Evening star., 1952-01-27
"A Military Man for President?
| The Alfalfa Club Hos Had One
BY George Kennedy

sa4t
Whether military men should
be elected President was ques-
toned last night by a speaker at
the dinner of the Alfalfa Club
at the Hotel Statler.
The presidency involved was
only that of the club itself. The
protest against the continuation
of the administration Of the club
president, Mai. Gen. Glen E.
Edgerton, could not have been very
serious; nothing at the Alfalfa
Club dinner is serious and Alfalfa
Club presidents do not succeed
themselves.
But the Alfalfa club members
and their guests regretted that
Gen. Eisenhower, a member OF
the club, was unable to leave
Paris for the dinner and to hear
Joseph H. Hines eloquence on
why military figures should not
occupy civilian positions.
They agreed that Ike would
have enjoyed it.
Job Still Not Done.
Mr.. HINES, retired businessman.
mot only pointed out the lament
able political failures experienced
Iby such outstanding military
leaders as Julius Caesar and Ma
poleon, he did something unpre-
lcedented-he attacked the outgo-
ing president of the club for his
performance on recent i'm
Iportant assignment.
He said that Gen. Edgerton, an
Army engineer who was assigned
Ito supervise the reconstruction OF
1.-The White House, had made the
Executive mansion an empty shell
and had been unable to; put the
Iinsides back to date.
In response, Gen. Edgerton ad'
United that his had been a mill
ltary administration with the sup
port of prominent officers OF th'
I"Army, Navy, Airy and Marlny.
all members of the club.
| President Inaugurated.
He said he resented the impli
cation that he desired to cling t.
the presidency. but that Will
every one was having a good tim
the Inauguration of the new presi
dent had been overlooked.
John Lord O'Brian, who wa
general counsel of the Office 9
War Production in World War Il
was then inaugurated.
' The Alfalfa members the
turned to their traditional nomi
nation of an Alfalfa Party candi
date for President Of the Unite
States.
Ordinarily the outgoing presi
dent is nominated, but the Dime
. was not held last winter becaus
of the Korean situation, and tn
o honor fell to the man who ma
$ been president two years ago.
He was B. M. McKelway. edite
. of The Star, and he was noml
sInated as native of North Caro-
lima by James F. Byrnes, governt
1 of South Carolina.
Mr.. McKelway said it would b
9 his policy to "stop this alarmin
n progress in q forward direction
y No Candidate Ever Elected.
AS to foreign policy, he said h
U would borrow the points collecte
= by another distinguished cand
= date" Senator Robert A. Taft. M
, lMcKelway said he was sure ths
in any future situation he Woul
Ibe able to find a point that woul
= prove he had been right.
s Senator Taft. a member OF Il
club, was at the head table an
, seemed to enjoy the dig.
Mr.. McKelway went on to ss
: that the Republican Party ha
h very little money because most
: lit was spent in the Ohio an
4 Maryland campaigns in 1850.
d His mention of another cand
l. date, Senator Kefauver, was tn
I'VE are waiting to discover whetl
er his investigation has taugl
him how to expose the crooks
l merely how to get along with II
:. Icrooks."
{ He closed his speech with
y expression of confidence hecau
y mo Alfalfa candidate has ev
been elected President of tt
q United States"
e Fathered by Charlie Light.
It Whatever the fate of Mr.. M
it Kelway in the coming presidel
r tial election, the club feels SUI
: that it has the winner in i
= membership which includes Pres
e dent Truman, Senator Taft, &c
Eisenhower and Harold Stassen.
e The club was fathered ar
: brought to an amazingly success
Y full maturity by Charlie Ligh
r. now in his 80th year. It ws
: started 80 years ago by M
|, Light, then an assistant in goc
: roads division of the Agricultul
a Department; his boss. Logan Wa
: tier Page; Robert Waterman Hur
"Iter, a Washington lawyer, an