Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-19
VIRGINIA
Harmonious Trek to San Francisco
Recalls Strife Torn 81 Experience

man and Mrs. Logan as committee
woman.
In the convention itself, Gen.
Eisenhower forces were piling up
even larger majorities while the
Virginia delegation exhibited q
more pronounced swing toward
Senator Taft.
One issue involved the seating of
Georgia delegation. Eisenhower
forces won by vote of GOT to SCI.
But the Virginia delegation sided
with Senator Taft on that issue,
II to 8. Mr.. Dalton was among
those on the Taft side in that
dispute, leading some to believe
that Mr.. Dalton would support the
Ohioan in the final showdown. This
was mistaken assumption, it
turned out later.
On the fourth day, an informal
visit by the Virginia delegation to
Gen. Eisenhowers campaign head
quarters did more than anything
else to soften up the undecided
delegates. A poll of the delegates
after that visit showed only four
still undecided with Senator Taft
favored by 10 and nine willing to
publicly support Gen. Eisenhower.
Mr.. Dalton was among those to
openly indorse Mr.. Eisenhower.
fth-Doy CIimox
The climax came on the fifth day.
Up until this point, Virginia
delegates had voted Is to 10 with
Taft forces on the fair play"
amendment on the first day.
Then they had voted II to 8 to
seat the pro-Taft delegation from
Georgia.
And on the crucial roll call for
the nomination. Virginia gave II
votes to Senator Taft and nine to
Gen. Eisenhower. When the rapid
ly-expanding Eisenhower SNOWFALL
became irresistible, 10 Taft sup-
porters rushed to join the band
wagon.
1t happened something like this:
1t was generally known before the
final tally that Gov. Fine of Penn
5ylvania was going to swing that
States large bloc to Gen. Eisen-
hover. 1t was known that Min
nesota was about to switch her
votes from former Gov. Har-
old Stassen, to Gen. Eisenhower,
and that former Gov. Warren was
about to release CALIFORNIA; votes
to Gen. Eisenhower.
Despite the fact that Virginia is
near the end of the roll call Of
States and the Eisenhower victory
was assured. the Old Dominion held
to its 14-to-9 vote favoring Senator
Taft.
At the end of the roll call, Gen.
Eisenhower had sos to 500 for Mr..
Taft. Then Minnesota started the
stampede by switching the IS Stas-
sen votes to the Eisenhower column,
giving the general more than the
required GOA votes.
Virginia delegates-after the VIC
tory had been won-caught tie en-
thusiasm of the delirious conven-
ton. They tried to get their delega-
ton chairman, Mr.. Hilten, to
switch the Old Dominion's vote
But Mr.. Hilton had, by then, beer
swept a few feet down the aisle BY
the hysterical crowd.
Mr.. Lewis grabbed the micro.
phone and shouted: virgins
wishes to change its vote and cast
% votes for Eisenhower"
Mr.. Richards of Fairfax, Mr.
McWane and Robert r. Harmon
OF Charlottesville, charged at Mr.
Lewis in a rage.
Mr.. Hilten fought his way back
up the human tide to the micro
phone He was asked to correct Mr..
Lewis announcement.
II amt going to do nothing about
nothing" the chairman said.
Mr.. Harmon shouted that Mr..
Lewis had no right to cast unan-
imous vote. Mr.. McWane protested
he didn't like to Jump on band
wagon just to be jumping"
Mr.. Lewis polled the delegation
again and announced the final vote
as Eisenhower, 10 and Taft, 4.