Evening star., 1946-04-17
PAC Demands Defeat
OF Legislators Who
Oppose Truman
BY the Associoied Press

Signs appeared today that Presi-
dent Truman intends to carry his
legislative fight to the people
through friendly lawmakers as the
CIO Political Action Committee de-
manded defeat for those who oppose
his program.
Capitol Hill Democrats speculated
that White House conference yes
terday with half a dozen Senators
may have been the tipoff that the
President is briefing members of
Congress on his objectives in the
hope they will bear down on those
issues in their election campaigns
The CIO-PAC's call for the de-
feat of Democrats and Republicans
who oppose what it termed the "peo-
ple's program" came as Southern
Democrats who have no love for the
labor political organization arranged
to caucus tonight.
Plan Ultimatum to Hannegan.
Leaders of the caucus move said
formed to tell Chairman Hannegan
in unmistakable terms that they
want the Democratic National Com
mittee to support all party members,
without regard to their views on
legislation.
That is precisely what the Politi-
cal Action Committee made it plain
1t Goes not want. 1t said in state
ment yesterday that voters ought to
measure the record of every candi-
date against a 17-point program
and oppose those who have for
feited the peoples confidence by
their failure to act on the peoples
interest"
Chairman Sidney Hillman told
reporters the CIO-PAC hopes to be
a factor in "at least" 100 congress
Sional districts this fall, but he did
not name any of them.
He added, however, there is no
doubt that local groups will try to
defeat those Southern Democrats
who have voted with Republicans in
what the statement termed a
coalition of reaction"
The coalition of poll-tax Demo-
Gratis and reactionary Republicans
thwarts the peoples program" the
statement asserted. 1T blocks the
Roosevelt legislative proposals which
are being carried forward by Presi-
dent Truman in his messages to the
Congress.
1T threatens to cancel wage in
creases by price increases. leading
TO a disastrous imitation. 1t blocks
action for adequate housing to vet
Grams as well as workers, for a pub
lie health program, for adequate
social security, for job and educa-
tional opportunities. 1t opposes jobs
for all and refuses to subscribe to
the principle of full employment
even as goal toward which we
should strive.
Sabotages Minimum Wage Law.
'It Sabotages minimum wage leg
islation. 1t denied full citizenship
to the Negro people by filibustering
fair employment practices and anti
poll tax acts. 1t attempts to smash
the power of labor by legislation and
to destroy the trade unions"
Mr. Truman talked about some OF
the same proposals - in different
language-to the Democratic Sem
etors he saw yesterday.
The group included Senators
Mead of New York. and Tunnel OF
Delaware. who repeatedly rounded
up the others for the visit, Radcliffe
of Maryland, Kilgore of West Vir-i
ginia. Guffey of Pennsylvania and
Walsh of Massachusetts.
All are counted as stanch sup
porters of the Presidents program,
with the possible exception of Sena-
tor Walsh. The latter had his diff
ferences with Mr.. Truman over in
terflational issues in 1914.
Senators who attended yester-
days meeting said they discussed
domestic problems, such as OPA eX-
tension. housing. minimum wage
and social security legislation.
Some present viewed the whole
thing as sort Of pep gathering for
those who might be expected to up
hold the Presidents hands in likely
appeals for the return of a friendly
Coneress. They noted that no
Southerners were on the visiting
liSt, nor such Northerners as Senator
Gerry OF Rhode Island. who often
bucks the administration tide
White House Secretary Charles G..
Ross said he didn't know whether
Mr.. Truman had given the visitors
his political blessing. Those who
attended said politics wasn't men
toned in any direct way.