Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-04-01
WishfuI Thinker

If Senator Taft really believes that the
Presidents decision against running again will
have no effect on the Republican contest, he
must be suffering either from a severe attack
of wishful thinking or an advanced case Of
political myopia.
The Ohio Senator attempts to rationalize
his statement by arguing that the Democrats,
with Mr.. Truman out of the picture will be hard
put to select candidate who will be satisfac-
tory to all of the diverse elements within that
party. There is, OF course, certain element of
truth in that observation But it is also an
observation which overlooks the fact that Mr..
Truman would be more vulnerable from this
point of view than almost any one the Demo-
Gratis might name.
Much of the opposition to Mr.. Truman is
primarily personal in nature. It would not be
Enthusiastically not in full measure-by
another candidate. Suppose, for example, the
Democrats were to choose ticket headed by
Governor Stevenson of Illinois and Senator Rus
sell Of Georgia The Southern revolt would coll
lapse. The resentment which has been aroused
by the scandals in the Truman administration
would not be transferred to men whose records
are as clean as those of the Illinois Governor
and the Georgia Senator. And this or a similar
ticket-except possibly on the civil rights issue
would fall heir to many of the votes of the
powerful groups which have consistently sup
ported the Democratic ticket over the past 20
years.
What this comes down to is that the DEM
ocrats, with Mr.. Truman out of the picture, are
going to be harder to beat. If Mr.. Taft does not
see this, or If he prefers not to acknowledge it,
he might profit by listening, for once, to Harold
Stassen. For Mr.. Stassen is partly right in say
ing that Democratic candidate other than
Mr. Truman will be more difficult to defeat, and
that the Presidents announcement means that
the Republicans must redouble their efforts to
present a constructive Republican platform to
the people.
Mr. stassen is only partly right because the
Republicans, in addition to presenting con-
structive platform, must also choose candi-
date who will appeal most strongly to the voters
in November.
On the basis of the showing to date, that
man is General Eisenhower. New Hampshire and
Minnesota revealed an astonishing measure of
support for this absentee candidate In today's
Republican primary in Nebraska, neither his
name nor that of Senator Taft will be on the
ballot. But their respective hackers have been
waging campaign for write-in votes, and this
may be revealing.
OF greater Importance is the Wisconsin pri-
mary. General Eisenhower is not a candidate
in that State either, although hackers of both
Mr.. Stassen and Governor Warren have been
trying to attract support by identifying them
selves in one way or another with the general
The real test there, however, will come in the
case Of Senator Taft. His name is on the ballot
and he has the backing Of the Republican State
organization. For him, a serious setback in Wis
consin would be disastrous. It would mean that
his hopes Of winning the nomination have come
to nothing and in that event the best service
he could render the party would be to withdraw
from the race and give his support to General
Eisenhower.
This ought to be Republican year. But the
Republicans can throw away their chance if
they kid themselves into believing that the
Democrats are going to be easier to beat because
Mr.. Truman has withdrawn, and that almost
any Republican candidate will be good enough.