The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-07-13
PRO-ROOSEVELT DRIVE IN TEXAS
 LED BY ALLRED
By ROY CALVIN United Press Staff Correspondent

United Press Staff Correspondent
 Houston, Tex, July l3. (UP)-New Deal Democrats of Texas are pre- pairing for grass roots" campaign with the objective of delivering this states g electoral college votes to President Roosevelt in November.
 Leader of the drive to undo the work of the rebellious state Demo- cratic convention held in May is James V. Alfred, Houston attorney and former governor.
 With the Texas party split in two over the national administra- ton, much of the leadership of the pro-RooSevelt faction has fall- en upon Alfred. An unwavering supporter of MT. Roosevelt, Alfred was once nominated for a federal judgeship by the President.
 Setback at Convention
 Thus far, the pro-R Roosevelt forces have been beaten consistently by the standardization forces. Their defeats started at the pre- cinct level, but the first major set- back came in the state convention at Austin in May. The convention, clearly hostile to Mir. Roosevelt and his domestic policies and particu- larly agitated by a then-new Supreme Court decision holding that Negroes must be allowed to participate in the party primary elections, gave its delegates to the national convention no instructions. The implication was clear, however, that they were not to support the President in his anticipated fourth term bid.
 The convention went even fur. ther when 1t named it's slate of Presidential electors. They were in- structed not to cast votes for the party Presidential nominee in the electoral college unless certain de- mands of Texas leaders were met. These included restoration of the two-thirds rule for nomination of Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates and Irepudiation" of the matter of Negro voting in primary elections.
 The Texas Supreme Court gave the pro Roosevelt forces their next major defeat, when it held that names of electors selected by trump" convention and pledged to support of MT. Roosevelt could not be forced onto the state ballet
 Attacked State Chairman
 Tn effect, said Alfred, the ruling allowed the people no choice but to vote for Republican nominee.
 Alfred dashed out at George Butt Ter, chairman of the state party executive committee, charging that his maneuvering had deprived the people of chance to vote as they wished.
 The pro- Roosevelt faction elected to make its last-ditch stand at the second state Democratic convention, which will be held at Dallas in Sep tember.
 Alfred issued statement, urging the people to begin organizing" now to take over that convention, which "can undo the work of the May convention"
 The September conventions job is to elect new executive commit tee, draft the state Democrats platform of 1944 and certify names of candidates appearing on the November ballot-including those of electors.
 Hope to Control Counties
 If Alfred and the New Deal Democrats capture control of county conventions leading up to the September state assembly and then take over the Dallas meet Ing, they will have stopped in the state of its birth a political move SO far-reaching in implication that It might possibly lead to revision of the national system of elections.
 It is considered likely that the electoral college would be legislated put of existence should the threat of Texas and other Southern cleo tors to vote against nominees Of their party be carried out.
 There has been much speculation over whether the Texas electors actually would carry through with the threat. Allred's objective is to remove even the possibility for through.
 His plans still are in the rough stage. They call, however, for pro- Roosevelt votes strong enough to control precinct caucasus and county delegations, with an ultimate show of enough strength in the state convention to reverse the anti Administration trend.