Evening star., 1952-02-05
The Politicoi Min
The Political Min
Kefouver's $ Primory Bid
Muy Smoke Out Trumun
Tennesseon's Determined Effort
Is Certain to Be Irrituting
By CouId Lincoln

Garner and Postmaster General Jim
Farley could not stomach the third
term Tin the White Housed idea, has
there been such q frontal attack upon
sitting Presidents denomination
privilege Is that put ON today. by
Senator Estes Kefauver of Tennessee.
Further. the activities OF Mr.. Kefauver
may either smoke President Truman
out-So far Is the Presidents personal
political plans are concerned -or put .
lot Of Democratic leaders In many States
on the hot spot. For. outstanding
Mr.. Truman's assertion that the presi-
Dental preferential primaries are eye
wash. there are number Of high rank
ing gentlemen In the Democratic Party
who differ with the President. They
would like to get into those primaries
themselves II Mr.. Truman is not going to
run, either as candidates or In support
OF candidates Of their own choosing.
Challenge to Truman.
The entry Of Senator Kefauver into
considerable number Of these preferen-
tial primaries is challenge to Mr.. Tru-
man-even though Mr.. Truman makes
: little Of the challenge. Also, Mr.. Ke-
fauyer's assertion that he can win the
presidential nomination even II Mr.. Tru-
man decides to run Is just another teas
ing effort, apparently, to get tha
President out in the open. When Demo-
cratic National Chairman Frank 3. Me.
Kinney announced he would request the
President to reverse himself and let his
name stand In the New Hampshire pref
erential primary-against Senator Ke-
fauver-he let the cat out Of the bag.
Mr.. Mckinney wants the President to
slap Senator Kefauver down In the very
first Of the State primaries.
Apparently Senator Kefauver, how
ever. wants just what Mr.. Mckinney
wants. race between himself and the
President In the New Hampshire pri-
mary. II the Senator could win that
race, the effect would be startling g-par-
ticularly as 1t would be unexpected. It
would not only lower the Truman
prestige. but 1t would present the Ten
nessean's candidacy In an entirely new
and brighter light. It's . race, more
over, that Senator Kefauver angled for
when his entry into the New Hampshire
primary was delayed until after that
of the President had been made by
Truman supporters.
In 1948 Mr.. Truman might have
faced strong opposition to his nomina-
ton in the Democratic National Con-
vention had his opponents been able
to land strong candidate to run
against him. They hoped up to the last
to have Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, but
Eisenhower fiatly declined. The effort
to deny Mr.. Truman the nomination
then blew up-except for the rebellion
Of the delegations from the solid South.
They voted for Senator Russell Of
Georgia, but obviously never had o
chance to block Truman nomination.
Presidents "ShoO Fly" Attitude.
Every one for months has been telling
the President he can have denomination
II he wants it-every one, that is, except
Senator Kefauver. Mr.. Truman has
adopted the "shoo fly. don't bother me"
attitude toward the Tennessee Senator
and his candidacy The chances are.
however. that the Kefauyer candidacy
will become more and more Irritating
II the President has decided TO run
again but to say nothing about his
plans until much later. II the President
has decided not to run, then the
Kefauyer candidacy might spoil the
Presidents plan to nominate his own
successor, II he has such . plan. But
particularly Is the Kefauver candidacy
an irritant because the Senator has had
the temerity to say that corruption and
improperly In public Office have been
neither promptly nor adequately dealt
with by the Truman administration. Mr..
Kefauver can make quite q case along
that line. II he really puts his mind to it.
And as chairman Of the much-publicized
Senate Crime Investigating Committee
OF 1850, he seems to fit right in as .
critic Of wrongdoing in political Office.
He might even have some undisclosed
ammunition ready at hand.
In 1910. Vice President Garner per-
mitted his name to be used in the
Wisconsin primary election of delegates
to the Democratic National Convention
and he won few against the fol-
lowers Of President Franklin DelanO
Roosevelt. Mr.. Roosevelt at the time
had not disclosed his intention Of run
ming for Q third term. Like President
Roosevelt, Mr.. Truman has not yet
disclosed his intention Of running for
. third term. However, 10 win get you
20 he will run-and Mr.. Kefauver may
needle him into an announcement.