Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-01-09
Know!ord BcmbshelI

Senator Knowland has gotten the
1857 political year off to rousing start
with his surprise announcement that he
will not be candidate for reelection
when his term expires next year.
1t is an announcement which leaves
many questions unanswered, and the
most puzzling of these is its timing.
The Californian said that he wants
to spend more time with his family. His
father, Joseph R. Knowland, is SO years
old, and publisher of the Oakland Trib-
une. If one is prepared to believe that
the minority leader is through with poll
tics, he has family reasons enough to
want to return to California, and, logi-
cally, he would also want to give ample
notice so the California Republicans
could be casting around for a successor.
There are very few people, however,
who will be willing to believe that Senator
Knowland, at 48, is preparing to bow out
of politics. His presidential ambitions
last year, prior to the Presidents second
term announcement were openly pro-
claimed. And there is every reason to
suppose that he will hear the buzzing of
the presidential bee again in 1860. when
the battle for the G. O. P. nomination will
be wide-open affair. If this is correct,
1t has to be assumed that the Knowland
announcement, whatever the reason for
It's timing, is tactical maneuver de-
signed to strengthen his political position
In 1860
Since Earl Warren left the California
eeepn RI hno0Y7oo Chiaf I,1ctioa por,1h1inao
politics there has been ruled by some
thing akin to the law of the jungle At
the San Francisco convention last year
the States delegation was split three
ways-one- third to Senator Knowland,
one-third to Vice President Nixon and
one-third to Governor Goodwin ]. Knight
Governor Knight, a conservative turned
liberal" was prevailed upon to swallow
the Nixon nomination with all the en-
thusiaSm of boy taking his first dose
Of castor oil. He also managed to get
under the skin of Senator Knowland. SO
If the KnoWland announcement heralds
another California political battle, Gov
ernor Knight looms as the first casualty.
The Senator, If one takes his political
ambitions for granted, almost has to bid
for the California governorShip in 1858.
The incumbent is not likely to be for
midable obstacle. Governor Knight may
turn to the Senate race or he may be
retired to some comfortable and incon-
sequential Office. But those who profess
to know California politics do not believe
that he could successfully run against
Senator KnoWland in a gubernatorial
primary.
Thus, the probabilities are that the
minority leader can become Governor If
he wishes, since Democratic fortunes in
the State have been on the downgrade.
And If this happens, the stage will be set
for Knowland- Nixon showdown in 1860.
It would be foolish at this time even
to speculate on the outcome of such
tussle, If it should materialize But there
are certain points that can be noted. For
one thing, the Nixon Knowland rela-
tionship has been better than one would
suppose from reading some accounts of
friction between them It may be taken
for granted that both will try for the
G. o. P. nomination. But it is doubtful
that they will go down to the wire in
bitter-end fight which might wreck the
party's chances. Both are young men
and, up to point, can afford to wait II
necessary. AS of this moment, the man
who appears to be on the spot is neither
the minority leader nor the Vice Presi-
dent. but Governor Goodwin ]. Knight.