Evening star., 1952-07-13

nave TO lace next November and
their problem is to find a candi-
date who can beat Gen. Dwight
D. Eisenhower.
Second, the Republicans are
confronted with a major task
binding up the wounds caused by
the bitter. knockdown, dragout
battle waged between the Eisen-
hover and Taft forces in the par
tvs national convention.
Democrats Confident.
The first WORDS the Democratic
candidates for the presidential
nomination now are expected to
utter are:
II can beat Ike"
Already some of them are say
ing these words. Senator Russell
of Georgia, Senator Kefauver of
Tennessee, Averell Hartman of
New York and Senator Kerr of
Oklahoma have expressed perfect
willingness to take on the general
in a belief they can heat him at
the polls IN November.
Gov. Adlai Stevenson of Illinois,
prominently discussed as draft"
candidate by his party, has yet
to comment on the Eisenhower
Nixon nominations. There is
reason to believe that the Illinois
governor regards Gen. Eisenhower
as q formidable candidate, so
formidable that the Democrats
may not be able to defeat him.
Stevenson's Strength.
In some quarters it is said that
Gov. Stevenson has no desire to
run against the general and that
this feeling prompted him to re-
peat his earlier statements that
he is a candidate for only one
Office, that of governor of Illinois.
He said he would ask the Illinois
delegates not to put him in nomi-
nation, and the convention not to
nominate him.
Yet Gov. Stevenson, in the
opinion Of many Democratic lead
erS who are now gathering in
Chicago, would be the strongest
man they could nominate. They
also believe that Gov. Stevenson
would be the best man who could
be put forward to defeat the
front-running and openly active
Senator Kefauver for the nomi-
nation.
Many organization leaders in
many states are much opposed to
Senator Kefauver's candidacy.
They don't like him because they
have met defeat at his hands in
open presidential primaries. They
don't like him because they fear
he would not play ball with them.
either as a candidate or as q
President. They don't like him be-
cause, when he was chairman of
the Senate Crime Investigating
Committee, he went into their
bailiwicks and showed up the
criminals, the racketeers and the
shoddy politicians.
Fight Narrowed Down.
The Republicans had only four
Avowed candidates for the nomin-
alton when they came to Chicago
Gen. Eisenhower, Senator Taft.
Gov. Warren and former Gov.
Stassen. Indeed, the fight from
the start was narrowed to two.
Gen. Eisenhower and Senator
Taft.
The Democrats, on the other
hand. have many candidates. In
addition to Gov. Stevenson, who
may or may not wind up as a can
didate, and Senator Russell, Sena-
tor Kefauver, Senator Kerr, and
Mr.. Hartman. there are Senator
Mcmahon, Vice President Bark
ley, House Speaker Rayburn and
several others.
Some Of Mr.. Rayburn's friends,
including Senator Monroney of
Oklahoma, continue to insist that
he will emerge with the nomina-
tion after the national conven-
tion has balloted several times
and finds itself deadlocked. There
also is Gov. Mennen Williams,
who will be Michigan's favorite
son candidate.
Kefauver Appears at Top.
Senator Kefauver. the winner
of many primary fights, including
a couple in which he was pitted
against President Truman, SEEM
ingty has the greatest popular
support. If that means anything.
(See LINCOLN, Page A-6)