Defeat of the Messrs.

For at least two decades American politics have been thawing. That 15 million voters now call themselves independents is one sign of the new fluidity. Less evident and equally important is the spirit of independence inside the parties. When Mr. Republican Taft and Mr. Democrat Truman were beaten on the same day last week in New Hampshire primaries, it was dramatically apparent that party hierarchies and organizations had lost some of their oldtime muscle.

The New Hampshire result raised the question of how the two victors stack up against each other. A nationwide Gallup Poll published just before the New Hampshire primary asked citizens to choose between Eisenhower and Kefauver. Result: Ike 57%, Kefauver 32%, undecided 11%. A Taft v. Kefauver poll taken about the same time showed Kefauver 47%, Taft 41%, undecided 12%.

The New Hampshire primary, plus evidence that Ike's popularity through the nation remains high, has strengthened the Ike boom. The note of desperation has gone out of the "Ike, Come Home" cry of his supporters.

This week friends of Ike in Congress released a letter from him dated March 10 in which he stated more clearly than ever that he would not give up his present assignment in the "absence of a compelling call or relief by higher authority." He went on to define a "compelling call" as "[one] that is traditionally and universally recognized as the voice of the American people speaking through a national convention.

"Such a call imposes an obligation of citizenship on the man so honored. It seems to me, however, that it is an entirely different thing to leave a critical assignment for the purpose of increasing the possibility or probability of such a summons." In other words, Ike will come home and campaign if he gets the G.O.P. nomination--and not before.

The next big test between Taft and Ike comes April 15 in New Jersey. Ikemen are confident they can win a preferential primary there and take all, or nearly all, of the 38 delegates.

In short, New Hampshire has so changed political calculations that Eisenhower now seems to be leading the Republican race for the first time since November.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.