Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-12-14
The Political Mill
Both Parties Already
Making Plans for 1855
Republicans Will Choose
Convention Site in Few Weeks
The Political Mill

Republicans Will Choose
Convention Site in Few Weeks
By Gould Lincoln
The elections Of 1854 have been over
only six weeks. and the Republicans
and the Democrats already are making
plans for the campaign Of 1856. The
Republican National Committee is ex-
pected to meet, perhaps in Houston,
Tex, in the last part Of January or
early in February. when its principal
task will be selecting time and place
for the party's next national convention.
Also, it is now certain that Republican
National Chairman Leonard w. Hall
will stay on the job. and if President
Eisenhower is renominated. will conduct
the 1856 Republican campaign.
As for the Democrats, they have
picked a new national chairman. Paul
M. Butler of Indiana, who takes over
January /.
The Republicans have subcommittee
on site for their national convention
headed by Mr.. Hall-which is to meet
here January to hear proposals Of
cities which are seeking the convention.
This subcommittee will report to the
full committee. It will then be up to the
committee to hear the bids of the var
ious cities itself and make decision.
Never before has such an early selection
Of site for q national convention been
made. It is necessary because hotels in
the political convention cities have
their facilities engaged year or two
years in advance.
Restricted to Two Dates.
Whenl the Republicans picked date
and place-Chicago-for their 1852 ma
tional convention. they found them
selves restricted to just a couple of
dates. They don't wish to be placed in
such a position again if they can help
1t. The Democrats, at their recent ma
tional committee meeting in New Or
leans, did not take action on a site
for national convention. Mr. Butler.
their new national chairman, said, how
ever, he expected to 60 into the matter
soon after he takes Office.
The Republicans and Democrats have
fallen into habit of holding their
national conventions in the same city
with the COP. convention first, and
the Democratic convention a week
later. Such an arrangement saves both
party organizations money. Mr.. Butler
did not commit himself to having the
Democratic convention in the city
picked by the Republicans but it is
likely to happen.
Furthermore, both parties are dis
cuSsing already potential nominees for
the presidency. The COP, as of today,
has but one candidate, Dwight D. Eli
senhower. On the Democratic side,
Adlai Stevenson appears to be well out
in front. Whether Gen. Eisenhower
Is to run again rests on his own de-
cision. 1t seemed clear at the New
Orleans Democratic gathering that Mr..
Stevenson's supporters are not only in
control of the organization, but that
a majority Of the party leaders around
the country are for Mr.. Stevenson's
renomination-notwithstanding his de-
feat in 1852.
Republican Party leaders are predict
ing confidently that the President will
run for second term-although the
President has said nothing about it.
The President will be 65 years old when
he is nominated-if he runs-and SO
when he starts a second term, il re-
elected. He would wind UP a second
term few months after his 10th BIRTH
day. No former President has reached
70 while he was still in the White
House, although two we're SO when they
finished their terms. They were Andrew
jackson, who had two terms as oresi-
dent, and James Buchanan. who had
one. William Henry Harrison was the
Oldest man ever elected President. He
was SO years old when he entered the
White House. He died a month later.
Gen. Eisenhower's health is good-and
there seems no reason why age should
prevent his reelection or his serving
second term. Former President Tru-
man became SO years old not long after
he completed his nearly eight years as
Chief Executive.
EisenhOwer's Slogan.
Gen. Eisenhower has named the pat
tern which he hopes the Republicans
will accept and follow during the Gath
Congress and through the 1856 cam
paign-"progressive-moderate" It de-
ScrlbeS the President himself and his
program. The President, moreover. in
convinced that the great mass of Amer
leans want progressive moderate gov
eminent. Progressive moderate, to some
OF the Old Guard Republican ears,
sounds like the New Deal. To the more
liberal group Of Republicans, however,
who have come to be called the Eisen.
hover group. it differs vastly from the
Roosevelt and Truman policies.
The Republican conservatives, how
ever, cannot prevent Gen. Eisenhower's
renominationIif the President decides
to run again-nor do many Of them
wish to prevent 1t. Even the Republican
Senators who voted against the con-
domination Of Senator Mccarthy of
Wisconsin have declined to follow Joe
in his recent defiance of the President,
and the President energies from that
situation stronger than ever. When the
time comes to nominate q presidential
candidate the rrecSifra fnr Flaw Flea,