Evening star., 1947-07-01
The Political Mill
WoIIoce-for-P president
California Slate Planned
First Step Toward Third Party
Scheduled in Fresno, July 19
By Gould Lincoln

The first formal step looking to presiden-
t1al nomination for Henry Wallace In ls48 will
be taken at a meeting in Fresno, Calf, July
10. Called by former Attorney General Bob"
Kenny, who was candidate for the Demo-
cratic gubernatorial nomination in 1916 and
lost to Republican Gov Warren the meeting
is to pick slate Of wallace for President"
delegates to run in the Democratic primary
next year.
The present strategy Of the Wallace sup
porters is to make as big play as possible
for Democratic presidential nomination. If
that fatls, as in all probability 1t WILL then the
Wallsceites may be expected to launch third,
Independent Party candidacy for the former
Vice President and Secretary Of Commerce.
What they really hope is that they will be able
to enter the Democratic National Convention
with Wallace bloc of delegates from num-
Der OF States bloc Of respectable size. Then
If the Republicans win the 194S national elec-
tion-whether Wallace heads q third party
or not-the liberal Democrats who support
Wallace, particularly the old New Dealers will
seek to take over the Democratic organization
for 1852.
Feel They Have Chance.
In California, Colorado, Washington and
number of the other western States, the Wal
lace people feel that they have q good chance
OF picking up Democratic delegates next year
who will vote for Wallace for President There
have been rumors that James Roosevelt, son
of the late President, chairman Of the Demo-
cratic State Committee In California, will join
with Mr.. Kenny In the effort to elect WAL
lace delegation In that State. Should he do so,
there would be first-rate row In the Demo-
cratic Party Of California Mr.. Roosevelt was
chairman during the disastrous l946 campaign
when the Republicans took the Democrats to
the cleaners.
If Henry Wallace winds up as third party
presidential candidate next year, the one GER
tain result, 1t appears, would be the election
OF Republican President-just as certain as
was the victory Of Calvin Coolidge in 1924 over
the Democratic candidate, John W. Davis,
when the late Senator Bob" La Toilette and
former Senator Burton K. Wheeler headed an
Independent and Progressive national ticket
Mr.. Wallace and his followers, however, are
believed to be willing to give the conservative
Democrats lesson-a lesson that they can
not get along and win victories If they will
not accept the policies-and personalities-of
the left wing of the party.
It's tough job, starting a third political
party in the United States-even tougher than
in the days of the late Theodore Roosevelt and
Of the senior Senator La Toilette The liberals,
however, feel they have little chance In the
Democratic Party as long as the conservative
Democrats hold their grip on the solid Soutil."
In the opinion Of some of them, it's becoming
a race between alternatives of liberal Demo-
cratic leadership in the South or new party
perhaps Labor Party. With a strong liberal
party In the field, the old Democratic Fafty
might find itself shrunken to the stature of
major political group in one section only-the
South Men like Wallace are insisting that
the liberals in this country must have a real
outlet-and that If it cannot be in the Demo-
cratic Party, then 1t must be in new party.
1912 Result Recalled.
Theodore Roosevelt, the political idol of his
day. unable to wrest presidential nomination
from the conservative Republican organization
in 1912, launched his Progressive Party. Popu-
lar as he was, Col Roosevelt succeeded in only
one thing, the election Of Democrat, Woodrow
Wilson. Mr. Roosevelt, however, did win 88
votes in the electoral college that year. the
greatest number that any candidate on new.
third party ticket has obtained since Abraham
Lincoln was elected President in 1850 Fight
ing Bob La Toilette, made his try In 1924. He
was able to get a slate of presidential electors
on the ballots In every state except California,
ton. But he won only 13 votes in the electoral
college-those Of his home State, Wisconsin.
Since the Gays of T. r. and Bob LIZ Toilette,
the laws of many of the States have been
changed so as to make it even more difficult to
get new party slate Of candidates on the ball
lots. Literally millions of signatures to petit
tions and af1davits must be obtained If the
whole country is to be covered. In soEue OF the
States, the only way is for the candidates Of q
new party to run as independents" without
specific party designation. new party car
not go on the ballot in some States unless its
candidates have obtained certain percentage
of the vote in the most recent election.
Under such conditions, 1t is obvious that the
Wallaceites have tremendous task Of organi-
zation ahead of them If they try for third
party. They could hook up with the American .
Labor Party in New York.
Questions and Answers
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of fact by writing The Evening Star Information
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