Inside Strength

Amidst the Democratic furor, politicians and pundits took time to look across the fence and ask a question: What did Harry Truman's announcement mean to the Republicans? Bob Taft thought it made no difference in the campaign for the G.O.P. nomination. Some other political strategists thought it would force Taft to re-pitch his campaign, because Truman has been his chief target. Ike's position, in one sense, was less difficult now: he wouldn't have to run against the man who was his Commander-in-Chief.

Meanwhile, as Republicans got deeper into the business of selecting delegates, some significant things were happening:

¶ In New Jersey, a court ruled that Bob Taft's name would have to stay on the April 15 primary ballot, despite his desire to get it off. Ike, with important support from the Jersey Republican organization, seemed to have all or nearly all of Jersey's 38 delegates sewed up.

¶ In Iowa, where Tafthad been expected to get at least 20 of the 26 delegates, a shift was in progress. Voters poured out to precinct caucuses in unprecedented numbers, and a new trend developed. This week, as the day of the state convention approached, observers thought Ike might get half the Iowa delegation.

¶ In Michigan, at this week's district and state conventions, Eisenhower supporters are expected to win more than half of the 46 seats in the state's delegation. Among the Ike supporters: State Delegate Henry Ford II.

¶ In Maine and in the State of Washington (see below), at different levels of the Republican delegate-selection process, there have been successful Ike movements.

These widely separated acts in the Republican drama of 1952 showed that the Eisenhower forces now were beginning to show strength where they need it most: inside the Republican organizations.