Evening star., 1963-05-26
By CHARLES BARTLETT
Star Special Writer

creaSingly destined to be the
man who will fill the vacuum
of Republican national leader
ship in 1864.
The nominating process Of a
national party invariably be-
comes, when a vacuum has de-
veloped, a matter of settling
upon the man who best fits
the picture. The man is ulti-
mately drawn by forces greater
than his power of personal
choice into acquiescence. He
may sense that this is not the
year and protest that he has
work undone at home but in
the end the awe of the presi-
dency and the energies OF his
friends transform his reluc-
tance into candidacy.
Gov, Romney can say now,
as Adlai Stevenson did during
the winter and spring Of 1852:
II am pledged to run for Gov
ernor. l must run for Cover
nor. I want to run for Cover
nor. I seek no other office. I
have no other ambition" Gov.
Romney's closest advisers are
known to feel strongly that the
President cannot be beaten in
1864 and that he must bide his
time and develop his stature as
Governor of Michigan until the
opportunity of 1868.
Power of Projection
But Gov. Romney has the
great disadvantage, in a role Of
reluctance. of imparting a spark
Of appeal which cannot be
matched by any of the person.
alities available for the NOM
ination. Just as Adlai Steven
sons eloquence brought him re-
peatedly to the foreground in
the 1852 field of Democratic
contenders, Gov. Romney's
power of public projection has
worked already to mark him IN
a widening circle as the man
best equipped to carry the
G. o. P. flag in the campaign
ahead.
He has the further disadvan-
tage, perhaps the involuntary
response of an instructive sales
man, Of seeming eager to put
himself forward. He has ac-
cepted the major speaking invi-
tations that he has been Of
fered in Washington over the
past three months and he has
bent all of his considerable
forensic talent into them.
He came to the National
Press Club Wednesday to talk
Of Michigan and he did so
earnestly. But when the ques-
tions came on broader fields,
he responded to them with a
force and fullness which be-
lied any total absorption with
the affairs of Michigan. The
reluctant Adlai Stevenson was
shrinking violet by compari-
son with the reluctant George
Romney.
The nature of the Republi-
can vacuum has been clarified |
by growing signs that Gov. Nell |
son Rockefeller has wooed him
self out Of the nomination.
Those most sensitive to Rookie
feller's mind believe that he
will prove unwilling to expose
himself and his bride to the
wrath of the middle aged
women, discerned by his poll
sters to be the most bitter
critics Of the marriage.
Even before the wedding,
Rockefeller was a doubtful op-
ponent for Mr.. Kennedy. Their
basic strengths lay in the same
areas and elements of the pop
ulation and the choice was
bound to fall in favor Of the
incumbent in the common
areas of lesser strength, in
Guiding the South and the West.
All the signs suggest that Mrs.
Murphy did the Governor a
great favor by giving him a
reason to withdraw from the
1864 contention.
Senator B AIRY Goldwater
faces a difficult period as he
struggles to decide between his
own instinct to run again for
the Senate and the militant in
sistence of his right-wing sup
porters for the presidency. He
has become the symbol of con-
servative aspirations for con-
troll of the Republican party
and he is obliged now to wage
a superhuman effort to sub
due the bonfires burning for
him around the country. He
wants to delay his decision
until the end OF the year when
he can form a clearer Judg-
ment on Mr.. Kennedy's vulner-
ability.
But whichever direction Mr..
Goldwater goes, his course will
not take the pressure off Gov.
Romney II the Arizonan does
not run for President. the Re-
publicans will find themselves
without a formidable candi-
date. There Is no substitute for
public stature at this level OF
politics and there is no time
for new faces TO develop 1t.
Undo Ike's Efforts
The pressure on Romney will
also be great II Goldwater does
seek the nomination. T e
party's moderate forces have
talked in theory OF 1854 as an
opportunity 10 let the conserv-
atives have their try and get
II out OF their system. But this
gesture holds the peril Of plac-
ing the party's image in the
hands OF the rabid right, who
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