Evening star., 1952-03-29
The Political Mill
People Moy Have Soy
On Nominees After All
Organization Leaders Shaken
By Upsets in Primories
The Political Mill
By Gould Lincoln

~ NQet0 AsthS0bu
CHICAGO, Mar. 29.-Maybe the peo-
pie are going to have something to say
about the nominees for President this
year after all. Certainly 1t appears they
are trying. This goes both for the Re-
publican and for the Democratic presi-
Dental nominations.
When the convention campaigns
got under way during the winter. the
early impression was that the Repubh-
can Party organizations In the States
would pick the g. o. p. nominee, and
he would merely be confirmed by the
Republican National Convention next
July. At the same time, President Tru-
man, dominating force In the Demo-
cratic organization, would dictate the
nomination of his party, awarding it
either to himself or to some candidate
Of his choosing.
Senator Taft was the darling Of the
Republican organizations In many of
the States. Poll after poll, taken among
former delegates to Republican national
conventions, among Republican mem
bers Of Congress, gave the edge to the
Ohio Senator. AS for President Truman.
it was admitted ON all sides he could
AAUNS AVAOAAAAAaVAOAA ~ AAO W0AAUC0 Au-
and predicted he could select the party
nominee II he did not choose to run.
Organization Leaders Shaken.
More recently the New Hampshire pri-
maries at which the rank file voters
had an opportunity to express them
selves, and the write-in campaign in the
Minnesota primaries. shook the organi-
zation leaders in the Republican Party
and MIR. Truman to the soles Of their
feet.
Gen. Dwight d. Eisenhower, 5000
miles away and inarticulate, came up
with rush in these tests Of popular
sentiment among Republicans. At the
same time, Senator Kefauver Of Ten
nessee. of the coonskin cap and crime
investigating fame, actually defeated
Mr.. Truman in the New Hampshire
primary. making a clean sweep, and
in Minnesota received a large write-in
vote. The result obtained in New
Hampshire by Senator Kefauver was a
direct slap. too, at the Democratic or
ganization in the State which lined up
for Mr.. Truman and Truman delegates.
The people will have further opportu-
nifty to express themselves as opposed
to party leaders and party machines
In the Nebraska primary on April 1.
IN the Illinois primary April 8, and in
the Oregon, Ohio and New Jersey pri-
maries on later dates. It may be, too,
that the people will really have an op-
portunlty to express themselves in the
Wisconsin primary April /, although
= tney are under wraps in that one.
No Provision for Write-Ins.
The new Wisconsin primary law does
two things which make 1t difficult for
the voters who wish to support Gen.
eisenhower, for example. It specifically
requires the consent of potential presi-
oentlal candidate to have slate Of dele
gateS favorable to him entered in the pri-
mary; and second. 1t makes no provision
for write-in vote. Gen. Eisenhower. in
UNIFORM and unable to ask for a dele
gate slate in this or any other primary
Is definitely out Of that race. nor can
there be a write-in vote for him as
tnere was in Minnesota and will be in
Nebraska. At the same time. Gen Eisen-
I, hower,S principal opponent Tor the Re-
publican nomination, Senator TAFT is
on the ballot with the backing of the
UepuDncan organization Of Wisconsin.
Inc only chance for the rank-and-
Me VoterS VINO may favor Eisenhower
Is 70 support Harold e. Stassen or GOV.
Earl Warren Of California. both Of
Wnom have states entered in the Re-
publican primary and both of whom
are opposed to Taft's nomination. The
people who may want Senator Kefau-
yer are better situated In Wisconsin.
ne mas slate Of delegates entered for
him there. and is expected to win
against two pro-Truman states pledged
TO favorite-son candidates for the presi-.
dency.
A head-on collision between the SUD-
porters Of Taft and Eisenhower in New
Jersey was scheduled. but the interest
IN 1t has been marred by Senator Taft's
attempt to withdraw from the contest
alleging that the Republican organic
zation. headed by Gov. Driscoll. was
against him and so unfair.
The meagerness Of the presidential
primaries-they are held in only l8
States-and complexities due to differ.
ent State primary laws have brought a
demand in many quarters for q Nation
wide primary system. holding elections
In all States on the same day, in which
all potential candidates would be re-
quired to enter their names. Such a
system, however. would still make 1t
difficult for the people really to draft
the nominee or nominees Of their choice.
should they wish to do so.