican leaders
low seem fairly confident of VIC
,ory in Florida. and say there is a
good possibility that South Caro-
ina and Mississippi may 60 to|
Gen. Eisenhower on a trick play
involving Republican electors on a
Democratic slate. In Louisiana.
Gov. Kennan already has made it
clear that he does not like Gen.
Stevenson, and four Democratic
electors have withdrawn their
names from the States ballot.
North Carolina doubtful.
, North Carolina il considered
very doubtful" by the Repub-
leans. 1t already is a two-party
State Of sorts, and there is consid-
,rable liberal sentiment there
which would be more sympathetic
20 Gov. Stevenson than the body
If voters in other States seem to-
be. Alabama and Virginia seem
10 be, as far as Southern leaders
are concerned. unknown quanti-
lies, although anti-Sparkman
sentiment in Senator Sparkman's
own State Is said to be widespread.
Tennessee. the Republicans say, is
questionable"
Dixie's Republicans appear to be
most confident of victory in Texas,
due to recent developments down
there Mhich will rnako IL ,ancciiln