Evening star., 1952-10-11
The Political Mill:
CuIiforniu's 81 Votes
Lean to Eisenhower
State Still q battle-ground.
Coast Observers Concede
By Gould Lincoln

coast observers Soncede
By Gould Lincoln
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 1.-THE Pa
cific Coast States, with their total OF
At electoral votes, will play their i'm
portant part in the coming Presidential
election. In all three, California, WASH
ington and Oregon, Gen. Eisenhower.
the Republican standard bearer, has
just completed visit marked by the
turnout of great crowds to see and hear
him. All three of these States have
Republican Governors today-although
in 1948 only one of them, Oregon. was
carried by the then Republican candi-
date for President, Gov. Dewey Of New
York.
Gov. Earl Warren of California, like
Gov. Langlie of Washington and Gov.
Mckay of oregon, was impressed by
the receptions accorded Gen. Eisen-
hover. The California Governor. who
accompanied Gen. Eisenhower on his
swing through the State, told this writer
that not since the arrival of Gen.
Douglas Macarthur in San Francisco.
after having been deposed from his Far
East command by President Truman,
has there been anything like the emo
tional enthusiasm of the crowds who
hailed Gen. Eisenhower in this State.
In numbers, too, the crowds in San
Francisco. gathered to see and hear
Gen. Eisenhower, were comparable to
those that greeted Gen. Macarthur.
Leads in Acclaim.
Whether the crowds mean victory, or
ho frorclafod nt will ha
finally determined onselection day. But
as of today, Gen. Eisenhower Is far
ahead of either his Democratic oppo-
nent, Gov. Stevenson, or his severest
Democratic detractor, President Tru-
man. in this matter Of public acclaim.
Both of them have been in this State
campaigning. Gov. Stevenson Is to re-
turn for another invasion this coming
week.
The consensus of observers on the
Pacific Coast, when their various views
are assayed, is that CALIFORNIA; 80 elec-
toral votes, still hanging in the balance,
lean toward Gen. Eisenhower; that
Washington's nine electoral votes are
more likely to be found in the Stevenson
column-although that State is battle
ground. too-and that Oregon's six elec-
toral votes will be won by Gen. Eisen-
hover.
Reports have been published that Gov.
Warren of California was sulking in his
tent and that he would sit on his hands
in this Eisenhower Stevenson race.
These reports have been based on tho
theory that Gov. Warren, himself
candidate for the presidential nominal
ton at the Chicago Republican National
Convention, has neither recovered from
his defeat nor forgiven Senator Nixon
of California-now the Republican vice
presidential andidate-because Of the
support Senator Nixon gave Gen. Eisen-
hover in that struggle.
The California Governor, far from
sitting on his hands, has agreed to de-
liver speeches supporting the EiSen-
he will soon be on the huStings. In
addition, Gov. Warren will return to
California for the last week of the cam
paign and will himself campaign vigor-
ously up and down the State for the
election of the Republican ticket.
Fund Still Debated.
Wide difference of opinion is found
here in California regarding the effect
of the Nixon $4,000 political fund. At
least one important Republican leader
looks on Senator Nixon'S acceptance of
such fund-in view of his important
place on the Republican national ticket
AS making it impossible to attack the
Democrats on the corruption issue" in
this campaign. In his opinion the cor
ruption issue against the Truman ad-
ministration Is valid-but if raised will
merely bring in response a demand to
know still more about Senator Nixons
finances.
Other Republicans, however, insist
that the Republican vice presidential
candidate. as result of his dramatic
defense of himself on television, is now
stronger than horseradish, not only in
California but also throughout the
country. There is the chance that Sem
ator Nixon has gained as fanatical a
group OF supporters as has Senator
Mccarthy of Wisconsin.
Gen. EiSenhowerS discussion on his
Pacific Coast trip of the reclamation and
hydro-electric power issues has, it is be-
lieved, aided him in these States. His
insistence that the reclamation and
power programs will go forward under
his administration-sho he be elected
but with more local control has struck
satisfactory note. Many people have
become concerned lest Fair Deal bureau
Gratis, through these programs, entirely
dominated from Washington, take over
the economy of the Coast States.