Evening star., 1952-07-06
Taft Held Trapped
In Delegate Fight
SteomroIIer Methods Could
Prove Boon to Eisenhower
By Fronk R. Kent

Today the situation as between Gen.
Eisenhower and Senator Taft Is essen
TALLY the same as last January when
the general let it be known he would be
a candidate for the nomination. At that
time Senator Taft had been campaign
ing for many months. ,...
Despite the primaries, the speeches.
declarations Of support and conflicting
claims, their relative strength has
changed very little. The people who
were for Senator Taft six months ago
are still for him: those who were for
Gen. Ike have not left him. Propa-
ganda has poured out Of both camps
but nothing really unexpected has hap
pened. From the start it has been duel
between two outstanding men. Of great
ability and high character. But of very
different types.
Senator Taft is an experienced poll
tician, the leader Of his party in the
Senate and the favorite Of the organ
ization politicians in most Of the Repub-
lican States and in the South. The
bulk Of his colleagues in the Senate
are with him and he has many admirers
throughout the country. In addition,
his friends control the Republican Ma
tional Committee. Taft men also are
in a majority on the powerful Creden-
tials and Resolutions Committees. In
brief, the whole convention machinery
is in the hands of Taft Obviously, this
Is big advantage.
On the other hand, Gen. Ike isn't
a politician at all. Among his campaign
managers are some very good politicians
such as Senator Lodge. Senator Duff.
Gov. Dewey Gov. Driscoll and others.
But, while Ike has plenty Of strong, clear
views on public affairs. he does not pre-
tend to know anything about politics.
Most of the Governors in the debatable
States and most of the newspapers in
the country are for him. Mr.. Taft pre-
tends to think these anti-Taft Gov
ernors and newspapers are in con-
spiracy to defeat him. Actually. this
so-called conspiracy Is merely refec-
ton of Gen. Eisenhowers greatest as
set-his personal popularity. II 1t were
not for that he would have no chance
at all against the Taft organization.
With it. he may easily Offset Senator
Taft's machine advantages. For the
simple fact is that many more people in
enhower President than want to see any
other man. Every poll attests 1t: hardly
any one disputes it. 1t is the reason
he is a candidate and the basis for the
conviction that Gen. Eisenhower can
easily be elected, while Senator Taft
may Just as easily be defeated. Unques-
tionably this belief is Mr.. Taft's largest
liability.
This Taft liability has been increased
by the controversy over the Texas and
Louisiana Taft delegates-some Is IN
all. Mr.. Taft can hardly be nominated
without these delegates, whom the Els
enhower managers charge were chosen
by dishonest, steamroller methods. close
ly paralleling those used 40 years ago
in the same States for Senator Taft's
father and which caused Theodore
Roosevelt to bolt the convention and
wreck Republican chances. There is no
suggestion that If, by the same methods.
Gen. Eisenhower is swindled out OF the
nomination. he will bolt or try to form
a third party. But his friends are not
going to sit silently by while this sort
of thing is done to him. And. certainly.
the resentment in the country would be
deep, indeed.
Of course this puts Mr.. Taft In
painful position. Perhaps he can find a
way out, but he seems trapped
It is q tough spot for the Taft man
ayers. If they relinquish these IS
"stolen" votes from the South it may
mean the nomination of Eisenhower on
the first or second ballot. If they use
strong-arm tactics and finally seat their
own men in the way the thing was done
in 1912, the uncommitted delegates.
whose main desire Is to nominate VIM
ner, may stampede to Ike to avoid dis
aster in November.