Evening star., 1947-11-08
McGrath ProcIaims
Democratic Ban on
Communist Support
New National Choirmun
Adopts 'No-Quurter'
Policy on Red Comps
Bp Doris FIeeson

lie 1lC" AChAoSA upaS
Chairman, Senator McGrath of
Rhode Island. proclaimed today a.
no-uuarter policy toward Commu-
nists and Communist dominated
groups in the party's effort to re-
elect President Truman.
In an exclusive interview Mr.. Nc
Grath said:
THE Democratic Party welcomes
all groups In sympathy with its aims
and purposes. But any group that
allows itself to become identified
in the public mind as Com
ist-dominated can be of no
service to the American people or to
the Democratic Party. The support
of such groups will not be welcome
to us
Principles and Platform.
Mr.. McGrath added: "The empha-
sis of all our work here will be on
strengthening and serving the DEM
ocratic Party organization. We
shall expect all our candidates to
stand squarely upon Democratic
principles and the party platform"
Senator McGrath repeated that
President Truman had promised him
complete cooperation. The assump-
ton is implicit that Mr.. Truman
will not attempt any rescue of or
ganizations falling under the Nc
Grath ban.
The most immediate effect of the
new chairman's firm stand will be
felt in New York, where Edward j.
Flynn of the Bronx, Mrs. Roosevelt
and others are at odds with the
American Labor Party. Their feel
ing Is that since the death of the
astute Sidney Hillman, who kept a
firm hand on ALP, its Communists
are active in it's affairs, hence the
Democrats should have no part OF 1t.
ALP was created by Messrs. Roose-
welt, La Guardia and Hillman as a
left-wing ally of the Democratic
Party. 1t has briefly held the balance
of power in New York, in "A polling
more than Roosevelts majority for
the fourth term. But its powerful
triumvirate are dead and wartime
amity with Russia. which kept
American Communists quiet, is a,
thing of the past The betting now
is that final Democratic-ALP di-
vorce is on its way.
Nationally, Mr. McGrath will
please not only regular Democrats
but the partys leading liberals who,
with the exception of Henry Wall
lace, have made repeated efforts to
shake off the Communists, notably
in Americans for Democratic Action.
They have long been aware that
the Communists hurt them far
more than their conservative op-
ponents in party councils.
Record as Liberal.
Mr.. McGrath personally is above
suspicion in liberal ranks on the
evidence of his record as Governor
Of Rhode Island and United States
Senator. Coming to Washington
after Mr. Roosevelt's death as 1t
was growing less personally profit
able to assert fidelity to the late
President and the New Deal, he
has been consistent. This is true
not alone of his public statements
but in private where it would have
been easy to say nothing.
The new chairman'S frankness
about the embarrassing problem
of Communist inflltration is in con-
trast to the policy of drift that has
prevailed since 1t first became evi-
dent that in several sectors matters
had taken the wrong turn. In
the fall of as National Committee
man Tehan of Wisconsin cooled his
heels here, waiting for guidance
about what to do with Commu-
mist he had discovered on his con-
gressicnal slate. Nobody seemed
to want to be involved so he went
home, excommunicated the Com
munist and incidentally lost a con-
gressional district he might have
had, for which he got no thanks
from Washington.
The policy outlined by Mr.. Nc
Grath may also serve to discourage
the Republicans who are fond of
Jumping the Communists with
Democrats, liberals and New Deal
ers as an indissoluble part of the
whole. President Truman is the
captive OF this combination, ac-
cording to COP Chairman Reece.
In other respects the Democrats
are in for streamlining of the '48
campaign. The young chairman
will end conferences of leaders here
and will visit their States to bestow
that touch of personal interest in
their problems which Mr.. Roose-
welt always said meant more than
patronage. Later on there will be
some changes in headquarters to
prepare it for the hard drive ahead.
n r. lLF IL nj