Evening star., 1954-04-13
The Political Mil
The Political Mill
GriswoId Was Expected
To Win Reelection
His Deuth Will Cause
Open Race in Nebraska
By Gould Lincoln

Open Race in Nebraska
By Gould Lincoln
The death of Senator Griswold of
Nebraska, which shocked and grieved
Republicans here, in Nebraska and
throughout the country, appears to
have laid the ground for wide-open
race in the senatorial primary August
10. Candidates have until July / to file.
Senator GriSwold. who had a distin-
guished career as Governor of Nebraska,
as chief of the American Mission for
Aid to Greece and in the Senate, was
looked upon as certain Of renomina-
tion and election. Within the next few
weeks. the situation for aspirants for
the Republican senatorial nomination
is likely to crystalize. An immediate
problem is the appointment of q SEN
ator to fill the vacant Senate seat-by
Gov. Robert B. Crosby. Republican.
Gov. Crosby WILL Of course. name q
Republican to the Senate to serve until
the election is held next November.
Whether he will select for appointment
a man who will be a candidate for
nomination and election to the seat or
VINO Will serve only until the election
remains to be seen. Senator Butler,
Nebraska's senior Senator and most
powerful Republican leader. may have
a good deal to say about the appoint
ment. The Governor has political trou-
oles OF his own-growing out of the
TAX situation. He has supported the
levy OF taxes on "honeSt valuation
which has resulted in many increases
IN Individual taxes, since assessments
were made on lower values The result
has been criticism of the Governor and
ms tax program. One school of thought
holds that Gov. Crosby must have sup
port OF the Butler group if he is to be
renominated.
Several Possible Candidates.
Among those mentioned here in con-
nection with the Senate vacancy are Val
Peterson. former Governor and at pres
ent administrator of the Civil Defense
Administration; former Senator Fred
Seaton, former Representative Howard
Buttett, Representatives Curtis and Mil
Ter, and Leroy Welsh of Omaha, a for
mer partner of Senator Butler. Mr..
Seaton was appointed to this particular
Senate seat after the death of Senator
Wherry. He did not seek election in
1852 and Senator Griswold was elected
to fill the unexpired term, which ends
January next. Already three men have
served as Senators for this term-and
a fourth will be appointed by Gov,
Crosby and a fifth will be elected in
November, if the appointee is not q
candidate for the nomination.
The death Of Senator GriSWold. while
a blow to the Eisenhower administra-
ton, does not upset the political align
ment in the Senate, except temporarily.
A Republican when appointed to fill the
vacancy will bring the Republican
strength in the Senate back to Al as it
has been since the death of Senator
Taft OF Ohio. The Democrats have 48
Senators, and the Goth Senator is
Wayne Morse Of Oregon, independent.
Democratic Senators from Nebraska
have been rare birds for the last half
century. Only three have been elected,
and one of these for short term
serving from November z. 1894, to Jan
uary 3, 1885. The others were the late
Senator Gilbert M. Hitchcock, who
served two full terms, from 1911 until
1923. and former Senator Edward r.
Burke. Senator Hitchcock was chair
man OF the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee in the second Wilson term.
Senator Burke, the last Democrat to
serve as Senator from Nebraska, was
elected in 1884 and served one full term.
He declined to go along with part of
the Roosevelt New Deal program and
was defeated in the Democratic primary
OF 1910 by Roy L. Cochran, who in turn
lost to Senator Butler, Republican. Will
liam H. Thompson, another Democrat.
served as Senator for nearly year and
q half under appointment following the
death Of the late Senator Howell, Re-
publican, in 1888.
Republicans Confident.
The Republicans are confident they
will continue to hold Nebraska in the
1854 elections, and that they will elect
Senator. However, the Democrats
are expected to put up a battle. Two
years ago their candidates for the Sen
ate-against Senator Butler and Sen
ator Griswold-were easily defeated.
Senator Butler led his opponent by
$4,000 votes, and Senator Griswold
by $4,000. President Eisenhower car
ried the State by 233,000 over Adlai
Stevenson. Under all the circum-
stances, therefore, Republican nomi-
nation for the Senate will be eagerly
sought.
Val Peterson was q candidate for
the Republican senatorial nomination
against Senator Butler in 1852 but was
defeated. 1t is considered doubtful
that Gov. Crosby will appoint him to
Ali the Griswold seat. However, that
will not keep Mr.. Peterson from enter
ing the Republican primary and MAX
ing fight for the nomination. Repre-
sentative Curtis of the first Nebraska
district is serving his eighth term in
the House. He has declined to run
again for his present seat.