Richard Nixon, of course, is the big winner in the New Hampshire primary. He did not campaign in New Hampshire; his name was not even on the ballot. But more than 22,000 Republicans took the trouble to write in his name as their choice for Eisenhower’s running-mate. They gave him nine times as many votes as Governor Herter of Massachusetts, whose popularity is even now being tested by Liberal Republicans as a possible replacement for Nixon. In itself, New Hampshire will carry little weight at the Convention. But the pro-Nixon flood there will, perhaps, drown out the rumor that the Vice President has little grass-roots support.
Secretary of State Dulles turned in a sound performance at the SEATO Conference in Karachi, as we noted in our last issue. On the critical problems of Kashmir and Pushtunistan, he stood firmly and with justice on the side of Pakistan, thereby upholding a friendship that promises much of value to both Pakistan and ourselves. But two days later, in New Delhi, Mr. Dulles unravelled his threads. He announced that the United States would help defend India if Pakistan attacked. This intervention was really fantastic. No one, outside of a few Indian demagogues, suggests that Pakistan, with a fifth of the population and a tenth of the resources, is going to attack India; and in any case Mr. Dulles had no authority to commit the United States to India’s defense. The principal lasting effect of Mr. Dulles’ remark will be to suggest to the Pakistani that Washington’s representatives say whatever pops into their heads.
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