Evening star., 1953-01-11
Says Stevenson May
Be Candidate in 1856
Writer Sees Governor Seeking
Second Nomination

Writer Sees Governor Seeking
Second Nomination
By Fronk R, Kent
A considerable number Of Democrats
in Congress and quite few members
Of the National Committee have some.
what skeptically received the an.
nouncement a few days ago by Gov.
Stevenson Of his immediate plans for
himself and for "the party"
The virtuous Adlai did not permit
himself to be directly quoted but he
a few thoughts he wanted passed on
to the American people. One of these
was that he is now a man with no pres
idential or other political ambitions.
He assured them that he believes, as
always, that the Office should seek tho
man. never the man the Office. This
is not exactly an original idea but it is
one which Mr.. Stevenson went pretty
far to identify himself with last sum.
nler. Certainly. it is very pretty posi-
ton for an aspiring politician to occupy
Ii he can get away with it. But. not
many do.
After assuring his chosen spokesman
that that is his conviction, Gov.
Stevenson then proceeded to outline
his program. 1t seems that he con-
templates a trip around the world on
which he will visit Japan. Korea, For
mosa and other countries recently,
visited by Gen. Eisenhower Before
departing he will make two major
speeches, one early in February in New
York and one late the same month in
California. He does not believe in at
tacking Gen. Eisenhower before next
fall, with the expectation that there
then will be something really to attack.
Also, he made it plain that while he
admires Mr.. Truman personally he
hopes very much he also will refrain
from assault while he Is away. In other
words, he is anxious not to have the
Democratic Party tainted with "Tru-
manism" before his return.
To this end he is anxious to have his
friend, Stephen Mitchell, continued as
national chairman. and cordially sup
ports MFR. Mitchell's purpose to estab.
lish a research department" as an ap.
pendix to the committee. This is not,
he explains. to be used as q smear
agency against Eisenhower as was done
by the Raskob-M Nicholson research bu-
reau" against Herbert Hoover-though
what else it could do is not clear. OF
course, Mr.. Mitchell Is anything but
highly esteemed among Democratic
leaders generally. Nevertheless. It IS
declared. the good Adlai will resist any
effort to supplant him with Leslie
Bifae, the astute and highly popular
former secretary of the Senate. It is
conceded that should the Democratic
committee be called together while Mr..
Stevenson is away Mr.. Mitchells life
would not be worth q plugged nickel
and Mr.. Bif1e would take over. The
catch, however, is that the committee
cannot meet unless called together by
Mr.. Mitchell. who obviously has no such
idea in mind.
Thus, Gov. Stevenson, through
Mr.. Mitchell, will be in control Of Dem
ocratic organizational affairs until next
fall when he then proposes to assert his
party leadership by assessing" the ex-
pected mistakes of the Eisenhower
administration, the idea being, through
series Of brilliant and witty" speeches,
to insure its wreckage by regaining
Democratic control in the congressional
election Of 1854. AS the first step to-
ward that goal, the Governor Is now
editing his brilliant and witty" speeches
of the recent campaign, shortly to be
issued in book form. Some of the lead
ing "eggheadS," as the self-styled in
tellectuals who wrote the Stevenson
speeches have come to be called, are to
aid him in both editing and research
Now, while these Stevenson ideas for
"revitalizing" the Democratic Party
were put forth in way calculated to
persuade readers of his inherent no.
bility and unselhshness, they signally
failed to convince number Of highly
placed and extremely practical Demo-
cratic leaders. To these the plans thus
outlined together with the Stevenson
accounts Of the vast number of lauda-
tory letters and kilograms still being
received, convince them that Mr.. Stew
enson at this moment is running for
denomination in 1856. Certainly, there
seems considerable foundation for this
belief. Certainly, too, 1t is one that does
not appeal to conservative Democrats.
For one thing, these contend that
StevenSons domination of the party
means renewed control by the CIO
labor bosses and the left-wing leaders
Of the Americans for Democratic Ac-
tion-against whom the people heavily
registered in November.
For another. it would put In control
Democrats Of the Senator Humphrey
type who want to force the FEPC upon
the South. For still another 1t would
mean the denomination of one Of the
worst licked presidential candidates the
party ever had. Altogether, this pros
pect does not appeal to good many
Democrats-particularly to presidential
aSpirantS, such as Senator Kefauver,
who are convinced they can make q
better tight In 1856 than Gov. Steven
son. Also. there are some influential
Democrats who do not subscribe to the
theory that Mr.. Stevenson is a man Of
uneQualed nobility and talent. They
make rather convincing argument to
sustain their dissent. However, II Gov.
Stevenson can contrive to hold Mr..
Mitchell on as chairman and sustain
the flow Of publicity which continues
to favor him. he well may be in the
drivers seat.
steeple." The task was to include the
taking down Of large metal ball and
a large bell which hangs in the
steeple," as well as the wooden boards
Of which the steeple was composed.