The Two Major Conventions in 1948

• Date: 01 September 1948
• Author: Charles H. Titus
• Published date: 01 September 1948
• DOI: 10.1177/106591294800100304
• Subject Matter: Articles

THE TWO MAJOR CONVENTIONS IN 1948
by
CHARLES H. TITUS
University of California at Los Angeles
Five significant political gatherings were held in the United States in
this important year 1948, but limited time, money, and energy restricted
this analyst to being the guest of the Republican and Democratic parties
when they held their conventions in late June and in early July in Phila-
delphia.
When one looks back on those two struggles of groups of leaders, most
of whom believed they were acting for the best interests of their country,
one is not surprised at the decision that the two outstanding political events
of the year were very different in many respects. No doubt, the Republican
and Democratic conventions warrant consideration by everyone concerned
with the important aspects of American politics.
’
I
The Republicans, eager and filled with a sense of victory, assembled
from the four corners of our land. &dquo;1948 is our year&dquo; was on the lips and
in the hearts of delegates, of alternates, and of camp-followers.
The primary and to many the only objective was to select &dquo;The Next
President of the United States.&dquo; The political maxim, &dquo;Do not make the
first step until you can see clearly the second one and have some idea about
the third,&dquo; was in the minds of few who participated in the Twenty-fourth
Republican national convention. Such questions as the following were not
asked: Will it be good for either the country or the Republicans to have
the GOP win in 1948? Is 1948 similar to 1928? Is a crash in the offing
which will not be of their making but will be of their reaping? Will victory
in this election mean the end of the party? Will the party defeated in 1948
be the one to come into power after the economic adjustment and to estab-
lish a totalitarian dictatorship? Questions such as these seemed distinctly
out of place. Few considered the future. A 1948 victory was in the air
and that was all that counted.
A corollary of this &dquo;sensing of victory&dquo; was the presence of many
candidates, those faithful leaders who are willing to be drafted for the
high office of President of the United States. A complete list of these willing
souls may be available but a consideration of the more important candi-
dates will establish the position. The Speaker of the House of Representa-
252

---

253
tives, the Hon. Joseph W. Martin of Massachusetts, was more than willing,
and his close associate, the majority leader of the House, the Hon. Charles A.
Halleck of Indiana, went to Philadelphia confident that he would emerge
from the convention the nominee for President. From the other end of the
Capitol came leaders who felt certain that one of their number would receive
the nomination. Senator Robert A. Taft of Ohio was the outstanding sena-
torial candidate, but Senators Arthur Vandenberg of Michigan, Edward
Martin of Pennsylvania, and Raymond E. Baldwin of Connecticut were
available.
Besides those who had had experience in the National Capitol, sev-
eral governors eagerly and quite openly indicated their willingness to accept
the nomination. Governor Thomas E. Dewey of New York led the field with
former governor Harold Stassen in the second position. Governors Earl
Warren of California and Dwight H. Green of Illinois hopefully played
their roles.
Geographically, the East had four prominent candidates (Dewey, Mar-
tin of Massachusetts, Martin of Pennsylvania, and Baldwin) ; the Middle-
West had five (Taft, Halleck, Green, Vandenberg, and Stassen) ; and the
Far-West had one (Warren). The political problems of geography may not
be of primary concern in this campaign; but, after the election, the leaders
of the Republican party may wish that more attention had been given to
sectionalism and its concomitant problems.
The efficient machine of the governor of New York was, of course,
successful and the Hon. Thomas E. Dewey was nominated on the third
ballot. The opposition could not agree to unite. In the darkness of early
Thursday morning, Mr. Dewey and his associates offered the second place
on the ticket to the governor of California. The extending of the invitation
was a surprise and the acceptance a shock because those close to Mr. War-
ren were satisfied that, if he could not be first, he had other plans. But such
a request, at such a time, is a real temptation. Perhaps Mr. Warren re-
membered another Californian who refused a similar invitation and lived to
regret it. Senator Hiram Johnson never forgave himself for declining the
offer of Mr. Harding in 1920.
The major decisions of this Republican national convention are sig-
nificant. Apparently, it gave little or nothing to the Middle West with their
five prominent candidates. Mr. Halleck delivered the Indiana delegation
to Mr. Dewey early in the convention, but he is expected to remain the
majority leader of the House of Repersentatives. Senators Taft and Vanden-
berg are expected to remain leaders in the Senate. Mr. Green may...