Something on the Move?

He filed a petition for admission to the New York State bar only last Friday. His name is not yet on the office door, because not until next Jan. 1 will he become a full partner in the Manhattan firm of Mudge, Stern, Baldwin & Todd. His secretarial staff numbers just two, and spends much of its time turning down invitations for the boss to make public appearances. Yet for all his insistence that he has no immediate plans for a return to national office, Richard Nixon suddenly seems to be the Republican whom everybody is talking about for his party's 1964 presidential nomination.

Journalists have always taken particular satisfaction in speculating about Nixon--and most of the current Nixon talk is journalistic speculation. But it got some extra impetus through an offhand remark by the senior Republican who, according to those same journalists, for so long wanted to "dump Nixon." Dwight Eisenhower, in a televised interview, spoke of Nixon's chances in the event of a G.O.P. convention stalemate: "Now, if there should be one of those deadlocks, I would think he would be one of the likely persons to be examined and approached, because he is, after all, a very knowledgeable and a very courageous type of fellow."

"Thing of the Past." Many press accounts managed to read into Ike's observation an endorsement of Nixon for next year's nomination. It was, of course, a mere political truism--and no one knew it better than Nixon himself. To be sure, he said, if there was a Republican deadlock, his name would come up. But, he insisted, in practical political terms, "deadlocks are a thing of the past."

Nixon had some very specific ideas about the part he should play in party affairs. Said he: "My role as I see it is to be a spokesman on great issues where I have something important to say and experience--and also to stay out of the fight within the Republican Party, which must go on until the nomination, so I can use my influence behind the candidate nominated at San Francisco."

Referring to the rivalry between Barry Goldwater and Nelson Rockefeller, Nixon continued: "It's a rugged fight. This is not unusual. We already have seen bloodletting. There'll be some more blood spilled before it's over. In 1960 President Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson said things far worse about each other than what has been said to this point, and they got together.

"I want to see the Republicans have their arguments, but settle them without burning their bridges behind them."

"Who's Letting Blood?" One Republican who seemed to see a declaration of war in Nixon's "bloodletting" remark was Goldwater. He called it "one of the most unfortunate statements that has been made lately." Cried he: "It's this type of thing that tends to tear the party apart. Who's letting blood? It certainly isn't me. And I'm not going to be the one who lets blood. One of my chief purposes in life has been to keep this party together. I have been convinced that Nixon meant it when he said repeatedly he had no designs on the nomination, but I have to discount that now. It's obvious as the day is long that something's on the move with Mr. Nixon."

Despite Goldwater's suspicions, Nixon sounds convincing when he insists that he is not seeking the nomination (see box on following page). And his assessment of his political position seems realistic. Nixon still rates high with rank-and-file Republican voters, retains the respect of most G.O.P. leaders. But while those leaders would certainly be willing to go along with Nixon if political circumstances so dictated, almost none of them now seem very enthusiastic about the possibility of his candidacy.

In the late fall of 1963 the basic Republican Party facts are these: Only a year ago Nelson Rockefeller seemed to have his party nomination wrapped up, and only a month ago that same nomination appeared to be Goldwater's almost for the asking. But, unless it has an incumbent President seeking reelection, no party can afford to concede its highest prize so far in advance. Thus, in the months to come, Goldwater's fortunes will surely ebb and flow, Rocky's prospects will probably improve, favorite-son candidates will emerge, dark-horse possibilities will have their day --and there will be much more speculation about Dick Nixon.

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