National Affairs: Big Red's Blessing

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Pennsylvania's James ("Big Red") Duff has not been very happy in the U.S. Senate. A man of action, he fidgets through monotonous debates and sees little point in questioning streams of witnesses before Senate committees. All last year he kept his keen political ear to the ground, listening for his chance to run for governor of Pennsylvania, a post he held with distinction from 1947-51.

He vowed that he would not support a candidate of the faction headed by Governor John Fine and National Committeeman Mason Owlett. When names were suggested, Duff would bless no one except his old friend, Lieut. Governor Lloyd Wood, 56. It was assumed that Fine, Owlett & Co. would refuse to back Wood, and then Jim would hear a clear call to "save the party" by running himself.

Last week Fine, Owlett, State Chairman M. Harvey Taylor and other big shots in Pennsylvania Republicanism (but not Duff) gathered in Philadelphia's Penn Sheraton Hotel to pick a candidate for governor. After 3½ hours, they announced their choice: portly, thunderous Lloyd Wood. In Washington, Big Red acted pleased and allowed, "His candidacy is agreeable to me in every way."