The people's voice., 1959-07-10
WATCH ON THE POTOMAC
By ROBERT G. SPIvACK. Washington. D. C.

he had never met, at social gather
ing. One school of thought says that
Warren simply is too level headed a
man to blow his top. He knew the
room was full of reporters and he
wanted his views known.
Another group sees the episode as
part of a carefully arranged "plot"
whereby Warren was writing his own
review of Nixon's public career. These
authorities" argue that Warren was
one of the best politicians ever to op-
crate in California. There are those
who think Nixon might get the Re-
publican nomination by default. To
forestall such a possibility, Warren,
it is said, simply decided to let it be
known that not everyone agrees that
Nixon has reformed.
But still another group of political
psychologists contend that Warren
did elbow his top. While he may have
wanted his views known, they reason,
he ordinarily would not have chosen
this way to let them get out. (Of
course, there is also a question about
the bad manners of reporter COM
ing to purely social affair and MAX
ing the guests feel they cannot relax
enough to speak candidly without
being quoted).
Of all the interpretations now cur
rent. | am most inclined to agree with
the last. Warren certainly wanted it
known that he is not Nixon admirer.
He probably did not expect to be
quoted.
The big question, though, is net
now Warren chose to make his views
known but why?
The answer that clearly suggests
tself is that Warren feels Nixon had
behaved so badly in his early political
career he cannot take at face value
Ill the carefully contrived images of
/ "new Nixon. 1t is not simply that
Nixon called Democrats traitors and
Communists, nor that he has tried
20 browbeat his opponents. The War
'en dislike for the Vice President
goes deeper; he apparently believes
hat Nixon is not man to be trusted.
THE GREAT "DOUBLE-CROSS"
1t is not generally realized but War
ems friends have long felt that Nixon
his fellow Californian
n the 1852 pre-convention maneuver-
ng. Nixon was privately maneuver-
ng to get himself a place on the Eli
enhower ticket, while the other men,
'ers of the California delegation were
ommitted to Warren. This was dur
ng the close and crucial contest be-
yeen the Taft and Eisenhower forces.
Nixon held several meetings with
'homas E. Dewey and Herbert
Jr., the king-makers. But
you want to understand why War
en- dislikes Nixon l think page go
f the Mazo book Orchard Nixon: A
olitical and Personal Portrait, Harp
r $395) offers a clue. Mazo wrote:
"On July Nixon flew to Denver
} board a special train bringing the
alifornia delegation to Chicago
8 the streamlined train sped west,
ixon gave his own followers run
own on the latest preconvention de-
In essence, he reported
lat the Eisenhower drive was pick
lg up AS expected, bits and
ieces of the Nixon report filtered
trough the non-Nixon sections of
le train. Warren men became furious
several Warrenites "confided"
some newspaper correspondents
Lat Nixon tried to entice California
otes away from Warren in return
" second place on the Eisenhower
cket."
To Warren's friends and probably
the Chief Justice himself this be-
lvior was proof that Nixon is
Nixon Firster'', man of no loyalties
I'd no convictions.