Evening star., 1952-03-20
The Political MiIi
Eisenhower Now Called
A Tough Man to Stop
Nebraska Primary on April !
Moy Prove Test Of Strength
The Political Mil
By Gould Lincoln

One more such demonstration Of pop.
ular support for Gen. Dwight %. EiSen.
hover as in New Hampshire and Minne-
sofa and the general Is going to be
tough man to stop on the way to
Republican presidential nomination. It
could happen In the presidential pri-
mary In Nebraska, which falls on April
1, or in the Illinois primary on April
8. Taft strength has been claimed In
both States. particularly In Illinois. It
would be up to the Eisenhower man
ayers to determine II drive, similar
to that In Minnesota. should be made.
And certainly test will be had in the
New Jersey primary April Is. where
both Senator Taft and Gen. Eisenhower
are entered In the race for delegates to
the Republican National Convention.
Popular Demand Emerging.
Eisenhower managers are saying that
the popular demand for the general Is
now emerging In a big way-and that
many Of the political leaders who have
been on the fence will give heed, It
has been clear for long time that the
whole Eisenhower drive depended on
demonstrations Of Eisenhower senti-
ment. It is also becoming more and
more clear that the timing of the Eisen-
hover campaign has been excellent.
Without the presence of Gen. Eisen-
hover in this country, and without his
making any political statements other
than that he would accept call to
"higher duty"-his supporters made q
clean sweep In the first presidential
primary--New Hampshire-where SEN
ator Taft made an intensive three-day
campaign. It was an essential first
step, however. But it bore out the cor.
rectness Of the polls which have showed
Gen. Eisenhower leading all other cam
didateS for the presidential nomination.
A write-in campaign in q primary
election is a tough political job in any
mans language. The demonstration in
the Minnesota primary where Eisen-
hower's name was written in by ap-
proximately 100000 voters was amazing.
Minnesota Is State of the Midwest.
too, where the Taft strength has been
supposed great. Roy Dunn, Republican
national committeeman for Minnesota.
has been in charge of the Taft interests
in that State. The Taft votes were
supposed to 60 to Edward G. Slettedahl,
st. Paul school teacher. whose first
choice Is Gen. Macarthur, and second,
Senator Taft. Mr.. Slettedahl got around
10000 votes, and the write-in vote for
Senator Taft was something over 20 1000.
It is clear that the Minnesota Republic
can voters gave Gen. Eisenhower q more
than 2-to-1 support over Senator Taft
and when the Stassen vote is considered,
the Taft showing becomes even more
disappointing, because Mr.. Stassen has
been hannmering Senator Taft through
out the preconvention campaign.
May Return I'm May.
The primary results raise the question,
too, of Eisenhower strength, If he were
present and campaigning instead Of re-
naming 5000 miles away. His absence
has been held by many q great handi-
cap. His campaign managers continue
to insist that the general will come home
"at the proper time"-and certainly be-
fore the opening of the Republican Ma
tional Convention next July Z. Now 1t
Is suggested he may be back in this
country to stay by May is. But that
Is still conjecture.
The Eisenhower organization has un-
dergone revamping. Senator Lodge of
Massachusetts, still remains the national
campaign manager. But Paul Hoffman,
former head Of the board of the COM
mittee for Economic Development, Is to
become chairman Of the Citizens for
Eisenhower organization, and Arthur
Vandenberg, jr. of Michigan, who has
been in charge of the organization in
New York, is coming to Washington to
aid Senator Lodge.