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Show WGO-ROUtlD K Jftf DREW PEARSON " -K-r-WW ..... mi ."j-rr EISENHOWER DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN WASHINGTON. When Admiral Dewey returned triumphant from capturing the Philippines in the Spanish-American war, newsmen asked the conquering hero whether he was a Democrat or a Republican. Republi-can. The admiral wasn't quite sure which. That ended the Dewey boom for President. Today, Gen. Dwight Eisenhower may be put in the same position as Admiral Dewey. Both parties are consid ;ring new blood for 1948. GOP leaders are convinced that, given a candidate who can win labor votes yet not alienate the Hoover conservatives, conserv-atives, they can win. Obviously, Eisenhower is important presidential timber. Popular impression is that Eisenhower Eisen-hower is a Republican. He was appointed ap-pointed to West Point from the rock-ribbed rock-ribbed Republican state of Kansas by GOP Senator Joseph P. Bristow. And nobody in those days could get anywhere in Kansas unless he was a Republican. However, though it may be news to GOP leaders, Dwight Eisenhower put himself on record early in life as a Democrat. Furthermore, he was an energetic William Jennings Bryan Democrat, and in November, 1909, made a speech at the annual Democratic banquet held in Abilene, Kan. The other speakers were older and seasoned Kansas Democrats; Demo-crats; but Dwight Eisenhower, then only 19, was picked to stand up with them and harangue the crowd. He did. IKE'S OLD FRIEND I am indebted for this information to J. W. Howe, now of Emporia, Kan. Howe not only published the Abilene Abi-lene News, but was a member of the school board and knew young Dwight better than anyone outside his own family. The Abilene News office was headquarters head-quarters for a group of high school boys who came there to discuss heir problems, talk sports and politics, poli-tics, read the papers and do odd iobs for the paper. J. W. Howe says of Eisenhower: "Dwight liked to read the exchange ex-change newspapers from out of town. He never complained about working, seeming to take that for granted. In school discussions, dis-cussions, he was always for the under-dog and contended we needed a somewhat better distribution dis-tribution of wealth." William Jennings Bryan at that ime had made many speeches in vbilene and the young folks liked o hear him. In fact, Bryan made ome definite inroads on the Repub-cans. Repub-cans. The Republican party at hat time was beginning to be split ito two groups, led by Taft and 'eddy Roosevelt. The fight in Abi-ne Abi-ne was bitter, and this was the ituation when Dwight Eisenhower tarted out in 1909 to get the proper ndorsements to enter West Point. WIGHT GOT TO WEST POINT The Eisenhower family had no loljtical pull on the contrary, iwight's father was listed as a Jemocrat, though he took little part n politics. Dwight himself was more active than his father, but whatever pull he had was with 'he Democrats. However, the fac-ional fac-ional Republican fight helped him. Editor Howe, the town's chief Demo-ratic Demo-ratic leader, advised Dwight to ?o get the endorsement of Phil W. leath, editor of the Abilene Chron-cle Chron-cle and spokesman for the 'Square-Deal" Republicans; also to ,et the endorsement of Charles M. -larger, editor of the Abilene Reflector, Re-flector, spokesman for the "Stand-Pat" "Stand-Pat" Republicans. Since young Eisenhower was not allied with either faction, Heath and Harger were very friendly, and "ladly gave him their support. Thus, ie was able to obtain not only the indorsement of the Democrats, but if both Republican factions a real compliment to his standing in the community. Eisenhower's first and only ven-ure ven-ure into politics occurred while he vas taking postgraduate work at he Abilene high school, preparatory o West Point Chief speaker at the )emocratic banquet was George H. -lodges, later governor of Kansas. Owight's subject was "The Student n Politics." Two themes ran through the .peech of the 19-year-old future commander of the Allied armies in Europe preparedness and helping he under-dog. According to the Abilene News: "To say that he handled himself dcely would be putting it mildly lis speech was well received." A few months later, Ike Eisen-ower Eisen-ower was in West Point, where no ne is supposed to be either a Demo-rat Demo-rat or a Republican. EISENHOWER MERRY GO ROUND In high school, young Dwight was called "Ugly Ike." . . . One day a jang of schoolboys trooped into J. V. Howe's editorial offices to nar-ate nar-ate how Ike fell off a horse. "The nrse turned his head to knock off fly and Ike just fell off," they .id. ... Dwight had come in walk-:g walk-:g on one leg and guarding his rm. He just grinned. Actually, the rse had stepped in a hole and ilen, but Ike never tried to ex-iin ex-iin it to the other boys. . . . The isetihower gang at school had odd raits |