Evening star., 1952-08-20
Once Over Lightly

General Eisenhowers political advisers are
planning hop, skip and Jump invasion Of the
South. And they may be making bad mistake.
The plan calls for the Republican candidate
to spend from two to two and half days in
what the news dispatches call "whirlwind in
vasion" of Dixie. On this surface -skimming tour
he would speak in 10 or IL cities in seven or more
States Whatever this may add up to, it is not
serious effort to break the solid South.
There are practical considerations which,
specifically, might seem to justify this once
over-lightly treatment of the South. General
Eisenhower taking Labor Day as the beginning
date, will have about two months for serious
campaigning. That is very little time and it is
obvious that his main effort should be exerted in
areas which promise the greatest return in terms
Of electoral votes. Logically, these are the States
which, in 1948, went Democratic or Republican
by slender margins The 1852 election will be won
or lost in such States as Michigan, New York,
Ohio, Illinois and California. The Republican
outlook is brighter in these States than in the
South, and, incidentally, the electoral-vote re-
ward is greater. So it is only sensible that the
Republicans should plan to make their major
effort in this area
It does not follow, however, that it is the part
of political wisdom to give the South the brush
off treatment.
There is no point in going into the South at
all unless there is some substantial prospect of
carrying one more Southern States. This is a
decision that must be made, and which presun-
ably has been made, by the Eisenhower strate-
gists If they think they have only slim chance
of carrying any Southern State, the two-day tour
is dangerous gamble. AS it shapes up now, the
plan is that General Eisenhower, in at least most
of his Southern stops, will speak at the airport.
His plane will land, he will make his talk and
program which can backfire badly. What assur-
ance is there that any substantial number of
people will journey out to the airports to hear
hello -and-good-by talk from the candidate?
And if the crowds do not turn out, the Southern
tour, coming in early September can launch the
whole Eisenhower campaign on a sour note
The Eisenhower people are not saying off,
cially which Southern States they hope to carry
and which they concede as lost There seems to
be chance, however, of carrying Virginia, Texas,
Louisiana and Florida. Their total electoral vote
is 56-two less than Michigan, Ohio and Indiana
combined. Virginia and Texas, with SO electoral
votes, probably are the best bets. Their total is
greater than the electoral vote of any single
State, New York alone excepted.
If the Republicans have a real chance in one
or more of these Southern States, and there is
good reason to believe they have, the decision to
oeVoCe TWO Gays Out OF TWO monCnS In a Olxle
campaign hardly makes sense. If the job Of a
Southern campaign is worth doing it is worth
doing right. OF course, the G. o. P. strategists
have to keep their eyes on the main chance. They
must dig primarily for votes where the prospects
are brightest. But if they have written of the
South this early, they have been listening too
much to the professional politicians and too little
to the people. And if they have not written it of,
they ought to make reasonable effort to present
their candidates to the Southern voters