Evening star., 1946-05-12
Political Action Groups
Combine TO Support
Liberal Candidates
By NewboId Moves, Jr.

committees have combined forces
for Joint campaign in behalf of
'liberal-minded" candidates in this
years primary and general cleo
tionS.
The development, formally an
nounced yesterday after a meeting
of the groups representatives, i'm
pressed observers as a possible first
step toward close, continuing CO.
operation of political education"
committees which already have
demonstrated separately their abil-
ity to influence the labor vote.
The neWly-allied groups, however,
in statement issued after the
meeting, declared: Our action here
is not to be construed as an ANAL
gamation.'
Murray, Hillman, Ickes Attend.
Groups concerned are the CIO
Political Action Committee, the Ma
tional Citizens Political Action Com
mittee and the Independent Citi-
zenS' Committee of the Arts. Sciences
and Professions. Among those at
tending the conference at the Carle-
ton Hotel were Philip Murray, CIO
president, and Sidney Hillman, CIO-
PAC chairman; former Interior
Secretary Harold L. Ickes, executive
chairman of the Independent Citi-
zens' Committee, and Sculptor Jo
Davidson. national chairman: DR.
Frank Kingdom, chairman of the
National Citizens PAC. and Elmer
| A. Benson. chairman of the eXecu-
tive council of that organization.
These men were named to a CO.
ordinating committee for the groups
together with c. B. Baldwin, eXecu-
tive vice chairman of the National
Citizens PAC: Miss Hannah Dorner
National Citizens PAC executive di-
rector. and James Carey, secretary
treasurer of the CIO.
An unexpected arrival among 50
delegates at the session was Frank
lin D. Roosevelt, jr. bearing the
proxy of his brother, James, national
director of political organization for
the Independent Citizens Commit
tee, who was unable to attend
No Formal 'BlackIisting.'
Spokesman stressed that while
the groups will coordinate their
efforts in behalf of candidates on
whose liberal qualifications they
can agree, there will be no formal
"blacklisting" of congressional "un-
desirables" by the groups, either
singly or. Jointly. They decided to
seek big vote on the theory it
will be "a progressive vote"
| They declared, in statement
which also contained a sort OF
manifesto" of principles sub
scribed to by the groups, that none
of the three organizations
loses its independence by joining
this co-ordinating committee. All
/ the organizations reserve the right
of autonomy and to support or fight
candidates of their own choosing
Our action represents a COM
blned operation for definite pur-
| pose. The work of the co-ordinat.
ing committee will largely be thai
of clearing house or a repository
for joint action"
Their stand on domestic issues
was set forth in the statement a.
support of the Roosevelt economic
Bill of Rights" the Office of Price
Administration and the use O.
science and technology to promote
fuller production; and as opposition
to race discrimination, the poll ia,
and the House Committee on Un.
American Activities.
Declare Support of U. n.
In the field of foreign policy the
groups declared their support OF
the United Nations, unity of the
big three the principle of self
determination, relief of world star.
vation and United Nations contro
of atomic energy. They came out
against Fascism.
Mr.. Ickes told reporters that no
specific candidates for Congress had
been discussed at yesterdays meet
ing, either approvingly or disap-
provingly.
Mr.. Hilman, however, while not
naming the States or districts
where the three organizations would
work most vigorously, said, "We
will concentrate on New York