The Wilmington morning star., 1946-07-15
FRIENDSHIP MAY
REAP DIVIDENDS
Senator Wheeler Seeking
denomination In Pri-
mary Elections

WASHINGTON, July 14.-U.D-
A long time friendship between
President Truman and Senator
Burton K. Wheeler may reap divi-
dends for the veteran Democrat
In his denomination campaign in
Montana's primary election Tues
day.
Tuesday primaries also are
scheduled in Wyoming and Ari-
IONA, but the contests in those
states are of little national inter-
est compared with the hot fight
under way between Wheeler and
Left Erickson, former state su-
preme court justice and an able
Montana vote-getter.
Mr.. Truman, avoiding an actual
endorsement of Wheeler never
theless gave him his strong sup
port by telling a news conference
last week that he approved Of
Wheeler's charges that the E-ick
son organization had been guilty
of circulating malicious campaign
propaganda.
Wheeler, a leader of the sen
ate's pre-Pearl Harbor isolation
lists and the anti-new deal bloc that
successfully throttled the late
President Rosevelt's supreme
court reorganization program,
has asked the senate to investigate
the attacks upon him, based on
his record on railroad labor legis-
lation.
The President, an active mem
Der of Wheeler's interstate COM
merce committee when he served
as a Missouri Senator, affection
ately referred to his former col
league as Burt" and denounced
the Erickson group for having in
stituted a "smear campaign
against him. In a letter to Wheel
er, written during the heat Of the
campaign, The Chief executive
said that any charge that Wheel
e- was a foe of organized rail
road labor was put it mildly.
where distortion of act" He add
ed that labor itself would answer
the charges.
Political observers are eagerly
awaiting the results of Mr.. Tru-
mans initial intervention in a
state primary. They are wonder
ing if he intends to follow in the
path of Mr.. Roosevelt, who took
an active interest in various
state politics while serving in the
White House and was rebuffed in
his attempted 1888 purge cam
paign.
Asked about this possibility, the
President told reporters simply
that he was dealing with politics
in every state.
Another feature Of the Montana
race which is drawing close at
tention here is the relationship
between the Presidents position
and the CLIO, whose political &C
ton committee is making a vlgor-
our attempt to unseat Wheeler.
Other political contests SEIZED
uled this week include, in addition
to the Wyoming and Arizona, pri-
maries. special primaries or nom.
mating conventions in Georgia
and Arkansas.
|. The "White Supremacy" issue,
made SO prominent by Senator
Theodore G. Bolbo in his recent
successful campaign fo- the Miss
issippi Democratic nomination,
has come up again in Georgia.
Former Governor Eugene Tai
madge. three-times Governor OF
the state, has been stumping in
red suspenders proclaiming that
Georgia must adopt separate pri
maries for Whites and Negroes
His chief opponent for the guber.
material nomination Wednesday is
35-year-old James v. Carmichael,
who has the backing of Governor
i Ellis Arnall. Also in the race is
former Governor E. D. Rivers.
Both Carmichael and Rivers have
upheld the right of Negroes to vote.
In Arkansas, Negroes will be
permitted to vote for the first time
in the Democratic primary which
involves only denomination OF Con-
gresSmen.
Candidates in Wyoming are I'M
opposed. The Arizona primary
likewise has proved Of little inter
est.
STATUS REVOKED