The Wilmington morning star., 1945-10-21
Not Feeling So Well
BY ARTHUR KROCK


it first past the post in two national and
two Congressional elections. The harness
broke in 1885, but the war emergency in 1910
and then the state Of war in 1914 repaired it
sufficiently to keep the party in the electoral
majority Before Mr.. Roosevelt's death, how
ever, the leather was swapping again, and that
is how President Truman found it when he
took over the reins in April 1945.
For while after that the wild horses of
Democracy stood quietly. But now they are
once more in opposing motion, and the pre-
diction is being heard that the President will
soon be confronted with the party break and
it's consequences that would have scattered
Mr. Roosevelts team if Europe had not gone
to war in 1899 and the United States had not
entered that war. At the caucus of the Senae
Democrats today this prediction was reflect
ed, though not stated, by Senator Mead of
New York in gloomy survey Of party pros
poets addressed principally to Southern Demo-
Gratis, but also to any Democratic Senators
who do not subscribe to the legislative pro-
grams of organized labor and certain other
pressure groups that supported the New Deal
The caucus was called for the comparative
ly minor business of electing party confer
ence secretary, an official who acts as sort
of shepherd of the Democratic flock in the
Senate. The favored candidate was FELTON, M.
Johnston of Clarksdale, Miss, who was elect
ner he furnished Mr.. Mead with his text,
which was something like this: If the Demo-
Gratis of the South continue to oppose the pro-
grams of organized labor, and from their num-
bers come acts and words which antagonize
certain racial groups on whom MIR. Roosevelt
depended for his majorities in great states
like New York, these states will go Repub1i-
can (since most Republicans will vote and
talk the other way). Then the process will be-
vyu fhe DernOcrqfc the
tion and the Southern members of Congress
though they may be re-elected-their chair
manships and patronage.
Mr.. Mead and most Northern Democrats
are for legislation to set up a permanent Fair
Employment Practices Commission, vigorous
ly sought by Negro leaders among others
Many Southern Democrats are opposed, and
they probably have the power to filibuster the
bill to death if enough of them decide to
do So Mr.. Mead and other Northern Demo-
Gratis are for repeal of state poll taxes in
Federal elections, measure also backed by
Negro groups and labor organizations South
ern Democrats have been able in the past
to filibuster this off the floor. They have also
provided the legislative means to amend or
defeat economic bills demanded by organized
labor in its special interest And one of them
though only one Senator Bilbo-has made
speeches and written letters offensive to
racial groups.
If this goes on, was the burden of Mr.
Mead's lecture these groups and the Ameri-
can Labor party will not vote for Democratic
candidates in the North and East, and in
New York that means these candidates can
not be elected. The Southern wing of the par
ty, he implied, must swallow its objections to
current socialeconomic proposals as 1t did so
often while the New Deal was dominating the
Democratic party and the leadership of Presi-
Dr. c1io rncictn1
by those who did not approve its courses.
Otherwise, his hearers gathered, he sees a
steadily worsening Democratic future IN the
large Northern states, the signs of which are
already appearing.
After Mr.. Mead had finished his warning,
there was nothing to indicate that he had won
any converts to his point of view in so far as
this correspondent could discover. Those Dem
ocratic Senators who oppose on principle the
programs which Mr. Mead said are essential
to continued party power did not seem to be
impressed with the reasons he gave for
abandoning their opposition. Those who op-
pose the programs as politicians only, because
of the sentiment of their constituencies,
seemed equally unrnoved. Chairmanships aft
er ALL are hardly to be weighed against prin-
ciple is involved. And chairmanships held by
those who rise above principle" will vanish
anyhow if their seats in Congress are lost
Dy DuCk1nR Cle overwhelming POUAS oPAiAAoA
of constituencies.
So it is probable that Mr.. Mead solved
neither his own political problem nor that OF
other Northern Democrats who read the
auguries as he does. And it is even more
probable that no such account or arguments
as he gave will unity the incongruous party
which only Mr.. Roosevelt's unusual leadership
and then the approach and advent of war
kept together 50 long
But the incident Is significant because it is
the first time, since Mr.. Dewey scared the
Democrats with his Oklahoma City speech in
1914, that any forebodings Of the partys po-
litica1 future have been heard in such set
ting. There was a shock when Mr. Roosevelt
died, but it passed away with the immediate
proofs of Mr.. Trumans immense popularity
proofs which are still being given. Now, how
ever, the impression is growing that this will
not last in such abundant measure, and that
even if it does, it will not automatically in.
clude Democratic candidates in states where
the party division in Congress has alienated
the support of certain pressure groups for
whom the Republicans are angling.-New
| York Times.
so THEY SAY