Evening star., 1952-05-08
The Political Min.

sSS VII ssNNSA
May Bring 6. O. P. Woe
Fovorite Toctic Used in Past
Hos Been to Heal Party Sores
By Gould Lincoln
The Republicans two months from
now will nominate. presumably, either
Senator Taft Of Ohio or Gen. Dwight D.
Eisenhower for President and then
tackle the job Of picking q vice presi-
dental nominee. Their alternatives viii
be to select second-place candidate
from the same group or wing Of tho
G. o. p. as their presidential nominee,
a second-place candidate from the other
group or wing, or, If they can find one.
second-place candidate less partisan.
Having nominated. for example, SEN
ator Taft, it would probably be easy for
the same forces to pick a vice presiden.
tial nominee from the Taft wing of the
party and put him across, or to do the
same thing for an Eisenhower follower
II the general were nominated. How
ever, in view Of the bitter fight which
Is being waged by the two groups for the
frSt place on the national ticket, 1t NAV
appear the better policy to give the
second place to representative of the
other group or faction. The demand
Will 60 up-heal the sores and show q
united front to the Democratic enemyl
Favorite Tactic in Past.
This has been a favorite tactic of the
party bosses-Republican and Demo-
cratic-after violent fight between two
factions in the parties. In 1924, after
the Democrats had torn themselves
apart in row over William Gibbs Nc.
Adoo Of California and Alfred E. Smith
OF New York, they nominated conserva-
tive John w. Davis of West Virginia and
New York for President and then put
Gov. Charles Bryan-brother of William
Jennings Bryan-on their ticket as can
didate for Vice President. When the
Democrats nominated Smith in 1928,
= they persuaded Senator Joe Robinson Of
Arkansas to accept a vice presidential
nomination to appease. if possible. the
South. Franklin D. Roosevelt was NOM
mated for President by the Democrats
in 1882 after terrific battle, and the
deal which gave him the nomination in
cluded the nomination of John N. Gar.
ner of Texas for Vice President.
On the Republican side, Gov. Dewey Of
New York, nominated in 1914 for Presi-
dent, took the then Gov. John w. Brick
er Of Ohio. who had been the leading
candidate against him, as his running
mate. Wendell L. Willkie, after his
meteoric and successful drive for the
presidential nomination, took Senator
McNary OF Oregon as q vice presidential
candidate.
On one occasion, after hard fight for
the Republican presidential nomination,
the party's national convention took the
bit in its teeth. It disregarded entirely
the choice of the bosses who had NOM
mated Warren G. Harding for President
Senator Lenroot Of Wisconsin. It rose
on its hind legs and nominated Calvin
Coolidge, Governor of Massachusetts,
for Vice President. Coolidge was then
the hero Of the Boston police strike.
To Whom Would Taft Turn?
Generally speaking, the nominee for
President has voice in the selection
Of his running mate. To whom would
Taft turn. II he were nominated for
President? There are any number of
conservative Republican Senators in his
camp, but Of them all Senator Dirksen
Of Illinois, particularly because Of his
campaigning ability, would appear the
most logical. If there was desire to
go into the other more liberal wing Of
the party. Senators Lodge and Saltonstall
of Massachusetts, might do-both have
been ardent Eisenhower men. Gov.
Driscoll of New Jersey would scarcely be
acceptable because Senator Taft re-
Gently accused him of double cross in
the New Jersey primary.
Should Eisenhower be the party choice
for President, the convention might turn
either to Gov. Warren of California or
former Gov. Harold E. Stassen of Min.
nesota-particularly should Gen. Eisen-
howers nomination have been due to
their support in the final showdown.
Or Gen. Eisenhower, from Kansas, might
pick an fastener who had been one Of
his top supporters-for example, Senator
Lodge Of Massachusetts,. his national
campaign manager, or Senator Duff Of
Pennsylvania. It Is difficult to believe
that Gen. Eisenhower and his supporters
would go for an ardent Taft man-but
they might. Rolitics does strange things.
And If that happened, Senator Dirksen
again would give strength to the ticket.