''I know I've had an impact,'' he said, ''that some things I've done have really counted for world peace, for the passion of the individual.'' And, he said, ''I sometimes wish people would ask not how many times I've run a political campaign, but how many times I've been right on the issues.''

Harold Edward Stassen was born April 13, 1907, in West St. Paul, Minn., to William Andrew Stassen, a farmer, and the former Elsie Emma Mueller. All his grandparents were immigrants. His paternal grandfather was from Norway, his paternal grandmother was a Czech and his maternal grandparents were from Germany.

Almost from the start, Mr. Stassen showed signs of being a live wire. He completed high school at 15 and had to wait a year to enter the University of Minnesota. He put himself through college by working at a variety of jobs, including Pullman car conductor, pan greaser at a bakery and grocery clerk. He still found time to earn high marks, serve as president of the student body and become a champion marksman. As leader of the university rifle team, he won three national intercollegiate championships.

Mr. Stassen also organized and became the first chairman of the Minnesota Young Republican League, which was to be his political base.

After graduating from the University of Minnesota's law school in 1929, Mr. Stassen and a classmate opened law offices in South St. Paul and did so well that they soon hired five other lawyers. He also entered the race for Dakota County attorney and won, though he was hospitalized with tuberculosis for much of the campaign. He took office at age 23 in 1930 and was regularly re-elected.

In 1937 Mr. Stassen, who with his Young Republicans had been trying to wrest power from the state's old-guard Republicans, announced for governor. He was elected the next year, the youngest governor in Minnesota's history. He was re-elected in 1940 and again in 1942, though he told the voters he would not finish his term because he intended to join the Navy.

After serving four months of his third term, Mr. Stassen entered the Navy as a lieutenant commander and was appointed to the staff of Adm. William F. Halsey in the Pacific. His ship was hit twice by the enemy, and he was awarded the Legion of Merit and promoted to captain.