Evening star., 1947-01-05
Democratic Action
Group Is Founded
Here by Liberals
By Carter Brooke Jones


By Carter Brooke Jones
Americans for Democratic Action
was organized yesterday at the VIII
lard Hotel by $50 leaders of liberal
and labor groups, with the an
nounced intention of expanding the
New Deal social and economic pro-
gram at home and supporting dem
|ocratic movements based on the
Four Freedoms throughout the
world"
The new organization which will
not, under present plans, develop
into a third political party-Tejected
ANY alliance with totalitarian forces
of the left or right" its organizers
said The closed meeting was at
tended by Mrs. Franklin D. Roose-
velt, and the committee appointed
to set up the machinery of the new
group includes her son, Franklin D.
Roosevelt, jr., who is housing chair
man of the American Veterans Com
mittee. =
Mrs. Roosevelt was named chair
man of the temporary Program
Committee but at her own request
her name was left off the organiz-
ing group. She pleaded pressure of
other duties, including membership
on the United States delegation to
the United Nations.
Some of the others on the organiz-
ing committee are Elmer Davis, au-
thor and radio commentator and
wartime head of owl: Leon Hen
derson, former price administrator;
Mrs. Clifford Pinchot of Washington,
widow of the former Governor of
Pennsylvania; Walter White, presi-
dent of the Association for the Ad-
vancement of Colored People; Wilson
Wyatt, former Federal Housing Ex-
pediter, and Walter Reuther, presi-
dent of the CIO United Auto Work
erS.
May Work Through Democrats.
Delegates to the meeting were
selected and invited by the Union
for Democratic Action. It was in
dicated that the union will keep
going at present, but gradually will
be absorbed in the new organization.
Americans for Democratic Action
may or may not work through the
Democratic Party to gain its OBJ
jectives, conferees said. Chester
Bowles, former economic stabiliza-
ton director, as a leading speaker
at the public dinner Friday night
that preceded the meeting, had said
a third party was impractical, and
the Democratic Party, with all its
faults" would have to serve as a
vehicle and be kept In liberal paths
Barry Bingham, publisher of the
Louisville Courier-Journal, spokes-
man for the new group, said at the
close of yesterdays conference, that
the possibility of third party mere
ly came up ION the fringes" 'of the
discussions. Asked if the new or
ganization would work through the
Democrats, he said he frankly did
not know-the matter had not been
decided. The organizing committee
will work out platform and other
plans, and probably call a larger
meeting at some later date.
Basic Principles Stated.
A statement issued after the con-
ference, described as not a formal
manifesto, but merely the basic
principles underlying the new Or
ganization onswhich all had agreed,
stated specifically: IL
1--WE reject any association with
Communists or 'sympathizers with
Communism. in the United States as
completely as we reject any associa-
ton with Fascists or their sympa-
thizers. Both are hostile to the
principles Of freedom and democ-
racy on which this republic has
grown great"
The new group did not mention
any other organization in its state
ment. Delegates said no affiliation
with any was discussed. 1t was in
dicated strongly, however, that it
will have no connection with the
Progressive Citizens of America,
organized recently in New York by
a group including Henry A. Wallace
and Fiorello La Guardia.
The informal statement of policy
adopted at the all-day conference
said the conferees had found com
plete harmony" on these basic prin-
ciples:
81. The New Deal program must
be expanded to insure decent levels
OF health, nutrition, shelter and edu-
cation.
Greater Civil Liberties Urged.
%. Civil liberties must be protect
ed from concentrated wealth and
overcentralized government. They
must be extended to all Americans
regardless of race, color, creed or
sex.
%. Any sound foreign policy re-
quires a healthy and prosperous do
mestic economy.
4. The United States must con-
tinue to give full support to the
United Nations. The conference in
dorses the American plan for inter-
national control of atomic energy.
'5. Because the interests of the
United States are the interests of
Tree men everywhere, America must
furnish political and economic sup
port to democratic and freedom
loving peoples the world over.
Higher Living Standard.
'6. Within the general framework
of present American foreign policy,
steps must be taken to raise stand
ards Of living and support civil and
political freedoms everywhere"
1t was added: "These policies are
in the great democratic tradition of
Jefferson, Jackson, Lincoln. Wilson
and Franklin D. Roosevelt"
1t was disclosed that those attend
ing the meeting raised more than
S. 600 to help defray the expenses
OF their new organization. An addi-
tional sum of $4,000 was pledged to
L.