Evening star., 1952-07-05
The Political Mill
Toft Seeks STRENGTH
Of Macarthur Tie
General Hos Yet to Soy He
Will Be Running Mate
By Gould Lincoln

W." DS NuuHiHy mUtS
By Gould Lincoln
CHICAGO. July 5.-Can q Taft-Mac.
Arthur coalition-and there IL such q
coalition-stop Eisenhower? Can It
make certain the nomination Of Sem
ator Taft by the Republican National
Convention?
The nearer the opening Of the con.
vention. the moro closely Senator Taft
and his followers seek to bind the gen.
eral to them-at least in the minds of
the public and the delegates to the con-
vention. The latest evidence Of this was
Senator Tafts comment that he had
been told Gen. Macarthur would not
reject" . proposal that he, Macarthur,
run as vice presidential candidate on
ticket with Senator Taft.
Despite Senator Taft's denial that hs
was proposing Gen. Macarthur as a
running mate for himself. the impress
sion was created here that the Ohioan
would be delighted to have Gen. Mac
Arthur as Q vice presidential candidate
ii he. TAFT. were In nrst place.
Clearly, Gen. Macarthur would add
strength TO Q Taft ticket. The general
long ago captured the imagination Of
the American people great soldier
ana administrator. He IS . remarkable
speaker. and as q campaigner In the
1an would have no peer probably on
eltner side OF the fight, Republican or
Democratic.
Definite Answer Lacking.
1t Is not likely that Senator Taft
would have said he had been informed
Macarthur would accept a vice presi-
Dental nomination unless he had good
grounds for saying so. However. until
the general himself speaks. there is no
way OF knowing the definite answer.
Gen. Macarthur has spoken out against
q military man in the White House this
year-although he himself was a recep-
i've candidate for the Republican presi-
Dental nomination four years ago and
delegates pledged to him were elected in
Wisconsin. He has so far said nothing
about vice presidential nomination for
military man.
Gen. Macarthur, as q matter of fact.
mas on many occasions declared himself
out OF politics personally and not cam
oloate Tor any political Office. However,
ne has been making speeches around
the country that sounded very political.
ana, finally. he has accepted the invi-
tatlon to deliver the keynote speech at
the Republican National Convention
IMAM which nothing could be more polit-
lcal. Indeed. it has been freely predicted
that the general may stampede the con-
ventlon and win the presidential nomi-
nation for himself.
Supporters Protest.
The devoted Macarthur supporters
the last-ditch fighters to make him the
presidential nominee-do not take kindly
to the idea that he should be the tail of
the Taft kite.
At the headquarters which they haye
established in the Conrad Hilton Hotel.
10 o. Ferguson, Oklahoma publisher.
pooh-poohed the idea. A group of Okla
homa and Texas delegates who favor
the nomination Of the general are con-
tinuing to work for q Macarthur nomi.
nation. They are asking II Senator Taft
would accept q vice presidential nomi-
nation to run with Macarthur.
Obviously. the only chance of a Mac.
Arthur nomination would come If the
convention should deadlock and neither
TAFT nor Eisenhower be able to obtain
q majority OF the delegate vote. Rep
resentative Joe Martin, Republican
leader Of the House and q delegate from
Massachusetts,. has suggested that If
the bitter war between the two leaders
in the race Is continued, Gen. Mac
Arthur would make an excellent COM
promise candidate. Gov. Fine of Penn.
sylvania, another admirer of Macarthur.
takes much the same position.
Could Boost Chances.
The present effort of the Taft people
to bring Macarthur more prominently
into the picture may result in boosting
the generals chances for presidential
nomination-via the draft. He could,
OF course. decline such nomination.
But that he would refuse to run, if
nominated. is not yet indicated.
Much may depend on the speech that
Gen. Macarthur will deliver as keynote
speaker of the convention, presumably
on the night of the opening day of the
national convention. The reaction of
the delegates and of the country to what
the general has to say must be awaited.
Up to date, the general has used his
efforts to help Senator Taft to the
presidential nomination. Obviously, the
Taft people believe that he will not
deviate from that course. And just as
obviously. they believe he will be Of
great assistance to Taft.