Evening star., 1952-03-23

Senator Robert S. Kerr of Okla
homa is playing. In these preconven-
ton days. dual equine role: At once,
he Is both stalking horse and dark
horse. II President Truman decides
to seek reelection, Kerr's problem
Is one Of persuading him that stalk
ing horse could pull well in double
harneSs-that the team should be
Truman and Kerr, instead of Truman
and Barkley or Truman and any one
else. II the President chooses not to
run, Kerr has only to convert him
self into dark horse in his own
right.
The first test Of Kerr's 1862 po-
Ntical prospects comes on April l in
the Nebraska primary. A stalker for
Mr.. Truman in this race, the Okla
honan will have to show he has
greater drawing power than rival
entrant Estes Kefauver If he is to
have a chance for either spot on the
ticket In Chicago this summer.
A man whose personality lends
itself to metaphor-he has been
called "the big wind out of Okla
homa" and Sorghum -Packin' Bob"
55-year-old Kerr has made his big
gest impression as the Democrats
self-appointed "hatchet man." Hack
ing away at Republican candidates
and policies, he has carved out a place
for himself in high party councils.
With the boys In those smoke filled
rooms, non-smoker, teetotaler Kerr
seems to have the edge over Gov.
Adlai Stevenson Of Illinois, Senator
Richard Russell of Georgia-and, of
course. over Senator Kefauver, the
rebel candidate from Tennessee.
Second Choice Mon
Kerr's followers already claim 200
second choice" convention votes.
And their man could pick up as many
more again If Georgia's Senator Rus
sell should throw support his way
after a few preliminary ballots. AS
leader Of the deep South faction
Of the Senate, Russell is well aware
that he has no chance whatever Of
carrying New York, Illinois and other
large States In which the Negro and
liberal" vote can be the decisive ele-
ment. Kerr, who has usually worked
toward compromises acceptable to
Southerners-for example, the new
Senate cloture rule adopted in 1850
somehow has avoided the purely Sec
tional label. # by convention time
he has the following of delegates
from the Midwest, Southwest and
mountain States that his hackers now
count upon--and If he shows promise
as a potential vote-getter In other
sections Of the country--he may well
become the logical heir to second
choice votes from many Of the Rus
sell delegates.
National Democratic chieftainS are
grateful to Kerr for taking the ini-
tiative absolutely without prompt
ing from the White House-in calling
for Gen. Douglas MacArthur's scalp
five days before the Commander in
Chief got around to the job. Truman
likes fighter: and no doubt he was
pleasantly surprised at such advance
skirmish support from q man whose
controversial natural gas bill he had
snufed out by presidential veto.
Oily Doubts
\ These factors In Bob Kerr's favor
are cotlnterbalanced by what might
be called areas Of doubt, epitomized
by the often-applied label. wealthy
oil man. As president Of Kerr
McGee. on Industries, Inc., and
working closely with the Phillips
Petroleum Co. one Of the largest
independent natural gas producers.
Kerr has amassed Q fortune which
has been estimated as high as SO
million. And regardless Of how much
he and others have protested. his
gas bin Of 1850 is still looked upon
IN many quarters as q special I'M
terests'' affair. The 6-foot 3-inch.
2lO-pound Oklahoman must over-
come considerable skepticism as to
his political motives II he Is to have .
q chance.
10 get on the Democrats ticket
he must ind the means Of corralling
the liberal and labor vote. He must
n NJ