Evening star., 1953-08-15
The Political Mil
Ohio Republicans Foce
Fight if Lousche Runs
Governor Is Trump Cord
Of Democrats in State :.
By Gould Lincoln

W SOWtU GhHSUtU
The Republicans Of Ohio are faced
with real problems because of the death
of Senator Taft. For a dozen years
Taft had been a rallying point and q
tower Of strength for the G. o. p.
At the time of his death the Senator
had reached the height of his influ-
ence in the State as well as in the
Nation. Ohio Republicans reelected
Senator Bricker last year and Senator
Taft'S term was not to expire until
January, 1857. Suddenly. the G. o. P.
is confronted with the need of picking
a senatorial candidate and electing
him next year. They must select
candidate for Governor to run at the
same time. The trump card Of the
Ohio Democrats is Gov. Frank Lausche.
Three times elected chief executive
of the State and only once defeated,
Mr.. LauSche has yet to disclose whether
he wishes to run again for Governor
or whether he prefers to run for the
Senate. He will be threat in either
case. Further, the Republicans may
have difficult time finding a candi-
date strong enough to defeat the Gov
ernor. If he seeks the Taft seat in
the Senate, their main hope at present
is that the Ohio voters who have been
willing in the past to support Lausche
for Governor would feel differently
about him for Senator.
Won G. o. p. Votes.
Lausche has had the votes of many
Republicans in his gubernatorial VIC
tories. Indeed. many of the Republic
can businessmen who we're strong for
Senator Taft were willing to string
along with LauSche for Governor for
Lausche has been an excellent Gov
ernor and has been independent. In
dealing with problems affecting labor
management relations, the union bosses
have been unable to dictate to him.
Lausche was never willing, however, to
run against Senator Taft, nor indeed
did he run against Senator Bricker
when he last was up for reelection
in 1852
In the last election, Ohio was strongly
Republican. although four years earlier
it gave its electoral votes to Democratic
Truman instead of Republican Dewey.
President Eisenhower swept the State
with lead of more than half million
over Adlai Stevenson. Senator Bricker
was winner over Mike Disable. his
Democratic opponent, by $4,000 votes.
The Republicans elected 16 members
OF the House of Representatives to six
for the Democrats and one Independent.
The sole bright spot for the Democrats
was Lausche's win over Charlie Taft;
the Senator's brother in the race for
Governor. Again it was evident that
Lausche had lot of Republicans sup
porting him.
In deciding upon their candidates,
the Republicans of Ohio will have to
consider personal ambitions and the
drawing power of the men who wish to
make the main races. 1t would appear
that Charlie Taft is out" either as a
candidate for the Senate or for Gov
ernor. He has had too many Re-
publican enemies dating from the days
when he Joined with the charter grouu
to clean up Cincinnati a move which
the Republican organization in his own
home county never forgave He has
always been branded progressive and
some of the Republicans today call him
a New Dealer. The only other Taft who
might make the race is the Senator's
son, also Bob Taft, at present United
States Ambassador to Ireland Some of
the Republican leaders are doubtful
that young Taft is anxious at this time
to seek elective Office, particularly that
OF Senator when he is still q novice.
There is no doubt however, that the
name Of Taft would be great drawing
card in the State. Also the youthful
TAFT is an attractive personality and
helped his father campaign in 1850.
Other sons Of widely known Senators
have been elected to the Upper House
following the deaths Of their fathers.
among the more recent cases was that
OF the late Senator Bob LaFollette Of
Wisconsin and that of Senator Russell
b. Long, son of the late Huey Long Of
Louisiana. If young Taft can be built
up IN the State during the next IL
months he might indeed make a strong
old against the Democratic nominee
even against Lausche should the Gov
ernor run.
Brown Mentioned.
There are veterans in Republican
politics in Ohio, however, who might
like very much to sit in the Senate and
who would be loath to step aside for
young Taft. One Of them, of course,
could be accommodated by giving him
nomination for Governor. Among
those whose names are mentioned in
connection with the two nominations
are Representative Clarence Brown, Re-
publican national committeeman and a
strong Republican figure in the House,
and George H. Bender. Mr.. Bender
now represents the new 23d congress
sional district. Before that he ran as
a candidate for Representative at
Large and so made a Statewide cam
paign to win. He, like Mr.. Brown. was
an ardent supporter of Senator Taft,
particularly in Taft's campaigns for the
Republican presidential nomination.
Earlier Mr. Bender had been mentioned
particularly as potential candidate for
Governor. Other names which have
come into the discussion are those of
Secretary Of the Treasury George Hum
phrey who has made a deep impression
as one of the strong men in the Eisen-
hover cabinet. He may be too valu-
able there to become a candidate for
the Senate and also he might not care
to run. Another is that of former Rep
resentative John Hollister, who was
elected to the House years ago to fill a
vacancy caused by the death of Speaker
Nicholas Longworth. He made an en-
viable record in the House. He was a
partner in the Taft law firm and when
Senator Taft decided to run in 1888
Mr. Hollister gave up his political am
bitions and went back to the law firm.
The situation is being canyaSsed by