Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-07-14
Platform
Continued From First Page)

erners, who want the States left
free to legislate on the political and
economic rights of Negroes.
In the middle is the largest group,
seeking to heal party wounds by
avoiding either extreme. This group
succeeded, however, in writing into
the platform last night civil rights
plank which most observers regard
ed as somewhat stronger than the
1914 plank.
The new plank as it stands today
reads as follows:
The Democratic Party is respon-
sible for the great civil rights gains
made in recent years in eliminating
unfair and illegal discrimination
based on race, creed or color.
The Democratic Party commits
itself to continuing its efforts to
eradicate all racial, religious and
economic discrimination.
I'VE again state our belief that
racial and religious minorities must
have the right to live the right to
work, the right to vote, the full and
equal protection of the laws, on
basis of equality with all citizens
as guaranteed by the Constitution
I'VE again call upon the Congress
to exert its full authority to the
limit of its constitutional powers to
assure and protect these rights"
In the Platform Committee last
night the compromisers beat off all
efforts of the two extreme groups
TO change this plank.
Four different moves by the South
erners to insert States Rights
plank failed The committee ma
iority also refused to let the North
ern liberals add paragraph put
ting the party definitely on record
for Federal action to guarantee to
all Americans:
q. Personal safety from the bru-
tai crime of lynching and mob vlo-
lence;
%. Equal opportunity in employ
ment,
%. Full and free political partici-
patton. and,
a. Equal treatment in the armed
forces"
Mayor Humphrey then tried to
insert separately the fourth point,
declaring against segregation in the
armed forces. This failed by vote
of % to SO. A later effort to get
second vote on it was ruled out OF
order.
Three Notices Filed.
Senator Myers announced that
three notices of intention to pre-
sent minority reports were filed:
|, by the Southern States Rights
group; 2, by the Humphrey group,
and 3, by those who wanted sep
arate ban on segregation in the
armed forces.
The warning groups are not under
obligation to 60 through with their
minority reports. but Senator Myers
indicated he expects the floor show
down.
Shortly after the convention met
this morning former Gov. Moody
made public the text of the States
rights plank on which the South
will base its floor fight. There is
little chance the convention will
adopt it. but the Southerners will
offer it as a means Of expressing
their opposition to the Truman pro-
gram
The plank:
The Democratic Party stands for
the principle that the Constitu-
ton contemplated a union OF indie
structible. sovereign States and that
under the Constitution the general
Federal Government and the sepa-
rate States have their separate fields
of power and of permitted activities.
Traditionally it has been, and it
/ remains, a part of the faith of the
Democratic Party that the Federal
| Government shall not encroach
upon the reserved powers of the
States by Capitalization of Gov
eminent or otherwise. Within the
reserver powers of the States, to
be exercised subject to the limita-
tons imposed by the 14th and 18th
amendments to the Constitution, on
the manner of their exercise, is the
power to regulate and control their
local affairs and act in the exer-
else of the police power.
States Rights Plank Offered.
incidentally, the Dixie Democrats
cannot find much comfort on the
civil-rights issue if they look to the
Republican Party, as the COP plat
form directly Endorses large part
, of President Humans civil-rights
/ program.
Aside from civil rights. the Demo
. cratic declaration for repeal of the
, Taft Hartley Act is expected to pave
the way for one of the major issues
. of the campaign. Republican orator.
are expected to point out that the
law would not have passed If more
than 100 Democrats in the House
and about half the Democrats 1r
the Senate had not voted to over.
ride President Humans veto.
Nevertheless, the Democratic plank
} asserts 1t was passed by q Repub.