Evening star., 1952-01-24
The Political Min
6. @. p Candidates Act
To Dodge Primary Tests
Leaders Entered IN Stutes
Where Victory Is Assured
The Political Min
By Gould Lincoln


sionally too cagey- -nanifeSts itself In
the careful manner candidates, and their
managers, are entering this years Re.
publican presidential preferential pri-
maries. Instead Of entering all o. even
q large proportion Of these contests.
where the voters have an opportunity
to express their preference, the candi-
dates and their managers-except In
one inStance-are picking and choosing
only those primary States where they
think they have q real chance Of victory.
The only exception Is former Minne-
sofa Governor Harold e. Stassen. now
q registered voter In Pennsylvania where
he Is president Of the University Of
Pennsylvania. In 1948 he was one Of the
three foremost contenders for the non1i-
nation, but Is today rated last Of the
four whose candidates. have been an
nounced. He has, perhaps, little to lose
and much to gain by these tests Of
strength, and he has already entered,
or announced he win enter. the primaries
In six States. He is considering entering
three more.
Taft Entred in Only Three.
Senator Taft Of Ohio, on the other
hand, Is entered In only three primary
States 80 far and may enter no others.
They are Wisconsin, Illinois and Ohio.
In each Of them he has the backing Of
nearly all the important Republican
leaders and Is expected to be sure
winner. When he made his formal an
nouncement of candidacy he accepted
the invitation Of Tom Coleman, veteran
g. o. P. leader. and many others to
enter the Wisconsin primary, as well as
the invitation Of the leaders in his own
home State.
More recently, his campaign manager,
David 8. ingalls,, put him into the Ili-
nois primary. There the Ohio Senator
has the powerful backing Of the Re-
publican organization, including the
two Illinois members Of the Republican
National Committee, Werner Schroeder
and Mrs. Bertha Bauer; Of Senator
Dirksen, his Illinois campaign manager,
and Of Col. Robert Mccormick and his
influential Chicago Tribune. Mr.. Ingalls,
has said he is considering entering Sem
ator Taft in the New Hampshire primary.
The other leading candidate for the
nomination, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower.
so far has been entered in only one
primary State-New Hampshire-and
his campaign manager, Senator Lodge
OF Massachusetts,, has said he expects
Gen. Eisenhower to be In the Oregon
primary. New Hampshire is considered
natural for Gen. Ike to enter Gov.
Sherman Adams and nearly all Of the
important Republican leaders In the
State are for him, including Senator
Tobey. In Oregon, too, there Is very
strong support for Gen. Ike.
Gov. Warren of California has entered
only one primary State-tis own. But he
is considering entering Wisconsin and
Oregon, and perhaps one or two others.
Important Test Unlikely.
Unless more boldness Is shown, either
there will be no important primary test
between the two leading contenders.
This. In itself, is unfortunate. It leaves
the contending claims Of popular sup
port, made by the followers Of each, up
In the air and INFESTED. Al battle between
the two in Illinois. for preference vote,
would have been real test. Illinois is
the popular crossroads and cross section
OF the country. The Eisenhower man
ayers excuse the generals failure to enter
mere primaries on the ground that the
Army regulations prevent his running in
q primary State where his personal as.
sent In writing is required It has been
held by the courts In Illinois that such
assent Is not necessary.
The psychological effect of victory in
the early primary States Is important
although 1t has not always been indic-
atiye OF victory at the national con-
yentions. where the presidential nomina.
tions are made. Gen. Ike should get
lift from the first Of them all in New
Hampshire. March II. But If Senator
Taft takes Wisconsin and Illinois few
weeks later, he too will gain prestige.
The uninhibited candidate, Harold
Stassen, who takes no stock in the old
idea that candidate should keep out Of
q State which has favorite-son candi-
date, Is going into the primaries in
Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ne
braska, Ohio and Wisconsin. He is con.
sidering entering those in New Hamp-
shire, Oregon and California. If ne does
well In o number Of these States, show
ing popular strength, even II it Is as
second choice, he may bolster himself
into good position should the conven-
tion deadlock-or for vice presidential
nomination. He had o big following
among the younger voters In 194S, and
he hopes to demonstrate he still has.