Evening star., 1952-01-08
The Political Mill
Trumon Can Put Off
Action Until Convention
Decision to Enter Race Could
Hinge on 6. O. P. Choice
The Political Mill
By Gould Lincoln

Now that Gen. Dwight d. Eisenhower
has made it clear, himself, that he viii
accept Republican presidential nomi-
nation, the most intriguing and most
important mystery that remains to be
cleared in the 1852 field of preconven-
ton politics is what will President
Harry S. Truman do.
Mr.. Truman can, If he wishes, say
absolutely nothing about his own politi-
cal plans until the eve Of the Demo-
cratic National Convention next July
81, and be sure of denomination. No
one in the Democratic Party could wrest
the nomination from him If he wants
it. This means he could wait until the
i Republicans have named their candi-
date at their convention which opens
July 7; he could learn whether they had
picked Senator Taft Of Ohio, or Gen.
Eisenhower, or another Of the candi-
dates on the Republican side Of the
fence, and then make his own an
nouncement. It has been said that If
the Republicans named Senator Taft,
Mr.. Truman would surely make the race
against him, believing not only that he
could win but that a defeat OF Senator
Taft was absolutely essential, both on
foreign policy and domestic policy
grounds.
Admirer of Eisenhower.
On the other hand, President Truman
has been an admirer Of Gen. Eisenhower
and very friendly to him. He knows
that Gen. Eisenhower is a strong sup
porter of the policy of building up a
strong defense against Communist Rus
sia in Europe. Gen. Eisenhower turned
thumbs down on efforts made by Demo-
Gratis and Republicans alike to get him
to run for President in 1948. Many OF
the leaders of the Democratic Party
worked hard to get the general to run
in the Democratic National Convention
against Mr.. Truman in that year-and
Gen. Eisenhower fatty declined.
President Truman knows, too, that
the new amendment of the Constitution
says that no man shall have more than
two terms in the White House, or the
equivalent of two terms if he shall have
entered. it from the Office of the Vice
President because of death or disability
of the President. Mr.. Truman is the
only man in the country exempted from
this mitation-because he happened to
be the incumbent when the amendment
was adopted and ratified. He may wish
to live up to the spirit Of the amendment,
even though the letter does not cover
him.
Announcement Hailed.
The Eisenhower announcement has
been received with enthusiasm, among
men and women many of whom have
taken no part in the political organiza-
tionS of either major party. Much will
depend upon the progress made in the
next two months by the Eisenhower-for
President movement, headed by Senator
Lodge of Massachusetts, and aided and
abetted by Gov. Dewey of New York,
Carlson of Kansas and many others.
If there is evidence of great public
demand for Ike-there will be no stop
ping the snowballing effect. The Taft
organization, however, has decided
strength today 1t has the support Of
many of the organization leaders in
many Of the States. It will be difficult
to defeat. r1~f
The fact remains, however, that none
OF the 1,100 delegates to the Republican
National Convention have been chosen.
The Taft people have laid claims to
many Of these elegates-hecause they
have been assured by party leaders. But
the difficulty about these claims lies
in the possibility that surge of popu-
lar Eisenhower support will have tre-
mendous impact upon the delegates
after they shall have been chosen. If
not before. The primary battles remain
to be fought out, too Senator Taft is
entering Ohio and Wisconsin prima-
ries-and has said he may not go into
others. Eisenhower, Warren and Stas-
sen may be entered in many others.
The Eisenhower boom has at last
been launched on firm ground. From
now on it must advance-or it is lost.