Evening star., 1947-10-30
The Political Mill
Emergency Echo Likely
In Trumun's Cumpoion
International Situation Emphasized az
Democratic Committee Meets
Rv GomlH IfncoIn

Dy UOwN LtWCOIU
The campaign for the reelection of President
Harry 8. Truman will have something of the
flavor Of the third-term campaign Of the late
President Franklin D. Rooseveit-it will be
based In part on plea that the international
situation requires the reelection Of the Demo.
cratic President. It will be another emergency"
case.
A foretaste Of this was found In the speech
OF SenatorsJ. Howard McGrath of Rhode Island
when he accepted election as Democratic
national chairman yesterday-and became the
man who is to direct the battle for the re-
election Of the President. He said with
democracy challenged on all sides throughout
the worl0. If we could achieve through
the common efforts of both political parties
IN this world OF 1948 a record enrolment Of
American voters we would be giving the most
practical answer to the followers Of totalitarian
and Fascist states that Americans of every
persuasion love their country and its institu.
tions and their freedoms. Such an enrolment,
would, to my way Of thinking, be the best
service that we could render our party and
our country and the finest guarantee that the
Democratic Administration in the four years
to follow 1948 will be truly representative of
the wishes OF the American people"
Censure Sidetracked.
Mr.. McGrath's plea clearly is that the peo-
pie enrell as voters-and vote for Mr. Truman.
This plea for bipartisan support of the Chief
Executive was bolstered still further by an in
cident Of the meeting of the Democratic
National Committee at which Senator McGrath
spoke. resolution denouncing the Republican
Congress and all its works in vitriolic language
had been prepared for adoption by the commits
tee.
But the new chairman killed 1t as dead rs O
doornail-and the resolution never was pre-
sented. 1t was explained by the chairman's
aides that he had at a press conference strongly
urged bipartisan support of the Truman pro-
gram in the coming special and regular sessions
Of Congress. It was thought better not to have
the national committee, over which Senator
McGrath now presides, throw such resolution
in the teeth of the Republican members of
Congress.
This may or may not be good tactics so far
as the general public Is concerned. It will take
more than this however, to convince the Re-
publicans they should go along with another
emergency" plea. Mr.. Roosevelt was reelected
in 1910 on the plea there was an international
situation that required Mr.. Roosevelt at the
helm to keep us out Of war. In 1914 the
emergency was different-we needed, then, Mr..
Roosevelt to help us win the war.
WeH-Versed in Politics.
The selection Of Senator McGrath to head
the Truman campaign brings into the picture
virile younger Democratic leader who has
been versed in politics since his teens. He has
been three times elected governor Of Rhode
Island, and once to the Senate. Quite record
for a man who is only 43 years old.
1t also brings to the Democratic national or
ganization more than touch Of the senatorial
brush. The new chairman Of the Democratic
National Committee remains SENATOR mem
Der OF the most exclusive club in the country.
1t is club of which President Truman himself
was formerly q member. It would be surpris-
ing If the party's national committee did not.
therefore. begin to feel the senatorial influence
to be guided to greater degree by what the
Democrats Of the Senate think and recommend.
At this meeting Of the national committee
1t became more and more apparent that many
of the Democratic leaders believe President
Truman should have the final say about the
vice presidential candidate. The topic was
live one, however, and there was plenty Of ex-
pression-off the record-hy members Of the
national committee to the effect that the
choice Of Truman running mate should 60 to
the East. And that the choice should be Sec
retary Of Defense Forrestal Of New York.