Evening star., 1952-02-09
The Political Mill
Upcoming Primaries
Could Be Very Potent
Candidates Muy Be Made
Or Lost by March Results
By Gould Lincoln

By Gould Lincoln
Eyewash or not eyewash. presidential
candidates may well beware the pri-
maries Of March, 1852. There are only
two of them-New Hampshire on March
II and Minnesota on March 18. Their
results conceivably could be potent.
When Senator Taft of Ohio. on the
Republican side, announced his inten-
ton OF entering the New Hampshire pri-
mary despite the fact most of the in-
portant party leaders in the State had
announced for Gen. Dwight D. EiSen-
hover, he paved the way for the first
actual test of voting strength between
himself and the general. The outcome.
If favorable to Taft, would be serious
setback for the Eisenhower candidacy.
On the other hand, if Eisenhower should
clean up in New Hampshire and win all
the States delegates to the Republican
National Convention, or nearly all, it
would have strong psychological effect
even if it did not spell defeat for the
Ohio Senator in July.
Harold E. Stassen, former Governor
of Minnesota. is entered in New Hamp-
delegates. He is entered in the So-called
preference" race, where the voters de-
clare their preference for presidential
nominee. Taft and Eisenhower are in
that race, too. Some of the Taft man
ayers are hopeful that the Senator will
do well in this vote, and so dispel what
they call the myth of Eisenhower popu.
larity. It is possible that StaSsen'S en-
try in this contest viii divide in
measure the vote which does not favor
Taft.
Could Help General.
Now, it has developed, the Minnesota
primary may conceivably add greatly to
the Eisenhower prestige-and at the
same time be. blow to that of Mr..
Stassen. Eisenhower enthusiasts have
entered a slate of delegates for the gen.
eral. Under the primary law. consent
of the candidate is not mandatory. This
action was taken over the protest OF
Senator Henry Cabot Lodge of Massa-
chusetts. the Eisenhower campaign
manager, who argued that StasSen was
entitled to the support of his old home
States delegation-particularly as it
would be an anti-Taft delegation and
probably ready to go Eisenhower at
crucial time.
The Eisenhower slate of delegates was
filed by Bradshaw Mintener, general
counsel of the Pillsbury Mills, a great
personal friend of Gen. Eisenhower. In
some measure the action was forced, for
Leorard Lindquist, who wishes to be the
Republican nominee for Governor over
c. Elmer Anderson, the acting Governor.
proposed to enter an Eisenhower slate.
Anderson has declared for Mr.. StaSsen,
although he has high regard for Gen.
Eisenhower. Senator Taft according to
Roy Dunn, Republican national COM
mitteeman and Taft's manager in Min
nesota, will not be entered in the Minne-
sofa primary.
Macarthur Begs Of.
A slate of delegate candidates for Gen.
Douglas Macarthur also has been filed
in Minnesota. but Gen. Macarthur has
asked that it be Withdrawn. Gen Eisen-
hover. it is expected, will let the issue
ride. He does not have to say anything.
Polls taken by the Minneapolis STAR
Tribune show Gen. Eisenhower running
well ahead among Republican voters
ana far ahead among the independents.
1t Is regarded as more than likely some
of the Eisenhower district delegates will
be elected, and observers say it is not
inconceivable the general might win a
majority of the delegates there. Such
an outcome would be extremely sig
nificant.
In the New Hampshire primary Presi-
dent Truman is finally landed in direct
opposition to Senator Kefauver of Ten
nessee. The Democratic organization is
backing the President. Mr.. Kefauver, on
the other hand, has a certain following
growing out of his arti-crime investiga-
tions The President will not campaign
in the State, but the Senator will If the
unexpected should happen, and Senator
Keiauver win, or run extremely close to
Mr.. Truman or pick up as many dele
gates as Mr.. Truman. the result would
be startling.
Senator Humphrey is the Truman
stalking horse in Minnesota-and will
have the delegation as favorite-son
candidate. Perhaps. if the President
should not run, the Minnesota Senator
might crop up as a dark-horse candidate
for the Democratic presidential nomina-
tion-even though he has disclaimed
presidential ambitions.