REPUBLICANS: Rolling

REPUBLICANS Rolling From the rainstorm at Abilene until last week, Dwight Eisenhower's public appearances were dogged with disappointments. Sometimes the speech was good, but the crowd was poor, and sometimes vice versa.

Last week Ike was rolling. As soon as he entered the South, he began to get the kind of crowd response that his friends had hoped for since his return from Europe. The South may not contribute any electoral votes to Eisenhower, but last week it contributed something that may be more important: it helped restore Eisenhower's stature as one of the two or three figures whom this generation of Americans recognize as great.

At Philadelphia, Ike's new success continued. He found a united Republican Party, enthusiastic street crowds, and in his speech he got into a close and confident communication with his audience.

Finally, at Kasson, Minn., Ike faced direct comparison with the best Democratic stump speaker to come out of Illinois since Stephen A. Douglas—and Ike's friends were satisfied that their man had not come off second best.