Evening star., 1952-03-11
100000 Casting
Ballots Today in
New Hampshire
First Town Reporting
Goes for Eisenhower
And Second for Tuft
By the Assoeioted Pres.

CONCORD. N. H., Mar. IL
The Nations first presidential pri-
mary election began early today
in New Hampshire, bringing
thousands of voters to the polls
in a contest closely watched by
both major political parties.
Voters were ready to cast their
ballots as soon as the doors
opened at many of the polling
places.
Waterville Valley, a community
deep in the mountains, recorded
its vote a few moments after mid
night. It cast all seven votes for
Gen. Eisenhower.
1t also gave Senator Taft two
write-in votes and Harold E.
Stassen one write-in vote for Vice
President. The town has a popu-
lation of 10.
100000 Vote Expected.
Close behind Waterville Valley
IN the balloting was Millsfeld
which reported these returns:
Taft, 4; Stassen, /; Senator Ke-
fauver. /; President Truman, J..
Gen. Eisenhower received no votes.
Millsf1eld has a population Of 16.
Political observers expected the
vote to go over the 100, 900 mark.
setting records for many COM
munities. National. and even in
ternational attention, was. focused
on the election. Correspondents
from both London and Paris were
on the scene to cover the story, as
well as American newsmen from
virtually every part of the country.
Major interest focused on the
struggle between Gen. Eisenhower
and Senator Taft on the Republi-
can side.
New Hampshire may be the test
of Senator Taft's vote-getting
abilities. He campaigned hard in
New Hampshire, aking So
speeches in three days and firing
most of his big guns at the Demo-
cratic administration and at his
opponents who argued that if
nominated, he could not be elected
Kefauver's First Effort.
On the Democratic side, the
contest also marked the first ef-
forts by Senator Kefauver of Ten
nessee to become his party's
standard-bearer against President
Truman.
The President, after having
asked that his name be withdrawn
from the election, consented to let
it be placed on the ballot. But he
did not come to New Hampshire,
nor did he campaign actively.
Correspondents who accompanied
Mr.. Truman to Florida, where he
is on holiday, reported he has
shown no outward sign of interest
in the primary.
Gen. Macarthur is represented
on the Republican ballot by a slate
of delegates who registered for
him despite his request that he be
from the election. And
former Gov. Harold E. Stassen is
on the Republican preferential
section of the ballot. but he has no
delegates entered for him.
New Hampshire sends IA repre-
sentatives to the Republican con-
vention and 8 to the Democratic.
Preferential Ballot Important.
In the case Of both parties, OBJ
servers generally considered the
election of delegates less important
than the preferential ballot. In
this latter section, the people reg
lister a preference directly for the
candidate in which is
known as "the popularity contest"
Gen. EiSenhower's list of dele
gates is far more impressive than
Senator Taft's and a majority of
them are expected to be elected.
But the popularity contest"
apparently was a very close race
and supporters Of both men, while
predicting victory. conceded the
margins might be narrow. Before
leaving the State, Senator Taft
said the polls showed he was run
ming even with Gen. Eisenhower.
Other soundings of public senti-
ment indicated Gen. Eisenhower
held a short lead over the Senator.
just before the polls opened,
(See PRIMARY. Page A-3.)