Evening star., 1955-09-28
6. 0. P. Leaders
In California
Backing Knight.

SACRAMENTO. Calf. Sept.
IS tR).-California Republican,
leaders indicated informally to-l
day they'll support Gov. Good
win J. Knight in his declared
intention to lead the State'sI
: eote-heavy delegation to thel
party's 1856 national conven-l
ton.
Their position. as shown by al
| telephone survey. could ofier . /
serious obstacle to White House,
, hopes Of vice President Nixon.
Q Californian. in the event Presi-I
dent Eisenhower decides not toI
run again.
81 The possibility Of Eisenhower
stepping out spun the State's|
j Republicans dizzily on . politi-
!, cal merry-go..round-with signs
flashing by: Nixon? Knight?
!. Knowland? Warren?
No matter where it stops. party
sources acknowledged they're inl
for an intra- -party fight II theyI
can no longer count on thel
Eisenhower name on the ticket
70 keep peace among warringl
factions.
Second Largest Delegation
The prize is the second largestl
delegation to the San Francisco
convention. ranked only by New
york's. The home State settingl
plus an extra premium on theI
stakes for any California bred
candidates.
Gov. Knight. strongly pro-
Eisenhower but pointedly cool
toward Mr.. Nixon. wasted mol
time in declaring his positionl
after word Of Mr.. Eisenhower's
heart attack:
He hopes the President will
recover his health and try forI
Q second term.
II he does. California will
owing to him on the first ballot.
II he doesn't. Gov. Knight in
tends to head the State delega-I
tion. probably as . favorite s0nl
candidate. California law rules
out uninstructed delegations.
A poll Of other top Republi-
cans indicated the State @. o. p.
organization, which stuck byl
Gov. Knight in his bitterly
waged showdown with pro-
Nixon elements last year. ape
sears willing to go along with
Che Governor.
Assemblyman Thomas W..
Caldecott Of Berkeley, State Re-
publican chairman, said Cali
fornia unquestionably would
have q fayorite son candidate If
Mr.. Eisenhower drops out Of
the race.
Fight Is Indicated
MFR. Caldecott. along with Re-
publican National Commmittee-
man A. Donald Button Of Holly
Wood and Committeewomanl
Marjorie Benedit of Berkeley. de-
Slined to choose sides for pub
Ieation. But they are among |
Importers Of former Gov. Earl
Warren. who switched allegiance
10 Gov. knight after Justice
Warren went to the Supreme
Court.
On don't-quote-me basis. |
some Republican leaders said
they wouldn't expect Nixon fol-
InWers to let Gov. knight snap |
up the important State delega-
ton without o fight. There was
no comment from MIR. Nixon's
partisans. They are known tol
feel it Is too early for them to i
make an open move.
Neutral sources pointed out the |
entire situation might change If |
Nixon, who as Vice President
holds little power over the State |
g. o. r.. came to the convention
as President or If he had the nod
from MFR. Eisenhower. AS It'll
stands. though, Gov. knights
political advisers are confident
the Governor could defeat any
attempt by Mr.. Nixon to pledge
the delegation to him.
Gov. knight has q powerful
ally In Senator William r. Know
land. himself q California poten-
tial for President and strongly
entrenched In the State party
organization. as well as the sue
eessful Warren campaign setup.