Evening star., 1952-04-22
Stevenson Draft Mioht
Follow Choice of Tuft
Foreign Policy Is Issue Of Doy,
illinois Governor Convinced
The Political Mill
By Gould Lincoln


Talk Of drafting Gov. Adlai Steven
son Of Illinois for the Democratic presi-
Dental nomination grows. Further, if
the Republicans nominate Senator Taft
Of Ohio as their presidential candidate,
the demand for Stevenson will probably
become deafening in volume. The be-
lief is growing, too, that the Illinois
Governor will accept draft under such
circumstances.
Gov. Stevenson's belief as expressed
in an interview with the United States
News and World Report, is that foreign
policy is the principal issue of the day.
He said: Il would view with the utmost
mlSgiving any indication that America
was wobbling or indeciSive. The con-
tinuity Of our general postwar policy Of
resistance to Soviet pressure Is the best
and only hope Of national security and
peace"
The Illinois Governor was asked what
would be the situation If Senator Taft
were nominated for President, and he
replied: 1T is enough for me that Sena-
tor Taft's voting record on international
matters is fraught with what regard
as grave peril to the future OF the
United States itself, and would not ex-
pect that the American voter would be
Swayed by any other than this legiti-
mate concern"
Stand on Eisenhower.
Feeling so strongly on this subject.
the Illinois Governor might deem it
his duty to listen to his party's voice. if
expressed in Stentorian tones through
the Democratic National Convention. On
the contrary. should Gen. Eisenhower
become the Republican standard
Gov. Stevenson would be difficult to get.
In this same interview, speaking of the
impression which an Eisenhower nomi-
nation would have. the Governor said it
would have a reassuring effect in West
ern European quarters. The Governor
made it clear that he did not believe an
American election should be determined
by opinion outside the country. But he
left no doubt that he himself felt Eisen-
hower's nomination would remove the
foreign policy issue largely from the
campaign. since any Democratic nomi-
nee would also be strongly in favor Of
international cooperation to resist
Communist aggression.
The more the Democrats see and hear
Gov. Stevenson. the more they want him.
He would not only make a good Presi-
dent, they believe, but he would also
make a tremendously strong candidate
for the White House job. At present.
most of the draft talk emanateS from
Illinois Democrats, headed by National
Committeeman Jacob M. Arvey. It is
not likely to stop there.
The Illinois Governor has said he
"could not accept another nomination
this summer" meaning that he would
not, since he has already been renomi-
mated for Governor. Unfortunately. un-
willing or reluctant gentlemen have
great difficulty in saying the simple
words II will not" when they are Ques-
toned about presidential nomination.
Even President Truman, when he made
his now-famous statement withdrawing
himself from the race for the 1852 nomi-
nation, said II shall not" Undoubtedly
this is just as binding in the opinion of
the President, but it does not mean the
same thing to many other persons, any
more than the II could not" phrase used
by Gov. Stevenson.
May Be Compelling Argument.
Just as the presidential office has been
seeking Gen. Eisenhower on the Repub-
lican side of the fence. so is 1t seeking
Gov. Stevenson on the Democratic side.
This. more than anything else, may be
the compelling argument If the Demo-
Gratis In convention next July lay the
nomination before him. to take or reject.
If Gov. Stevenson were the Democratic
nominee, he would be no easy pushover
for Republican nominee. Gen. Eisen-
hover or any one else. Also, Gov. Ste
venson has faith in the things for which
his party has stood, and he said:
THE strength of the Democratic
Party nationally for the past several
years has not, in my opinion. been due
to just strong personalities on the ma
tional ticket. 1t has been due in very
substantial degree to the strength Of the
principles which the party has offered to
the Nation in its platform. I do not
think that 1852 is going to be different
from any of these preceding campaign
years"