Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-02-17
Week Features New Speculotions
On Plans of Eisenhower, Truman

card ballot for all registered Repub-
licans. Senator Taft won that straw
vote.
At least one Republican in West
Hartford is approaching this election
in a non-partisan frame of mind.
He wrote in as his choice the name of
Bernard M. Baruch, elder statesman
of the Democratic Party. None Of
these Connecticut polls will be bind
ing at the State convention.
q 8. At his weekly press conference,
Mr.. Truman said he was not ready
to end the guessing game over what
he will do. He assured reporters
that as soon as he is ready to make
an announcement they shall have it.
Newsmen recalled that for a year the
President has given the impression
his mind was made up and that only
the time of announcement was in
doubt. His, remark Thursday that
cit" is q difficult decision for. him to
make caused speculation as to
whether he meant his mind is not
made up, or whether the mere time
for the announcement is difficult to
decide.
Mr.. Truman declined to be drawn
into q discussion Of. Mr.. Sabath's
statement that the President would
run if to do so would further the
cause Of peace.
Coution in OkIohoma
The Oklahoma results gave Sena-
tor Taft q slight edge. inasmuch as
the two Macarthur delegates are ex-
pected to go ultimately to the Ohio
Senator. This would give him nine
of the 16 State delegates. The action
of the Oklahoma Republicans in CIV
ing Taft and Eisenhower an equal
number Of votes suggests a cautious
desire to be in a position to leap
aboard whichever band-wagon APP
pears to be rolling to victory at
the national convention.
The nearly even break Eisenhower
got in Oklahoma was, in sense, q
partial victory. Earlier in the year,
it was thought the Taft forces would
dominate the State.
Although Gen. Macarthur has tried
to discourage the fling of his name
in preferential primary States, his
friends continue to work for him. It
is being taken for granted that, as
one OF the party's big-name assets,
Gen. Macarthur will be invited to
address the Republican convention.
The general has recognized ability
for dramatizing situation. faculty
he exhibited before Congress when
President Truman called him home
from Japan. Some of those who
speculate on him as a possibility in
the event of q deadlock are not over
looking the effect he might have on
the delegates if he delivers a typical
Macarthur speech shortly before the
balloting begins.
loft Boosts Macarthur
The general also got boost last
week from Senator Taft, who was on
the West Coast denolmcing admin
istration foreign policy in Asia and
calling for aid to Chang Kai-shek
for return trip to the China main-
land. Senator Taft said that if he
became President he would give Gen.
Macarthur q prominent voice in mil.
itary affairs. The West Coasts own
Earl Warren. Governor of California,
was in Boston and New York, mean
while, making a bid for East Coast
support of his candidacy for the Re-
publican nomination.
Congress slowed down to a walk
the past week while Republican law
makers journeyed to the far corners
of the Nation for Lincoln Day rallies.
Next month the Democrats will do
the same thing for Andrew Jackson,
and many Of them hope that by then
they will have from Mr.. Truman's
own lips the word that he viii lead
them into battle again this year.
While Representa- Sabath's In
terview on the White House steps was
taken as corroborating evidence by !.
those Democrats who want Mr.. Tru-
man to run again, it still was not the
clear go" sign the party leaders are
waiting for. II Mr.. Truman is going
to run, they would like to have the
word. so that they can roll up their
sleeves and plunge into the campaign,
If he has decided to retire. they don't
like the idea of Senator Kefauver
getting too much Of q head start.
For the Tennesseean Is out preaching
his gospel of clean government and
getting himself better known, while
administration supporters and other
potential candidates mark time.