Evening star., 1952-06-12

| POLITICS ON A PARK BENCl
Gen. Eisenhower Oeft) chats \
lican Party foreign policy expe
generals residence at 60 MOrni
aft Hopes 10 Utilize
1914 Convention Rule
Aimed al Curbing Him
Supporters of Senator Taft o1
Ohio are laughing up their sleeve.
these days.
It's about rule put through il
the 1914 Republican National Con.
vention controlled by the forces O.
Gov. Thomas E. Dewey, long {
Taft rival. The rule stipulates thar
only seating contests affectins
MISUNDERSTANDING may be pre-.
sented to the convention for set.
tlement.
The rule was not strictly ad-
hered to in the 1948 convention
which gave the New York Gov.
lernor second presidential nomi.
nation. But Senator Taft has in.
Idicated he will insist on it's ap.
IpGcation at the coming conven.
ton in Chicago.
If he does and is upheld ir
committees which are expected tt
be dominated by Taft supporters
the contests between him and Gen
Eisenhower over II delegates from
five Southern States would be re.
duced to embrace just 18 dele
gates-four each from Georgia
Louisiana and Mississippi, anc
six from Texas.
Taft in Control.
Otherwise, the scrap would take
in the entire delegations from
those States-Georgia, II; Louisi-
ana, Is; Mississippi, 5, and Texas
38-plus 2 district delegates from
Virginia. Gen. EisenhoWed would
be expected to benefit more from
this broader field of contention
since Taft forces largely control
the State convention and State
committee machinery which are
supposed to settle district delegate
contests.
The deadline for filing notice OF
contests with the secretary of the
National Committee is 20 days OF
more before the July Z convention
opening. That is next Monday
according to committee officials
None has been filed up to today
but inquiries of the rival slate
leaders in the five States developed
replies that their notices will take
in district, as well as at-large
delegates, leaving legal, as well
as personal battle for the nationa.
convention.
Could Mean Victory.
The delegate contests this yea,
are of great Importance since the
decision on their final seating
could swing the presidential nomi-
nation to either of the two lead
ing contenders. The Associated
Press tabulation of delegates lists
464 favoring Senator Taft to 391
for Gen. Eisenhower, 13O favorine
five others and 208 uncommitteo
or in dispute. A majority-ol
604-will be needed to win. Thir-
teen delegates remain to be Sc.
lected.
The rule by which the 1914 and
1948 conventions operated-but
which the 1852 convention could
change-says:
AL contests arising in any
State electing district delegates by
district conventions, shall be de-
cided by its State convention, OF
II the State convention shall not
meet prior to the national con-
vention, then by its State COM
mittee; and only contests affect
ing delegates-at-large shall be
presented to the national conven-
tion."
That Senator Taft will be chal-
lenged if he seeks to apply this
rule to the biggest Southern dele
cation in contest, Texas 38. was
emphasized last Friday by H. J.
(Jack) Porter, Texas Eisenhower
leader.
State Lineup Listed.
The rival factions are expected
to line up this way in taking their
contests before the National Com
mittee. Credentials Committee
and then the convention itself:
Georgia-Two factions, each
with a complete slate of II dele
gates, will seek seats. One is
headed by w. R. Tucker, has the
support of the States two Ma
tional Committee members and
claims to be the regular" organi-
zation. 1t was seated in the last
two national conventions. This
year it has 13 favoring Gen
Eisenhower, two for Senator Taft
one for Gov. Earl Warren anG
one undecided. Another faction
headed by Roy G. Foster has al
II for Taft.
Louisiana Taft forces will senC
to Chicago a complete slate of Il
delegates. They will be opposed BY
Is Eisenhower delegates.
Mississippi - Three delegations
OF five each will contest. The
black and tan" regular faction
long recognized at national con-
ventionS is pro-Taft. The "lily
white" group has split into two
factions, one instructed for Gen
Eisenhower and the other unin.