POLLS PUT EISENHOWER AHEAD

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28105, 22 October 1956, Page 11

POLLS PUT EISENHOWER AHEAD

(2V.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 9 p.m.) NEW YORK, October 19. President Eisenhower is well out in front in the Presidential polls—in some cases by more than in 1952. Mr Adlai Stevenson, his Democratic rival, is gaining in some sectional polls, although they show him still trailing. The latest Gallup poll shows Mr Eisenhower leading in the populous east bv a greater margin than he did in 1952. In this survey, Mr Eisenhower was credited with 60 per cent, of the voters in 12 States, and Mr Stevenson had 40 per cent. The same 12 States gave the Republican national ticket 55.2 per cent of their popular vote in 1952. The Gallup figures represent the 12 States as a whole, with no attempt to break down the percentage in the States individually. The 12 States were: New York, New Jersey. Pennsylvania, Delaware. Maryland. West Virginia. Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire. Massachusetts. Connecticut, and Rhode Island. All except West Virginia gave their electoral votes to Mr Eisenhower in the last election. Some of the polls showed Mr Eisenhower gaining. The latest “Detroit News” poll shows Mt Eisenhower slipping in 14 out of 17 voter groups, although he was leading in tho State totals, with 56.8 per cent, to 43.3 per cent. Mr Eisenhower's biggest losses in percentage points, the “Detroit News” said, were among farm labourers (10.2 per cent.), unmarried persons (10.1 per cent.) and nearoes (6.6 per cent.) The Chicago “Sun-Times.” in the second day of a poll in Illinois, Mr Stevenson’s home State. reported President Eisenhower leading by 52.08 per cent, to 47.92.

The “Sun-Times” said Mr Stevenson polled 57 per cent, of the vote in Chicago, and that Mr Eisenhower polled 76.47 per cent, in the suburbs and 62.86 per cent, downstate. A poll .of 12 of Oklahoma’s 77 counties by the Oklahoma City daily

“Oklahoman” showed the candidates almost even, with 1123 votes for Mi Eisenhower to 1108 for Mr Stevenson Four years ago Mr Eisenhower received about 54 per cent, of the votes in a similar sampling. A South Dakota poll being conducted for three newspapers gave Mr Eisenhower 53 per cent, and Mr Stevenson 41 per cent., with 6 per cent, undecided. At about the same time in 1952 Mr Eisenhower had 58 per cent, and Mr Stevenson 32 per cent., with 10 per cent, undecided. Long-range Sparring President Eisenhower and Mr Stevenson traded some of their hardest political punches last night on hydrogen bomb tests, conscription and the Middle East crisis. Speaking from platforms thousands of miles apart. President Eisenhower accused Mr Stevenson of “incredible folly” in some of his recent statements. and Mr Stevenson attacked the President in his first public discussion of the Suez issue. Mr Eisenhower addressed an overflow crowd of 20.000 in the vast Hollywood Bowl near Los Angeles. Mr Stevenson spoke to a capacity indoor crowd at the Cincinnati, Ohio, auditorium. Neither hesitated to use strong language. “Incredible Folly” Mr Eisenhower said Mr Stevenson’s ideas on the military draft were those of a man “speaking incredible folly ” Mr Stevenson called President Eisenhower’s foreign policy “about the most serious failure of the Republican Administration.” Mr Stevenson has called the draft an “incredible waste” of manpower. Without mentioning Mr Stevenson by name. President Eisenhower said he did not believe “that any political campaign justifies the declaration of a moratorium on common sense.

“We might afford to be tolerant —in an amused way—of the current effort to sell senseless economic panaceas in a political bargain basement.’’ Mr Eisenhower added. “We cannot be very tolerant,” he

said, “of the suggestion that the peace of the world can be bought on the same terms and at the same counter. “And the man who today dismisses our military draft as ‘an incredible waste’ is a man speaking incredible folly.” Then, hitting at Mr Stevenson’s repeated proposal for suspending hydrogen bomb tests, the President departed from his prepared text to say: “We cannot risk the safety of our country upon the promise of those who time and time again have broken their word." “Master of Reverse English” Mr Stevenson, recalling Mr Eisenhower’s recent statement that there was “good news about Suez.” said: “But there is no good news about Suez. Why didn’t the President tell us the truth? Why hasn’t he told us ‘rankly that what has happened in the last few months is that the Communist rulers of Soviet Rusisa have accomplished a Russian ambition that the Czars never accomplished? “Russian power and influence have moved into the Middle East—the oil tank of Europe and Asia, and the great bridge between East and West Mr Stevenson said foreign policy was “about the most serious failure of the Republican Administration.” He said Mr Eisenhower must bear responsibility for his Secretary of State (Mr John Foster Dulles) “and a policy of leadership to disaster.” Mr Stevenson said Mr Dulles "has a habit of describing every defeat as a victory and every setback as a triumph. “He is a master of reverse English,’’ Mr Stevenson said.