Evening star., 1952-10-12
IF Crowds Equoled
Votes, Eisenhower
Would Be Winner
By J. A. O'Leory

Oy ). ~ ~ 1eUIy
WITH GEN. EISENHOWER'S
CAMPAIGN PARTY-If crowds were
infallible measures of a candidates
strength 1t could be said fatty that
Gen. Eisenhower is out in front as
the presidential race approaches the
home stretch.
After spending a week with Gen.
Eisenhower. this reporters impression
of contrast is in the larger number
Of people who stand along the streets
or gather at the whiStlestops to see
the general 60 by.
But there have been notable cases
within the memory Of many present.
day voters in which large crowds did
not spell victory.
AL Smith, New York's Happy War;
rior, was swamped by crowds in some
sections Of the country. but not
enough Of them voted for him. Wen-
dell Willkie. the Republican nominee
in 1910, drew throngs wherever he
went. He also polled the biggest vote
any Republican ever got, but Presi-
dent Roosevelt beat him by nearly
five million votes.
Both Gov. Smith and Mr.. Willkie
were colorful, dynamic figures and
the returns would indicate that some
Of the people they drew came out
to see personality.
Ike Also Fomous
Gen. Eisenhower also entered this
campaign q famous man, known to
every school child and adult as the
leader Of the Normandy invasion.
If a political observer had some
mystical way of finding out how many
Of the people who pour out of their
homes to see Ike are ready to vote
for him, and how many just want to
see hero, he might have the answer
to this election.
The second most noticeable differ
ence between the presidential candi-
dates is in their speeches. On this
factor Gov. Stevenson holds the ad-
vantage. But there again, there is
no sure way of telling whether the
carefully worded. smooth flowing
masterpieces Of the Democratic NOM
inee will sway more voters than the
plain down-to-earth phrases of the
general as he calls for common
woodshed honesty in Government
and wiser use of peoples tax dol
lars.
The candidate of the party out Of
power always has more ammunition
than the nominee Of the party in
power. One may criticize whatever
hor To- -.
Stevenson cannot be blamed person.
ally for anything that has happened
in the Truman administration. But
he must defend his party.
Stoffs Differ
Still another difference between
the 1852 contenders is in the make
up Of their advisory STATS. Gen. Els
enhower has at his elbow several men
well known in public life, like Gov.
Sherman Adams Of New Hampshire.
Senators Carlson Of Kansas. Seaton
of Nebraska and Knowland Of Cali
fornia. Gov. Stevenson's close adj
visers are young men who have been
associated with him in the govern
ment of Illinois, except for Wilson
Wyatt, his campaign manager, and
Senator Fulbright Of Arkansas, a late
added starter.
In the battle for the independent
vote, which may decide the election.
the two candidates are on fairly even
terms. Gov. Stevenson has "Volun-
teers for Stevenson" while Ike has
"Citizens for Eisenhower"
One week on the Eisenhower train
has given this observer the impress
sion that the generals campaign Is
better organized. Therein may lie a
partial explanation Of the bigger
crowds he is drawing.
Whistle Stopping
Another factor that may have
initiated against Gov. Stevenson
during the first month of his cam
paign was the amount of flying he
went in for. During all of September
he spent only one day whistle-stop-
ping on train, in Southern Cali.
fornia.
Gen. Eisenhower did lot of flying
in the South and other areas, but he
also has travelled 5000 miles by train
through the Midwest and Pacific
Coast States. with nearly . month
to go.
Gov. Stevenson, who has been in
politics only four years and was lit