Evening star., 1952-09-24
G.0.P.Conceded
Even Chance 10
Garry Virginia
Biggest Obstacle
Is Split Of Bockers !
Into Many Groups
By John v. Homer
Stov Stoff Covresporelent

1CAAs xIAoCA1IIOWCA Al0S au CAVSnCIe
nance to carry Virginia in the
election, but If he does
t will be in spite Of the Republic
an Party.
Thanks to his great personal
and to Virginia's frank
lislike of the Truman administra-
ion. the general is conceded at
east an even break--so far-with
jov. Stevenson In q fight for the
u electoral votes here.
The general has ample backing
1T this stage of the campaign in
the Old Dominion. but the back
srs are split into too many groups
going their separate ways. That
Is chiefly the fault Of the Republic
,an Party.
Gen. Eisenhower will wind up
his present whistle-stop tour with
a swing through Virginia Friday.
Most people think he will do all
right in his own behalf but they
whether his strength will
be dissipated by campaign con-
fusion.
Stop In Four Cities.
The Eisenhower train will stop
at Roanoke. Lynchburg and Pc
tersburg before it brings the pres.
idential candidate to Richmond
for the principal address Friday
night.
The Republicans have gambled
heavily on that one appearance.
If they get a good break in
weather, the gamble should pay
of. A bad break could mean dis
aster.
The Eisenhower handlers elected
to hold this rally out of doors. The
nominee will speak-rain or moon
from the south portico Of the
State Capitol. So his crowd will
depend upon the elements.
The G. o. p. rejected the idea
Of an indoor meeting partly be-
cause they feared the touchy
racial segregation issue would be
raised. They figured Southern
whites who object to sitting beside
Negroes in an auditorium wouldn't
mind rubbing elbows with them In
Capitol Square.
These fears may have been
Under Democratic
auspices here Saturday night. Gov.
Stevenson addressed an unsegre-
gated audience at the Mosque
without incident. AS far as can DO
determined, the Democrats suf-
fered no damaging political con-
sequences.
The weather gamble. however,
is small beside the risk involved
in having half q dozen playing
coaches on a six-man team. That's
what Gen. Eisenhower has here.
Taft Men Run Campaign.
There is, first, the regular"
State organization.
This is the group that wanted
Senator Taft to win the nomina-
ton in Chicago. Now It runs tho
campaign in Virginia.
It is headed by State Senator
Floyd Landreth as chairman. and
State Senator Ted Dalton as ma
tiunal committeeman. Both Of
these leaders live and spend most
Of their time in Western Virginia.
State headquarters in the Ra-
leigh Hotel here are directed by
Maurice Dozier of Richmond, who
is G. o. p. chairman for the third
district.
Next comes the Eisenhower
Nixon Club. It's members never
did like Senator Taft. They've
been plugging for Gen. Eisen-
hover all along. They maintain
couple of blocks
from the Raleigh-at TIC East
Main street. Banners in the win
dow proudly proclaim that this
club is the Original" outfit for
the general.
In the group Is Earle Lutz.
former Richmond newspaperman
and once an unsuccessful candi-
date for the House. He is bitter
that the regulars" refused 70
run q candidate against Senator
Byrd. He says this leaves the
Virginia campaign without q focal
point.
The Young Virginians for Ell,
senhower operate from another
address-10 East Main street
under the aegis Of William Carlton
and Joseph Butler. III
Republican women working for
Gen. Eisenhower are established
at II North Adams street, which
is described as "the only perma-
nent Republican headquarters
south Of Washington" Their
leader is Miss Doris Austin.
BY some circumstance, the
Young Republicans for Eisen-
hover are housed there, too. Their
are directed by Robert
Lynch.
There's still another member Of
the Eisenhower team. It's known
as Virginia Democrats for Eisen-
hover. The only reason it isn't
two organizations is that the
"Virginians for Eisenhower" de-
cided to merge with the Dem.
ocrats for Eisenhower"
Headquarters: Hotel Richmond.
Despite their influence, the Wiz.
ginia Democrats for Eisenhower
cannot run the Republican cam.
paign. They win bring out an im-'
preston vote. Some are experi-
enced in politics and they have
money to spend. but they are
rockies to the regulars.
The signals, right or wrong,
will be called by the old guard.
which is unaccustomed to victory
In Virginia.
Home Rule Fund Meeting