Evening star., 1952-05-06
The Political MIL:
GueI Sullivan Believes
Kefouver's S Stor Rising
Predicts Tennesseun Will Be
Top Runner in Convention
By Gould Lincoln

oy Soulo Lincoln
Gael Sullivan, new national campaign
manager of the Kefauver- President
forces. firmly believes in the political
star Of the Tennessee Senator. In fact,
the vote-getting abilities of the Senator.
according to Mr.. Sullivan. lead to one
conclusion-that the Tennessean will
enter the Democratic National Conven-
tion as top runner. Mr.. Sullivan admits
that his candidate faces important tests.
first in the Florida and Ohio primaries
today, and later in the Oregon and Cali
fornia primaries. He is confident that
Kefauvers showing will be good in them
all.
The Kefauver campaign manager is
an old friend and admirer of the Sena-
tor. He is also an old hand at politics.
He cut his eye teeth in that game under
the tutelage of the late Ed Kelly, for
many years Mayor of Chicago and
Democratic boss of Illinois. His national
experience came when he was executive
vice chairman of the Democratic Ma
tional Committee from February, 1947,
to April, 1948, a job he gave up when he
became executive director of the Theater
Owners of America. He is now on leave
from that Office until August.
Recalls Televised Hearings.
Senator Kefauver stands for some
thing in the minds of the mothers and
young men and women of this country"
said Mr.. Sullivan. HE epitomizes the
fight against crime and racketeers and
the peddlers of dope. I'll never forget
those days when Senator Kefauver as
chairman of the Senate Crime InveSti-
eating Committee held hearings in New
York. Times Square was deSerted-and
know it, because my Office looked out
on it-because the people were watching
these hearings on television and listen
ing to them on the radio. It was amaZ-
ing. The people in New Hampshire
went to the voting booths to support
Senator Kefauver last March, notwith-
standing the snow. There he beat the
President himself. They went to the
polls in Nebraska in spite of blizzards.
to give Senator Kefauver the lead over
Senator Kerr of Oklahoma. In Wiscon-
sin, he was the choice Of q great major
ity of~the Democrats"
Mr.. Sullivan does not believe that the
people of the South will oppose the Ten
nessee Senator, if given an opportunity
to vote for him. Notwithstanding the
fact that many Democratic members Of
Congress have turned from him to favor
Senator Russell of Georgia. He believes.
in fact, that Kefauver's appeal to the
people Of that section Of the country
from which Senator Kefauver himself
comes-will be as strong as it is to the
people of New York, of Pennsylvania.
of New England, of Nebraska and
Wisconsin.
Could Score In California.
Further, Mr.. Sullivan expects Ke-
fauver to put up a good fight for Cali
fornia's 68 delegates to the Democratic
National Convention. A full slate Of
delegate candidates has been entered,
and Mr.. Sullivan indicated stiff fight
would be made to elect them. Senator
Kefauvers opponent there will be Pat
Brown, a favorite-Son candidate who has
tried to rally the Truman delegates to
himself, since the President declared
himself out of the race. An effort will
be to get those delegates for Averell
Hartman, who now has the backing
of the administration and young Frank
lin D. Roosevelt. jr., of New York.
The very fact Mr.. Sullivan has ac-
cepted the Kefauver chairmanship
means something. His services were
sought last winter And when first Pres
ident Truman and then Gov. Stevenson
of Illinois said they would not accept
the nomination, and then Senator
Douglas of Illinois declared for Senator
Kefauver, Mr.. Sullivan came over. It's
his job to help nominate the Tennessean,
and he will be working at it seven days
a week.
Here again, it appears that the de-
cision of the Republicans on a presi-
dental nominee will have its impact on
the Democrats selection of a candidate.
The nomination of Senator Taft of Ohio
may bring a resurgence of demand that
either the President or Gov. Stevenson
be drafted. The nomination. on the
other hand. of Gen. Eisenhower, may
insure the nomination of Senator Ke-
fauver by the Democrats.