"Wayne Morse."

"Oh," he said. "Listen, these guys may come any minute. They told me they might come. Why don't you try the Maine delegation. They need another delegate."

"But you need three," I insisted. I was losing ground. I needed to compromise. "If it comes to a showdown between Taft and Eisenhower, I'll vote for Eisenhower."

"Morse can't win," he stated dogmatically.

"Maybe so, but I'd like to vote for him anyway."

The chairman scratched his head and turned to the three lke buttons. They were neutral.

"I'll put you on," he said finally. "But if the three guys come, you'll have to leave."

"That doesn't seem fair."

"They signed up before," he was adamant. "That's the only way I can let you on. And you've got to remember to vote for lke against Taft."

"If it's the only way . . ."

The chairman recorded my name on the Arizona list. He turned and stuck out his hand.

"My name is Les Frump. Welcome to the Arizona delegation. By the way, what state are you from?"

"New York," I admitted, "but I lived in Arizona for two years."

"Used to live in Arizona. That's great." He excused himself and walked up to the platform. He whispered something in the convention chairman's car, then came back to his delegation.

After a while it was announced that all delegation lists were closed; chairmen could admit no new delegates to their groups.