Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-08
BY The associated Press

political campaign is producing
a lot of farm politics in the
Middle West, and a lot of int.
gration-politicS in the South.
In New England, prosperity il
the big topic in political talk
Four Industrial States to the
South Of New England show nc
great concern now about what
the voters will do in November
And in the Far West. interest
in national politics dropped of
when President Eisenhower an
nounced for a second term.
, In all of the areas covered
and this may surprise some
Mr.. EiSenhower's health does not
appear to be much of factor
in the minds Of the voters.
These are among the findings
reported by Associated Press re-
porters who did some late winter
ana early spring pulse taking
They were asked to summarize
what they found under four main
headings:
The man in the street. Is
there a lot of political talk
around? Do you find people
eager to discuss politics?
The Republicans. What did
people generally have to say
about Mr.. Eisenhower's heart at
tack-iS It factor among those
who would have voted for him
otherwise? What was the feel
ing you discovered about Vice
President Nixon?
The Democrats. Who seems
to be the leading candidate in
the area you covered? Was there
anything to indicate that one
candidate was growing in pop
ularity, or another declining?
THE issues. From what they
said to you what is going to in
fluence the vote of most people?
Prosperity, peace. farm prices.
anything else?
Douglas b. Cornell comments:
Practically everybody in the
Midwest talks about the farm
problem Hence, practically
everybody is talking politics.
since the two are knotted insep-
arably together. When it comes
to other issues and the mechanics
and strategy Of politics, it takes
a bit of prodding to get people
to talk.
LAS a result, farm prices. and
prosperity or lack of it on farms,
appear likely to be the element
that will swing most votes in the
farm belt. Other issues and po-
litical personalities don't count
for a great deal
Some of those who supported
Mr.. Eisenhower in 1852 say they
are waiting this time to see whom
the Democrats nominate. Some
among them say they will go
Democratic, if the Democrats
pick the right man.
Who is the right man? In
Iowa. Minnesota and Wisconsin,
particularly in rural areas but
also in some industrial centers.
there is talk of Senator Kefauver
Of Tennessee. Adlai Stevenson
generally was regarded as the
front runner with Senator
Kefauver gaining to some extent
in advance of Mr.. Stevenson's
defeat in the Minnesota primary
Democrats, some of them. are
sounding off on Mr.. Eisenhower's
heart condition and trying to sell
the voters on the part time Pres
idency angle. But the rank and
file. even the Democrats, show
little concern about the health
issue.
Ordinary voters don't say
much about Mr.. Nixon one way
or the other-the Democrats in
Guided.
Jack Bell, on Illinois, Ohio,
Michigan and Indiana:
The man on the street gen.
orally is'too busy to have thought
much about politics this early
He may be for Mr.. Eisenhower
tas IS usually the case) or against
him (Which is seldom but he
will have a hard time remember
ing names of candidates for SEN
ator. Governor or the House.
Most of the people l talked
with had made up their minds
about Mr.. Eisenhower. They
generally expressed confidence
in the Presidents doctors but
seemed to put more reliance in
Mr.. Eisenhower's own word that
he can do his job.
Mr., Nixon seems TO be strong
among organization Republicans.
Among individual voters, there
are some who don't like Mr..
Nixon but very few who say they
would vote against Mr.. Essen
hover Just because Mr.. Nixon is
on the ticket. There is no APP
parent support for any other Re-
publican Vice Presidential can
didate.
In the area I covered-Illi-
nois, Ohio. Michigan and Indi-
ana-Mr, Stevenson still is the
leading Democratic candidate
despite some backsliding among
his supporters after the Mime
sofa primary.
Prosperity is about the only
issue that seems to be catching
hold. =. The Republican peace
slogan seems TO have lost its APP
peal. Democrats are making
some Roadway with their big
business tag for the Eisenhower
administration This goes with
labor, small town merchants and
some others, but is largely con-
fined to people inclined to vote
Democratic anyhow.
Ernest u. VaccarO on what he