Evening star., 1954-10-25
The Political Picture
BY Gould Lincoln
sfnr Siuff coErespondanl

by 6oul0 lfncoIn
Ssor Stuff Correspondent !
LOUISVILLE. KY. Oct. 25.-
Nobody beats Barkley in Ken
tucky."
That's the view Of Democratic
leaders here. And when they
say nobody" they include John
Sherman Cooper. Republican
Senator seeking reelection. And
they mean age, too. Barkley is
76 years old. soon to be n.
Notwithstanding the hard
driving campaign which Senator
Cooper Is putting up and his un-
doubted popularity with voters,
Mr.. Barkley appears unbeatable
today. Unless some unforeseen
11th-hour incident pops up, Ken
tucky's grand old man will be
returned to the Senate, where
he served for many years before
he became the Weep"
While Mr.. Barkley undoubt-
edly had q strong inclination to
return to public life after two
years more or less on the shelf.
it is a fact that Democratic
leaders in Kentucky did every
thing they could to prevail upon
him to become q candidate.
Only Foe With a Chance.
Their reason: They could think
of no other Democrat strong
enough to defeat Senator Cooper.
Senator Cooper has twice been
elected to the Senate in this
predominantly Democratic State
they say that 90 out of the 100
counties are Democratic. In 1948,
Senator Cooper, running for re-
election. lost to the late Senator
Virgil Chapman, Democrat, by
only $4,000 votes. although Pres
ident Truman carried the State
over Gov. Dewey by 125. 900. Sem
ator Cooper's two victories for
the Senate came in Republican
years-in 1916, when the country
was weary of war and controls,
and in 1852, when the country
was ripe for a change and swept
Gen. Eisenhower into the White
House.
True, Gen. Eisenhower lost
Kentucky by about 799 votes and
Senator Cooper was elected Sen
ator by almost $1,000. His victory.
nevertheless, came in a Repub-
lican year and against a rather
weak Democratic opponent. This
time Cooper is running against
the champ"
Cooper Talks Victory.
The Cooper forces and Senator
Cooper talk victory, not defeat.
One of Cooper's close advisers es-
Inmates that Cooper will win the
election by as much, If not more,
as he did two years ago.
Democratic headquarters, on
the other hand, figure o Barkley
margin of $4,000 plus. More OBJ
jective observers say that the
Barkley margin will be $4,000 to
10000 votes.
The Senate battle In Kentucky
has been free from ud-slinging
and personalities. Yet 1t is a
battle of strong personalities,
with each having q large per-
sonal following.
Senator Cooper's record In
public life-in the Senate and In
the United Nations and the State
Department-has won him the
admiration of Democrats as well
as Republicans. Further. he has
fought In Washington In the
interests Of Kentucky.
One of the main contentious
in the present campaign is which
man has done more for Kentucky
farmers. especially the tobacco
growers.
No Personal Thrusts.
Senator Cooper has been wise
enough not to attack the Weep
himself. His only chance to
win is with Democratic votes
and Democratic voters would be
repelled if the younger Repub-
lican should undertake in any
way to smear or belittle Mr.,
Barkley.
Nor does Senator Cooper talk
about Mr.. Barkley's age, or make
a suggestion that Mr.. Barkley
has had all the honors his State
could convey and should leave
the field to younger men.
Yet those are the arguments
which today lend a measure OF
uncertainty to the outcome oi
the election. Senator Cooper
does not talk about them, but
plenty of his followers do.
Mr.. Barley, himself con-
stantly brings up the matter oi
his age. seeking to demonstrate
to the people Of Kentucky he is
as vigorous as a man 20 or 2s
years his Junior.
His main speeches run so min
utes to an hour. and are deliv-
cred with all the old time Bark
ley below. He is accompanied
on his campaigning by his at
tractive wife-who does as much
as she can to see that Mr.. Bark.
ley has rest and Is not overrun
by admirers. For weeks. Mr.
Barkley has been touring the
state, and he plans to intensity
his campaigning.
Praises President.
Senator Cooper Is running a:
himself, not as the shadow u
President Eisenhower. Neverthe.
less, he praises the record of thu
President. the Republican ad'
ministration and the Republican
Congress. He urges the voters Il
return him to the Senate so tha'
he may help the President com