Scott's removal and a minimizing of Dewey's influence could be considered a

success.

 As the two factions began to prepare for battle, former presidential candidate

Alf Landon urged Taft to not become personally involved in the chairman controversy

and to instruct his supporters not to become embroiled in what loomed as a bitter

debate. In Landon's opinion, the liabilities of involvement outweighed the benefits

and he implored Taft to "stay away from the National Chairman ruckus as you would

a case of the smallpox."26 Taft could not comply, however, as his detractors publicly

expressed their intentions to attack the Ohioan and the 80th Congress at the upcoming

meeting. In early January 1949, the California state GOP announced their intention to

introduce a resolution repudiating the Republican congressional leadership for its

inability to pass key aspects of the Republican platform during the special session.

Taft attributed this maneuver to California Governor Earl Warren rather than Dewey,

but had to take aggressive action in order to retain influence within the national

committee and oppose continued Dewey leadership, regardless of the potential

pitfalls.27

 Dewey's defeat had ruined his chance at another presidential nomination, but

his organization remained strong and ready to attack Taft over the failure of the

special session. The public criticism of Scott had made the Chairman's position

tenuous, though Taft believed that his own supporters should offer to support Scott in

exchange for his cooperation in the 1952 pre-convention campaign.28 After all, Scott


26 Alfred Landon, Letter to Robert A. Taft, 29 December 1948. Copy in Folder (Political Republican
- 1949), Box 910, Taft Papers.

27 Robert A. Taft, Letter to Frank Kent, 14 January 1949. Copy in Folder (Political Republican -
1949), Box 910, Taft Papers.

28 Robert A. Taft, Letter to Rentfro B. Creager, 5 January 1949. Copy in Folder (Political Republican
- 1949), Box 910, Taft Papers.