Evening star., 1952-06-12
Was the Genera Is Openinq Shot q Dud?
To the Editor Of The Stor:

To the Editor Of The Stor:
In the past two decades a new polit-
ical hybrid has emerged in presidential
years-the Late Spring Early Summer
Republican. Working frantically to have
nominated in July Republican candi-
date whose views closely parallel those
of the party in power. they revert to
form in November and vote the straight
Democratic ticket.
Now that the hackneyed Abilene
speech has received decent burial at
the hands of the pro-Eisenhower edi-
torialists, the frantic sputterings of
these Janusites-the Stokeses, the Lipp-
mans, the Childs and Melletts-foretell
defeat of their duplicity and victory for
the man whose credo has been pure
Republican since man remembereth not.
AS Ike tries to be all things to all men
on tidelands oil. birth control and other
issues, the delegates seem to sense for
the first time that the slick Dewey ma
chine once again is edging in to guide
the Grand Old Party to defeat.
Practical politicians do not underesti-
mate the effectiveness of the Brownell-
Jaeckel tactics. They are Eisenhower's
only hope of halting the inexorable surge
of delegates to the banner of the party's
greatest leader since Lincoln-RObert A.
Taft.
Surely the Republican Party has had
its fill of Organism. Yet, in the heat OF
the campaign, some delegates are apt
to forget that three strikes is out. They
must be reminded that not even mag
nificent general can overcome at the
polls in November the prospect that
Thomas E. Dewey would occupy cab
met post in any Eisenhower administra-
ton. This fellow is pure poison,
handicap too great for any candidate to
surmount. Still, there he is, with his
mighty machine, all set for the third
time to salvage defeat from certain tri-
umph.
Should the delegates for the third time
in IL years running throw sound judg-
ment to the winds and nominate the
infant Republican, Ike, one and all can
exclaim in November-loud enough to
be heard above the babble of abiding
pollsters and political columniStS-"1t
couldn't happen to nicer guy!"
Jay Henry.
For many days past we have been
reading and rereading newspaper ac-
counts and commentaries concerning
the historic unveiling at Abilene. The
consensus of editorial opinion is that
Candidate Eisenhower acquitted himself
admirably. Careful examination OF the
reports indicate, however. that he was no
more candid than Senator Taft has been
on similar occasions.
More important-and to some extent
amuSing-are the repeated and rather
boring differences by the press that only
a press conference could do this-that
here at long last the candidate was
fully revealed and in true prospective.
At least one columniSt even referred to
the interrogators as specially Sophis-
ticated" group. If this last is true there
must be many new elbows on the Press
Club bar-at least since 1948.
For the information of the Washing
ton Press Corps it appears necessary
to point out that there are now means
of communication for the purpose of
disseminating news other than news
papers. Radio and TV press interviews
have familiarized the public with slanted
questioning and pre-fiXed opinions Of
the interviewers The truth of the mat
ter is that the major difference between
the Senator and the general is the
opinion of the press. There are many
subtle reasons-best known to the, trade
why they are desirous of retaining an
internationalist administration, but the
foremost thought is that the press needs
a winner and at this point Senator Taft
has not successfully displayed the
warmth and charm necessary to cap
ture the hearts of American voters.
like" will apparently appeal to suffi-
cient number of Democrats to be a
winner Keep plugging him, ladies and
gentlemen of the press, or else your
regulations as political crystal-gazers
and soothsayers will Gallup" madly
into oblivion.
william C. SOhr.
This is one family with minds finally
made up on the coming election. At
first we were undecided between Taft
and Eisenhower, though leaning toward
Taft as conservative and, we thought,
sincere and honorable man. Then we
observed number of instances in which
too much temper and lack Of self-con-
troll were shown for man aspiring to
be President in these trying times. It
was apparent that Mr.. Taft could not
We might have overlooked all this,
however, if the Taft organization and
supporters had been decent sportsmen
after Ikes return, but they were not.
They have shown their caliber, or lack
of it. The remark of Mr.. Reece Of the
Taft management that Ike was evi-
IDENTIFY "for home, mother and God" was
revealing Since when has it become
bad to be for home, mother and God?
It is a pity that more people are not
for the same things.
Then came the ruthless and unscru-
pulous strong-arm tactics by the des-
perate Taft hackers in Texas. And finally
the last straw for us, since we are
Hoosiers-the disgraceful performance
by the Taft gangsters in Indiana.
Nothing in the worst days of Tammany
or the Pendergast faction could have
been more dishonorable than this. It is
political thievery and cynical disregard
Of the opinions Of decent citizens. If