Evening star., 1954-09-20
Party Chiefs Think
stevenson | ! Expects 10
Fight for Nomination
By jock Bell !
Associated Press Ssuff Writer

~ =
By jock Bell
Assoeiofsd Press Stuff Writer
INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 90
Top party leaders carried away
from a campaign kickoff rally
here this week end the impress
sion that Adlai e. Stevenson is
prepared to fight for the 1856
Democratic Presidential nomina-
tion.
Representative Rayburn of
Texas, the house minority leader.
summed up what evidently was
the viewpoint Of many of his
colleagues with this succinct
comment on Mr.. Stevenson: !:
Hes a candidate"
Mr.. Rayburn appeared to feel,
as did many other Democrats,
that If Mr.. StevensonSWan the
nomination again he will be a
tough man to beat.
May Be Enjoying Role
Mr.. Stevenson, who became
1852 standard bearer with some
reluctance because he may have
foreseen his subsequent defeat
by President Eisenhower, main
tanned his usual public silence on
future plans.
But there was some evidence
that the former Illinois Governor
is coming to enjoy his role as
titular leader of the Democratic
Party more than he ever be-
lieveds he would. Despite the
vexations of almost continuous
travel in this years campaign,
he has confessed to friends the
job he has undertaken of re-
building the party fascinateS
him.
Mr.. Stevenson has maintained
in talks with party leaders that
it is too early even to discuss the
presidential race two years from
now. Although he believes Presi-
dent Eisenhower has slipped in
popularity. he is inclined to
think that no President could
maintain the level of the 1852
sweep.
Nevertheless, it is evident Mr..
Stevenson feels that if the rec
ord OF the first 20 months of the
Eisenhower administration is a
criterion, a Democrat will have
a good chance of winning the
presidency two years from now.
Struggle For Power.
Dissension which cropped out
at the rally here indicated that
the 1856 nomination is not going
by default if some Democrats
can help it.
There now is going on within
the party a struggle for power
between the regulars who stood
close to the throne when Harry
S. Truman was President land
the late comers who have found
places on the National Commit
tee under Chairman Stephen A.
Mitchell, Mr.. Stevenson's hand
picked man. Mr.. Truman, him.
self. apparently is not involved
in this fight and is maintaining
close relations with Mr.. Steven.
son. 2.Ssas
This struggle may culminate
after the election .in=the choice
of a successor to Mr.. Mitchell,
who has made it clear he wants
Paul Butler, Indiana national
committeeman, as his successor.
Arrayed against Mr.. Butler at
this time are Oscar Chapman,
former Secretary of the Interior:
Michael ". Desalle, former price
administrator, and James Finne-
gan Of Philadelphia, who is re-
garded as somewhat Of an in
dependent.
May Hinge on Campaign.
Who will win this test Of
stren myth evidently depends
largely on how the Democrats
fare in their battle with the Re-
publicans for control of Con-
gress. If Mr.. Stevenson and Mr..
Mitchell can hit that particular
jackpot in November. their ma
tional committee influence is
likely to be overpowering.
Mr.. Stevenson is not leaving
many unturned stones in that
direction. He has a full schedule
which calls for appearances at
Bloomington, ILL.,, tomorrow; in
Evanston, Ill, September "a;
Minneapolis. September 25;
Rockford. Ill, October /; Detroit.
October 2; Wichita Kan, Oct.
Z: Los Angeles, October 8; Albu-
querque. NJ. H., October Is, and
San Francisco. October 16.
After that, he expects to cam
paign in Wisconsin, New York,
New Jersey and Delaware, with
some more speeches in Illinois.
Although some Democrats said
they thought Mr.. Stevenson was
attempting to bring his speeches
down to simpler form than those
he used in the 1852 campaign,
Mr.. Stevenson has told party
leaders who have urged him to
adopt Mr.. Truman's "give 'em
hell" tactics that he can't change
his stripes.
Assails G. o. p. Policies.
In his talk here Saturday
night, Mr.. Stevenson bore down
on the theme that members of
both parties are Americans
q