Evening star., 1947-07-12
denomination of Truman
Regarded as Certainty
Democrats Are Still Pondering Over
Selection of Runnins-Mate
By Gould Lincoln

OClSCIlOH NuHNln2sN1ate
By Gould Lincoln
When the Democratic National Convention
convenes next summer the nomination Of q
presidential candidate will be mere ratifica-
tion-of Harry s. Truman. His denomination
Is regarded as much a certainty as was the re-
nomination of the late President Franklin D.
Roosevelt when these party affairs were held
in 1896, 40, and "A.
But the Democrats are still pondering the
selection of a running mate for Mr.. Truman.
If Mr.. Truman has any personal predictions,
he hasn't said anything about them publicly.
The Democratic vice presidential nomination
next year could be very valuable or practically
valueless- depending on whether the Demo-
cratic national ticket can win or not. It's
gamble, however, that number of Democrats
would like to take. It's the prize which led
former Senator Mead, of New York to seek
a Democratic gubernatorial nomination against
Governor Dewey last year Had Mr.. Mead
been elected, he would have been natural for
the vice presidential nomination in 4s.
Should the Truman ticket win next year.
the Democrat-elected Vice President would bs
in strategic position for presidential nomi-
nation in 1852. His intimates Insist Mr.. Tru-
man would never seek what would amount to
a third term-and if the constitutional amend
ment now submitted to the States were ratified,
he undoubtedly would not. So the vice presi-
Dental nomination appears even more allur-
ing.
Wallgren Possibility"
None of the big, key States, politically. have
Democratic Governors-for example, New York.
Pennsylvania Illinois, California and Ohio all
have Republican Governors. The only Demo-
cratic Governor who has been mentioned as =
possibility" is Wallgren, OF Washington, per-
sonal friend of Mr. Truman, but Wallgren car
ries little weight around the country and Is
little known.
So speculation Is turning to other fields for
a Democratic vice presidential candidate
Congress. the cabinet and the courts. The
Democratic leaders Of the Senate and House,
Barkley and Rayburn, are bit on the old side
for such omination-Barkley would be going
on II and Rayburn 81 in January. 1949 Both.
however, are men of ability and long and
faithful party service. .,
Two Senators whose names have been IN the
gossip for vice presidential nomination are
Lucas of Illinois, and Tydngs Of Maryland.
On the theory that Mr.. Truman must have the
labor vote and the active support Of leaders Of
organized labor. Senator Tydings might bs
elminated-since he voted for the Taft-Hartley
labor law and voted to override Mr.. Tuman's
veto Of that measure. However. Senator Tyd-
ings comes from the East and is geographically
right" to run with Missourian. In addition,
he is strong and aggressive campalgner.
Senator Lucas. although he, like Mr.. Tru-
man, halls from the Midwest, represents one
of the great key political States-a State
which went strongly Republican In 1946, but
which has shown signs Of returning to the
Democratic column, the Trumanites claim, in
the election Of a new mayor Of Chicago by
some 273,0O0 votes over his Republican op-
ponent and in several other local elections.
Senator Lucas voted for the labor bill-but
he voted to sustain the Presidents veto Of that
measure.
Strong Hold ON Voters.
The Illinois Senator has demonstrated q
strong hold on the affections of the voters
of his State. He served two terms In the
House before he was elected in 1888 to the
Senate He was reelected Senator in 1914 for
q term that expires in January, 1851. He Is
IS years DID, a veteran Of the First World War.
He leaped into the limelight when he de-
livered speech in the House In 1887 attacking
President Roosevelt's Supreme Court packing
bill. It was that speech which got him the
senatorial nomination and helped to elect him
later-and he has held the support Of lot
of independent voters In Illinois ever since.
Senator Lucas has been touted as the prob
able Democratic nominee for Governor next
year, to run against Gov. Green, Republican,
who is expected to try for third term. In
deed, a good deal Of pressure has been put
upon him to get him to make the guberna-
torial race. If he could have the vice presi-
Dental nomination, however, there seems no
doubt he would prefer 1t. 1t may be argued
that as a gubernatorial candidate he would
strengthen the party's national ticket In ILL
nois. 1t Is even more reasonable to argue that
Senator Lucas would help the Truman ticket
in that State II he were Truman's running
mate.
Two members of the cabinet from New York.
Secretary of the Navy Forrestal and Secretary
of Commerce Hartman, are mentioned for tho
vice presidential nomination. Neither has ever
been elected to important public on1ce. There
Is hankering among Democrats, however, to
have New Yorker on the national ticket next
year. Still another New Yorker whose name
bobs up constantly is Justice jackson OF tho
Supreme Court. But it is considered unlikely
that the justice would relinquish his place on
the bench to try for very uncertain prize.
1t might be that Mr.. Truman would like to
have his Secretary of State, Gen. Marshall.
as running mate. But Gen. Marshall has
been positive in his declination to enter par
tisan politics up to date.
Questions and Answers
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