Evening star., 1953-12-24
The Political Mil
FoctionoIism in 6. O. P.
Not in the Spirit Of Toft
Republicans Urged to Erose
LobeIs Of Both Party Wings
The Political Mill
By Gould Lincoln

IoDeiS OF porn Torty wings
By Gould Lincoln
For the sake of the Grand Old Party
it's about time Republicans stopped
identifying themselves as Eisenhower
Republicans or as Taft Republicans.
Robert A Taft who was all Republican
had lived he would have played
leading part in stamping out such
factionalism. No one could have been
a better or more consistent supporter
Of President Eisenhower than Bob Taft
showed himself as Republican leader of
the Senate during the first six months
OF EiSenhower's administration. If sup
port OF the President means an Eisen-
hover Republican, then Senator Taft
was 1t.
With a congressional campaign Of
great Importance to the Republican
Party coming up, however. some Re-
publican candidates for Office are pub.
licly labelling themselves Taft Repub-
ncans." And on the other hand, some
OF the Eisenhower supporters are put
ting forward candidates whom they
call Eisenhower Republicans" A case
IN point is the race in Illinois for
the Republican senatorial nomination.
There Citizens for Eisenhower Pri-
mary Committee set out to get a can.
didate. 1t picked Clarence B. Randall,
Cnlcago industrialist and president Of
Inland Steel. Mr.. Randall, however,
has taken himself out of the race. He
is serving as chairman of Gen. Eisen-
hower's Commission on Foreign Eco
nomlc Policy until after January 25-
which is the last day for filing candi-
GATE petitions for the .IllinoiS sena-
torial primary. He declared his duties
forbade any political activities. Thomas
Il. Mcmillan chairman of the Citizens
Tor Eisenhower Primary Committee. said
the committee would look for another
outstanding civic leader
Generals Tactics.
Brig. Gen. Julius Klein of the Illinois
National Guard, past national com.
mander Of the Jewish War Veterans
and a Taft delegate at last years Re-
publican National Convention, deeply
resented this activity by the Citizens
Tor Eisenhower Primary Committee. He
is a candidate for the Republican
senatorial nomination himself. He
said pointedly and with justification,
use OF the Presidents name as a label
Tor sponsoring committees in the
primary election is contrary to the
interests of vigorous and healthy
primary" But he didn't stop with
that criticism, as he might we'll have
done. Gen. Klein said, I'VE must
nominate Taft Republican for United
States Senator. The type of man Presi-
dent Eisenhower needs to carry out his
program and the pledges he made when
the late Senator Taft Joined him in the
great crusade to bring the American
Government back to the American
people"
Gen. Klein took a further crack at
the Eisenhower Citizens Committee,
saying that 1t was unable ito elect any
delegates to the 1852 national conven-
ton in Cook County. Cook and down.
state Illinois elected Taft delegations
to the convention. Illinois is still in
the Taft column" And Gen. Klein
added, Let's not allow New Deal
Republican to slip in" In conclusion.
ne said, Il am considering being a
candidate, but before doing so want
TO be sure that I will not split the
solid Taft following in our party. will
announce my decision after the first of
the year"
No Interference.
Gen. Eisenhower has made it clear
he is not personally interfering in pri.
mary contests for Republican nomina-
tlons. Furthermore, the Citizens for
Eisenhower Committee with headuuar.
terS IN Washington, set up now to help
elect a Republican 84th Congress, is
definitely not attempting to interfere
IN primary campaigns. It's a loosely
knit organization, however, and these
committees in some States. as in Illi-
nois, may slip the leash. The commit
tee, as a national organization COM
posed Of State and city committees. is
bent first of all on keeping in line for
Republican congressional candidates
those Independents and Democrats who
voted last year for Gen. Eisenhower.
Many Of those votes are vitality needed
II the President is to have Republican
majorities in the House and Senate
during the last two years Of his present
term of office. Even with Eisenhower
heading the ticket in 1852, the Repub-
licans were only able to break even In
the Senate, when Senator Morse Of
Oregon took himself out of the Repub-
lican Party, and in the House they
elected only 221 members to 213 Demo-
Gratis and l independent. Since then,
because Of by-elections, the Republican
House lead has dropped to 219 to 215
Democrats and independent.
The Citizens for Eisenhower Com
mittee is bent on cooperation with the
Republican National Committee and
with the regular party organizations in
the States. Its real job, therefore, is to
elect Republicans-notn nominate par
ticular candidates in primary elections.
Any time it gets into the business Of
nominating candidates, it's likely to run
counter to State and district organiza-
tions.
N.>.I:> - A