Evening star., 1954-10-03
Sees Stevenson in Peril
As EorIy Front Runner
Writer Says 1852 condidote
Is Locking New Support
BY Frank r. Kent

laSt week some OF our most eruQlte
and revered political observers suddenly
appeared to discover that Adlai Ste
venson Of Illinois is q candidate for
denomination for the presidency by the
Democratic convention of 1856. mas
much as Mr.. Stevenson's agile little
feet have been propelling him after this
denomination at a pace not exceeded by
any other undercover or open candidate
who can be recalled, it is a little diff
cult to understand why these observers
did not discover the fact long ago or,
if they did discover it, why they forbore
to mention it.
Most practical politicians have agreed
that he is doing all he can now--and
for months past--to promote his candi-
dacy. So is his hand-picked chairman.
Stephen Mitchell. who says he will
resign right after this November elec-
tion, 1t being clear that his retention
Of the Craftsmanship, under the cir
cumstances, would be unSeemly, make
the job too obviously personal and
partisan. He does not say all this, but
it Is fact none the less. However, II
the Democrats acquire control Of the
next Congress there is no way to keep
some of the credit from going to the
noble Adlai. Not only will he have
been the most conspicuous Democratic
speaker of the campaign CMr. Mitchell
has seen to that, but he will also have
confirmed his claim as che titular
leader of the party.
Nevertheless, not all (either Dem
ocratic or Republican, titular party
leaders have gained the presidential
nomination they coveted-particular
after q defeat so smashing as was Mr..
Stevenson's in 1852. Since that time
he has kept himself in the public eye
in various ways-by taking q we'll
publicized trip around the world, by
writing numerous newspaper and mag
azine articles and by making countless
speeches in all parts of the country.
Some of these have been good but all
of them have been critical. Gradually,
as the campaign progressed, the Ste
venson speeches have become more
partisan. even on foreign policy, until
at times, except for being better
phrased, they are not easy to tell from
Mr.. Truman's, Senator Humphreys
and Mr.. Mitchell's. Certainly, as Vice
President Nixon recently said, he has
criticized everything but offered moth
ing at all as Stevenson program.
One thing he has done-and very
expertly-he has reafflrmed his 1852
campaign alliance with the labor bosses
of the big unions, with the anti-admin-
istration farm leaders and with the
always dissatisfied Negro leaders, all
of whom have been Democratic since
1886 and certainly were solidly for him
in 1852. The Supreme Courts segrega-
ton decision and the obvious friendli-
ness of Gen. Eisenhower may have per-
meated the rank and file of the Negroes
as it has the rank and file of labor
unionists, but it certainly has not
permeated their leaders. The leaders
are about as anti Eisenhower as they
we'll can be and almost without excep-
ton they are pro-Stevenson.
Actually, what Mr.. Stevenson is doing
or at least trying very hard to do
is to hold together behind him those
four elements-the labor unionists, the
pro-New Deal farmers, the professional
"liberals", and the pro-New Deal
Negroes. That was the combination
which elected Mr.. Roosevelt three
times and Mr.. Truman once. OF course.
there were other elements-and q good
deal Of luck-but those were the con-
trolling ones. The trouble about that
combination now is that 1t has been
beaten once-and very badly beaten
with Mr. Stevenson as it's candidate.
Another trouble with the combina-
ton is that its constituent elements
are not quite so compact and individu-
ally solid as before. One reason for that
is that President Eisenhower, it is
agreed by nearly all observers and
attested by every poll. not only has
held his personal popularity in the
country but in some places increased
it. Still another is that Mr.. Stevenson.
agile, able and adroit as he is, has not
gained in public esteem or attracted
new support-rather the reverse.
His journalistic enthusiasts have
dubbed him "the Front Runner" and
Front Runner" he unquestionably is
at this time. What his admiring friends
seem not to recalb however, Is that
Front Runners" are often beaten
Always 1t is to the interests Of every
other contender to cut the Front Run
ner" down. Thus there Is danger In
being Front Runner" as we'll as an
advantage. Many things can happen in
politics. And two years Is long time